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Local parents feel the government is over-stepping with proposed ban on kids playing tackle football

“If we don’t have a feeder program then they’re not gonna learn anything because start off day one at the varsity level, coach tells you to ge...
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MOLINE - It's a contact sport but should young kids be apart of it?

A bill introduced in the Illinois Legislature would ban kids under twelve from playing organized tackle football.

"Part of me is not surprised with everything that's going on out there, with all the concussions I mean, that's a scary thing," said Carol Ellison, parent.

"I think they still should be able to play tackle football, they're getting in to too much of our lives on everything," said Rene Dobbels, parent.

The bill is in honor of the late Bears Safety Dave Duerson, he was diagnosed with CTE, a brain disease linked to concussions, he later committed suicide in 2011.

"I think if you get educated on that I think you can probably stop a lot of that," said Jim Hughes, Head Football Coach at Wilson Middle School.

Hughes says it's important for younger children to get involved in contact sports to better prepare them for the sports they'll play as they get older.

"If we don't have a feeder program then they're not gonna learn anything because start off day one at the varsity level, coach tells you to get in a 3-point stance, he ain't gonna have a clue," said Hughes.

Though parents say their child's safety is always important, moms and dads we talked with think it should be their decision, not the government's.

"I personally think its a parental choice, there's big football families and a lot of boys that want to play, on the other hand look at the professional football players now who have been playing since they were young and they can't remember their own last names anymore," said Ellison.

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