Watch CBS News

Gresh & Zo: Concussions In Youth Sports

BOSTON (CBS) - Gresh & Zo took a look into the declining participation rates trending in youth football over the recent years.

"Our awareness about this sport has changed, and it's changed drastically," said Zolak. "There's a lot of information out there nowadays that was not out there when I was playing Pop Warner. That's pretty damn obvious."

 

Inspired by the brilliant documentary League of Denial written by the Fainaru brothers, Gresh & Zolak questioned the education needed by youth league coaches and the parents who allow their kids to play.

Gresh's boys are getting to that age now where they're starting to get curious about football, and he doesn't want his kid playing for some coach who just does it for the status of being a coach.

Zolak said there's a lack of competent coaches out there, which could be why a lot of children are getting hurt playing Pop Warner.

"It's about understanding the game and protecting the kids. You can be strict, one of those hard ass individuals, but you got to go about it the right way and teach the kids the right way to play the game. That's a big part of what's missing at this level...the education," said Zo.

They also compared the heightened awareness of concussions nowadays to the ignorance of traumatic head injuries in the past.

Listen to the discussion below:

Concussions In Youth Sports

MORE SPORTS FROM CBS BOSTON

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.