California lawmakers are debating whether to ban tackle football for children under 12.
The move is being pushed by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage, but it is opposed by many coaches who warn it would cut off youths from an important source of physical activity.
The bill is scheduled to have its first public hearing before a legislative committee on Wednesday and must clear the state assembly by the end of January to have a chance of becoming law this year.
The bill comes as flag football has been gaining popularity nationwide, especially for girls.
Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who introduced the bill, cited research about the links between youth tackle football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repetitive traumatic brain injuries. He also pointed to a CDC study that found youth tackle football athletes sustain 15 times more head impacts than flag football during a practice or game.
"Flag football is an alternative that is safer for youth and can still give them the opportunity to learn the skills to be successful at tackle football later in life," McCarty said in a statement. "The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl was a flag football game for the safety of the players. Why can't we have that for our youth?"
McCarty said children who wait until high school to play tackle football have a better chance of avoiding effects that come with CTE, including depression, memory loss and dementia.
One former coach who opposes the move said it would unfairly force young kids to play flag football, which is a different sport than tackle football.
"Flag football is oriented toward leaner, faster kids, and some of the kids we see in tackle football may not have developed yet physically, they may be a little bit overweight or are larger in stature, maybe not the fastest kid on the team," Steve Famiano, who leads the Save Youth Football California coalition, told the Associated Press. "They fit so perfect on a youth football team. They get to play offensive line and defensive line. You take that away from those kids, where do they go?"
If passed, the bill would not take effect until 2026.