[JeffInCorvallis]

You're right that concussions happen in many non-football sports, hockey especially (of course) but also soccer. From that pretty comprehensive h.s. sports study, though, I don't remember water polo or volleyball being in the top 5. I think statistically there's a big difference.

Nah, that feels too facile to me. The writing's on the wall for football. It will be hit hard in the coming decades by increasing lack of participation at every youth level, including h.s. How many of us would encourage our sons to play h.s. football today, let alone allow them if they wanted to? How many of us would even blink if they instead wanted to play tennis, water polo, volleyball, baseball?

Not disputing your broad conclusion re: football, but...

This year, my niece suffered two concussions playing high school water polo.  Her brother played high school football.  He suffered none.

Plenty of concussions happen in volleyball.  Weren’t repeated concussions the reason the very talented Hodson left the Stanford program a few years ago?

No doubt that football is the worst offender with regards to head injuries, despite its current popularity the sport will have to evolve or be left behind. However, no sport is completely safe. My daughter plays high school soccer and all the parents are well-versed in the concussion protocol because at any given time there may be one or two or more players sitting out games and practices due to concussion symptoms. As noted in this thread, basketball, volleyball, water polo also see concussions, hopefully at a lower incidence rate.

Don't even get me started on ACL injuries for girls.

[JeffInCorvallis]

You're right that concussions happen in many non-football sports, hockey especially (of course) but also soccer. From that pretty comprehensive h.s. sports study, though, I don't remember water polo or volleyball being in the top 5. I think statistically there's a big difference.

Nah, that feels too facile to me. The writing's on the wall for football. It will be hit hard in the coming decades by increasing lack of participation at every youth level, including h.s. How many of us would encourage our sons to play h.s. football today, let alone allow them if they wanted to? How many of us would even blink if they instead wanted to play tennis, water polo, volleyball, baseball?

Not disputing your broad conclusion re: football, but...

This year, my niece suffered two concussions playing high school water polo.  Her brother played high school football.  He suffered none.

Plenty of concussions happen in volleyball.  Weren’t repeated concussions the reason the very talented Hodson left the Stanford program a few years ago?

No doubt that football is the worst offender with regards to head injuries, despite its current popularity the sport will have to evolve or be left behind. However, no sport is completely safe. My daughter plays high school soccer and all the parents are well-versed in the concussion protocol because at any given time there may be one or two or more players sitting out games and practices due to concussion symptoms. As noted in this thread, basketball, volleyball, water polo also see concussions, hopefully at a lower incidence rate.

Don't even get me started on ACL injuries for girls.