Lawsuit Leads to New Soccer Guidelines on Heading
By Ken Reed
U.S. Soccer, in order to resolve a concussion lawsuit, has issued safety guidelines that prohibit players 10 and under from heading the ball and reduce headers in practice for those from age 11 to 13.
Monday’s announcement ends a class-action lawsuit that was filed in August 2014 by a group of parents and players in United States District Court in California. The suit charged negligence in treating and monitoring head injuries. The legal action sought only rule changes, not financial damages.
“With the development of the youth concussion initiative by U.S. Soccer and its youth members, we feel we have accomplished our primary goal …” said Steve Berman, the attorney who brought the case.
The new safety guidelines are indeed a good start. However, they need to be extended to cover high school-age soccer players. The brain is still developing until at least age 18. And a developing brain is more susceptible to brain trauma injuries.
According to the original filing in the case, nearly 50,000 high school soccer players sustained concussions in 2010, which is more than baseball, softball, basketball, and wrestling combined.
Heading restrictions need to be extended beyond age 13.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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