Opinion

Tackling should be below the waist

Posted November 14, 2015 12:00 am

Regarding Mike Imrem's column, "Tackling this issue is no easy task," I played football at Harvard High School in Harvard, Illinois from 1959 to 1963.

The coach of the team at that time was Dan Horne, a graduate from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I believe he played tight end on the Badger football team. One of the skills we worked on during most every practice was tackling. Coach Horn was clear about this side of the game. You "tackled below the waist." His theory was "wrap up a player's leg - he's going nowhere."

A 2011 article states: "We've heard a lot about concussions in pro sports recently. And in Canada, a lot of the conversation has been about the NHL. Well now, there's an alarming new study about the dangers of pro football. The study, by the University of North Carolina, suggests the average life expectancy of a retired NFL player is 55 years.

"If that's true, NFL players can expect to lose about 25 years off their life, as a result of their profession. The study also suggests retired NFL players suffer from Alzheimer's at a 37 percent higher rate than average. That's quite a price to pay."

Paul Hayes

Warrenville

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