Anthony Jennings has had the feeling that the game of football is under attack.
Jennings is president of the Midway Athletic Association, and he’s seen story after story touting the latest research into the dangers of playing football, particularly its effects on the brain.
Case in point: CBSSports.com published an article May 1 titled, “New study: Kids who play tackle football before the age of 12 get CTE symptoms ‘much earlier.’”
That’s why Jennings has organized the Georgia Football Association Second Annual Heads Up Tackle Football Open House, a town hall-like event for the community to hear from a panel of coaches, parents and medical professionals on what is being done to make football safer at the youth level.
Second Annual Heads Up Tackle Football Open House
Who: Parents and kids from kindergarten to eighth grade.
When: Thursday, May 10, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Kelly Mill Elementary School.
Contact: Anthony Jennings, president of Midway Athletic Association: 678-612-1303; anthony_jennings@yahoo.com
“There is a lot of news out there on the negativity on tackle football,” Jennings said, “and there is absolutely no news and or media coverage about what is done to protect kids in football, how the game has changed, how tackling and coaching has changed and what the statistics are around youth and football.”
Jennings hopes the event Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Kelly Mill Elementary will give the community the opportunity to get all that information and have their questions answered.
The panel will include Ian Holmes, southeast regional manager of USA Football Youth; Mark Taylor, head football coach at Vickery Creek Middle School; Linda Halloran, a pediatrician at Vickery Pediatrics; Harold King, manager of community outreach and athletic training with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; and Maggie Muschara, a physical therapist.
“They’re going to give their experiences and stories around football,” Jennings said.