How young is too young?

[Green Light]

Originally Posted by Richard

Along those lines......what's a parent ot do?

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

Use judgement. Hopefully the good kind.

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by Richard

Along those lines...

In Youth Hockey, 'Checking' Ups Risk Of Brain Injury
NPR, 13 June 2010

All contact sports introduce the risk of injury. But researchers say there's one move in hockey that can be mighty dangerous for young players: the body check. A new study finds 11-year-olds who played in a league that allows checking — using your body to block another player — are more than three times as likely to suffer concussions and serious injuries compared with kids who played in a league that bans checking.

Carolyn Emery of the University of Calgary, one of the researchers who conducted the study, said that if body checking were banned in her province — Alberta, Canada — "we'd expect to see 1,000 fewer injuries and about 400 fewer concussions."

In the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Emery compared injury rates among hockey players in Alberta to those in Quebec.

Typically many hockey leagues in the United States and Canada introduce checking at age 11. "But I think these findings are strong evidence to support the notion that perhaps the age at which body checking is introduced should be reconsidered," says Emery.

The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees. The group recommends limiting the practice of checking for all players younger than 15. The policy was drafted in 2007 after a report that concluded body checking accounts for 86 percent of all injuries that occurred during games played by 9-to 15-year-olds.

(cont'd) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=127748445

And then there are the issues associated with youth football injuries, youth baseball injuries (especially to young pitchers), etc...decisions, decisions...what's a parent to do?

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

Ah Richard,at last a subject in which I've got a pretty good background in..........
Checking is a part of the game............I don't see checking as the report claims..... I've played the game(when Col Maloney and I were in the same age group and discuss it quite a bit)....... Cross checking is the real culprit,it can and does cause some real serious problems when it happens and of course it is foul and a penalty........Hockey has evolved just like the Army's combat gear,helmets,body armor, etc............ I've coached kids from mites to young teens and the kids loved to check because it's a part of the game and no check hockey just didn't cut it...... Pretty soon we all will start dancing around the mulberry bush because it is the safest game we can play without hurting ourselves....................

Big Teddy

[Longstreet]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longstreet
And do not forget that Admiral Farragut was given command of a captured British ship during the War of 1812. He was only 12 years old.


Did he then sail it around the world solo?

I think you may have missed the point. Children are capable of much more than we realize. Who is to say what they are or are not capable of?

[EasyIan]

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Cross checking is the real culprit,it can and does cause some real serious problems when it happens

For the most part I concur. Youth hockey injuries can be avoided with a more proactive approach to proper technique. As a ref and a player I have seen to many young players endanger others by getting their arms and sticks involved during a check. Another danger is having players who skate with their head down. That's a big no-no on the sheet.

[craigepo]

Originally Posted by Longstreet

Children are capable of much more than we realize. Who is to say what they are or are not capable of?

Parents and responsible adults with years of knowledge, experience, and a smidgen of common sense? It's an idea that's been around for quite some time.

[echoes]

Originally Posted by TOMAHAWK9521

However you feel about this girl's capabilities, I heard a caller on a radio show today reiterate what his brother in the USCG said, "No matter how sharp you think your are, or more specifically or how well this girl was 'trained' by her parents, the ocean is the last place you want to go "play in", especially by yourself. That demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the ocean."

I mean, maybe she is a quit-witted, bad-ass of a 16-year old. But what could she possibly have over centuries of competent sailors who have died on ships with full crews? Technology? We all know how Uncle Murphy likes to tag along for the ride. Seems he was hanging out in the crows' nest for this journey and took hold of the wheel at just that opportune time.

Also, I mentioned in another thread about entering the food chain when you leave safe and comfy civilization and go bumbling out into the wilderness. Going out onto the ocean solo magnifies that at least by 10-fold. Make it an imature age/life experience level and it goes up to 100-fold.

This logic, IMHO, is sound, Sir, agree 110%. In fact, this post puts the entire "debate" in to context, especially when, some time from now, she will re-try her sail, thanks to her ever-so-intelligent parents, and makes the news again for....?!

What a shame, IMHO.

Holly

[Green Light]

I heard a report today that the family has admitted to have shot a reality show, leading up to the attempt. Sounds like trading money for common sense. Trying to find the report.

If true, this puts their decision to allow the trip in a whole different league.

[18DWife]

Originally Posted by Green Light

I heard a report today that the family has admitted to have shot a reality show, leading up to the attempt. Sounds like trading money for common sense. Trying to find the report.

If true, this puts their decision to allow the trip in a whole different league.

YEP ,Was on Fox and Friends this am ,then I read the camera's have been filming 4 months already....so things that make ya go hmmmm

[Pete]

Teen Girl Sailor Close to Breaking World Solo Sailing Record

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...ailing-record/

"................Dutch teen Laura Dekker is trying to break Watson’s record of being the youngest person to sail around the world solo. After a legal battle with the Dutch government — which initially objected to the teen making the trip — Dekker set off from Gibraltar in August 2010, when she was 14..............."