If you were (or currently are) a parent to young children...

[Phil McGrawhan]

I have a foster son who started playing soccer u/6.but wanted to play league soon as he turned 7.
I spent a lot of time in the yard over that summer teaching him two basic things
1.how to tackle correctly &
2. Rl is just as much about using your brain as using your skills.

He is now in u/9 & one of the natural leaders on the field .He has a great tackling technique & good footy brain.

I have helped coach since u/7s & i would urge any parent thinking of letting their kids play to do it.It is a very rewarding experience to watch them slowly pick up skills ,& even more rewarding when you get actively involved ...coaching,manager,trainer,etc.
In over two yrs i have honestly not seen one serious injury(broken bones,etc).
A couple of sprains or being winded is about the worst.

The kids are happy & enthusiastic & i love my Saturday morning Junior League.

 

[Vicious]

I was nearly always the smallest on the field when i was young, nearlt always toped the tackle count and never got a serious injury.
My son has just turned 4, he will also be one of the smallest on the field, but i believe as long as he uses a good technique that he`ll be fine.

 

[Mr_Ugly]

I've got 3 boys - they all play.

Our club runs a "cubs" side for 2-3 year olds, 4 year olds play in the 6s. My youngest both started at 2 (... couldn't really call it league - just running randomly holding a footy - usually against the mums and dads, cheergirls or "big" kids) and my eldest at 4.

No worries at all!

 

[innsaneink]

Youre mistaking when I say "not scared" for toughness.
I really mean "confident" "able " and "capable"...lot different to tough or toughness.

Big kids are usually big because they've gone through puberty. This only makes them faster.

Theres plenty of discrepencies in size way before puberty

 

[sherrinator]

After seeing the hit from Hunt on Anasta on Friday, I think i'd prefer to let my kid lick an A4 sheet of acid.

 

[macavity]

After seeing the hit from Hunt on Anasta on Friday, I think i'd prefer to let my kid lick an A4 sheet of acid.

so you want your kids to grow up to be like Cousins, Ablett and Carey, huh.....

 

[Connie Kreski]

One day some of you (if you're particularly unfortunate) will hear the immortal words come from your beloved's lips, as I did three years ago, something to effect of;
'There is no effing way he (our son) is going to get involved with League'.

It didn't matter what I said. Rationality and reality play little roles in these kind of arguments. It wasn't about injuries. It was about her perception of 'culture', whatever that is.

The point is, we've already lost the battle to a large extent. League has a strong negative perception in many households. It'll take years to fix.

As it turned out, our boy did end up playing juniors. This year, what's he doing? Gone to bloody Australian Football 'because it's better'. (!)

And one thing I have to say, based on one round; that auskick is a totally different feel. For a start it's resourced ridiculously. He comes home with a footy, backpack, bottle, magazine blah blah, swag of goodies, the coaching's good and encouraging, we got this dvd for parents which was pretty good. Where's the money coming from for this? Not my 90 bucks that's for sure. The auskick club is way better organised, I have to admit.

Now I have to watch him chase that ball around every Saturday like a farmboy herding cats in a paddock.

 

[adamkungl]

One day some of you (if you're particularly unfortunate) will hear the immortal words come from your beloved's lips, as I did three years ago, something to effect of;
'There is no effing way he (our son) is going to get involved with League'.

It didn't matter what I said. Rationality and reality play little roles in these kind of arguments. It wasn't about injuries. It was about her perception of 'culture', whatever that is.

The point is, we've already lost the battle to a large extent. League has a strong negative perception in many households. It'll take years to fix.

As it turned out, our boy did end up playing juniors. This year, what's he doing? Gone to bloody Australian Football 'because it's better'. (!)

And one thing I have to say, based on one round; that auskick is a totally different feel. For a start it's resourced ridiculously. He comes home with a footy, backpack, bottle, magazine blah blah, swag of goodies, the coaching's good and encouraging, we got this dvd for parents which was pretty good. Where's the money coming from for this? Not my 90 bucks that's for sure. The auskick club is way better organised, I have to admit.

Now I have to watch him chase that ball around every Saturday like a farmboy herding cats in a paddock.

f**k that. my girls a sensible lass, she knows full well if we get to having kids what sport theyl be playing when they turn 5

 

[El Diablo]

After seeing the hit from Hunt on Anasta on Friday, I think i'd prefer to let my kid lick an A4 sheet of acid.

sure

i read some AFL clown was suspended for nearly breaking some blokes jaw

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23432393-19742,00.html

 

[Lossy]

Of course I'd let them play. No problem.

 

[raiders fan forever]

yeah not a problem id let my kids play
i tore my PCL and did a grade 3 medial ligament tear in my knee first hitup of a trial game once but sh*t happens its a contact sport you can be unlucky

 

[effnic]

Im a father to 2 boys and they will have no choice in life but to play league lol.

 

[Callan Pk]

Im a father to 2 boys and they will have no choice in life but to play league lol.

I feel sorry for your boys. A sure way they will hate the game.

Are you that insecure you need to live some unachieved dream thru them?

Let them do what they enjoy, dont force them to do anything. Its a big world with thousands of opportiunitys

 

[effnic]

Dear lord it was a f**king joke.

 

[Callan Pk]

Of course

 

[sherrinator]

sure

i read some AFL clown was suspended for nearly breaking some blokes jaw

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23432393-19742,00.html

It doesn't matter what sport it is, If there's a great possibility that my spinal chord will be severed, I don't think a kid should be playing it. Not past primary level anyway.

 

[El Diablo]

and what has that got to do with league :?

most spinal injuries are caused by cars and swimming

so your kid would never be let out of the house

 

[PARRA_FAN]

If i had a kid, who loves RL, wants to play it, whats gonna stop me from saying yes? Let him follow his dream.

You cannot take a dream away from a kid. If Rugby League is played tough but also fair in the rules of the game, there can be no problems at all.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

When I was a boy and making that transition from soccer to league, the likes of John Harvey, Dallas Donnelly, Terry Randall Les Boyd and the like were making the headlines that the NRL now deem unfashionable.
My mum was dead set against me playing league but I played it anyway.
Kids will ultimately do what they please or what's cool in the playground.
If my boy chooses the greatest game of all, I'll have no problems.
TBH I hope he chooses soccer and is very good at it. He can go to the UK and earn a corporate salary every week and buy his ol' man a Ferrari.

 

[greendevil]

It doesn't matter what sport it is, If there's a great possibility that my spinal chord will be severed, I don't think a kid should be playing it. Not past primary level anyway.

So the NRL should be an Under 12s comp then?