EP 718 Football’s Danger Even Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads

Football’s violence and its impact on the brain get most of the attention these days.  Even if little is done to control the impacts, there are stories detailing the interrupted, or destroyed, lives of players resulting from near head on collisions every game.  Yet, every summer, like clockwork, several American boys die on football fields across the country because of poorly conceived or administered conditioning drills.  Since tracking began in the 1930’s, more than 700 teenagers have died in high school football, and of those deaths they are four times more likely to die non-traumatically–during conditioning–than they are from blocking and tackling during the games themselves.  These deaths are due to exertional heat stroke, exertional sicking, and bronchial asthma.  In Irvin Muchnick’s new book, “Without Helmets or Shoulder Pads”, he explores this phenomenon using his impactful writing style to attempt to get people to pay more attention to the brutality of these practices.  His previous books and articles have helped focus policymakers on excesses in pro wrestling, pro football, sexual abuse in youth sports and helped spur the current movement to compensate college athletes.

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