This is a surprise.

[Minimalist]

I did not expect this to come from the kids. 

https://sports.yahoo.com/varsity-blues-f...11873.html

Varsity blues: Football participation on the decline across the country

Perhaps I did not give them enough credit?

[brewer]

Not that surprised, lack of funding and fear of CTE.

[Minimalist]

High school football is practically a religion in the south. 

I guess religion is failing everywhere.

[AFTT47]

I don't find anything surprising about this. Some of the toughest guys to ever play the game have said in interviews that they wouldn't want their sons in football. Mike Ditka, coach of the 1985 Bears said it. The murderer from the New England Patriots who hung himself in prison already had advanced CTE and he was only 27.

WATCHING football might still be a religion but hauling your own happy ass out there to get YOUR brain knocked to shit - that's a different story.

[Rev. Rye]

I think this decline is likely as much, if not more, the responsibility of the parents. Having been a teenage boy myself, I can't vouch for high schoolers being too turned off by the prospect of permanent brain damage.

[downbeatplumb]

I did not expect this to come from the kids. 

https://sports.yahoo.com/varsity-blues-f...11873.html

Varsity blues: Football participation on the decline across the country

Perhaps I did not give them enough credit?

Perhaps they will start playing proper games now.

[Aroura]

Good. It's far too risky for people to play. Every sport has chance for injury, but football (along with cheerleading) need to go the way of the dodo.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Footfall is a cult of violence to begin with.

[vorlon13]

Footfall is a cult of violence to begin with.

Although baseball has a 'sacrifice' and all that congers up . . .