Schmid and Jones File Bill To Delay Tackling In Youth Football

A release from the office of House Minority Leader Brad Jones:

State Representative Paul A. Schmid III (D-Westport) and House Minority Leader Bradley H.
Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) have proposed HD.2501, An Act for no organized head impacts to
school children otherwise known as the NO HITS Act. This legislation, if passed, would delay
tackling in football until after the 7th grade.

“There is significant science detailing repetitive head impacts that have long term neurological
consequences, especially when they occur during brain development. The trauma does not need
to escalate to the point of a concussion to be harmful to children,” said Representative Paul
Schmid. “I hope we have started a conversation on this topic, as always we want to come back to
the guiding principal here and that is what is right for our kids.”

According to a study published by the American Neurological Association, those who started
tackle football before age 12 were more likely to have cognitive, mood and behavior issues as
adults, and showed symptoms of neurodegenerative disease like chronic traumatic
encephalopathy (CTE) and Alzheimer’s disease decades earlier.

The bill has been endorsed by several members of the medical and football communities,
including the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, the Concussion Legacy Foundation,
and the Robert C. Cantu Concussion Center at Emerson Hospital, as well as, both high school
coaches and former NFL players, like former New England Patriot Ted Johnson, and former
Boston College football stars and NFL players Pete Kendall and Paul Zukauskus.

“There is an abundance of evidence showing that repeated head trauma can cause serious long-
term complications for a young child’s developing brain,” said Representative Jones. “I signed
on to this bill to try to raise awareness of this issue and to start a discussion. Some football programs have already made changes indicating that there is at least some recognition of this problem. If this bill does nothing else, I am hopeful that it starts a dialogue that will lead to the implementation of best practices and standards across the board to protect kids from long-term brain injuries.”

The bill is in the early stages of the legislative process and currently awaits a committee
assignment. As such time as it is assigned to a committee, a public hearing will be announced
where both written and in person testimony can be offered.