St. Ed’s head football coach Bill Motta and the administration at the school have committed to fielding a team in 2017 following a season during which that probability was brought into question.
A low turnout of only 18 players, injuries and the demise of the middle-school feeder program were ominous signs. Under the circumstances, it was astonishing that the Pirates fell just short of claiming a conference championship. The 7-5 record was a testament to the perseverance and fortitude of the team dominated by 12 seniors and the coaching staff.
Participation in football at St. Ed’s was hardly robust in recent years primarily due to the limited student population from which to draw players, but the viability of the program was never in question. Perhaps it is now and we may be witnessing the beginning of a trend caused in part by an evolving perception of the game as inherently dangerous.
Motta addressed why the varsity program is at a crossroads right now and some of the measures being taken to mollify the legitimate concerns of parents with young athletes in varying stages of physical development.
“I think the negative attention that football has gotten because of injuries has made some parents concerned,” Motta said. “I absolutely heard that from parents here at school and that probably contributed to the low number of players that came out.
“Certainly we know you have an opportunity to get injured in football, but that chance exists anywhere. Attention to injuries is an important concern that parents should consider, but they should not just listen to what’s on the surface. They should look at what is being done to answer that.”
As serious as broken bones, torn ligaments and mangled knees can be, the present emphasis is clearly on the immediate treatment and long-term effect of head injuries. St. Ed’s has a full-time physical trainer and a strong concussion protocol in place. The coaches and players are removed from the process of determining if and when a player can return to the field.
An attempt has been made to make the game safer at all levels. Professional and college players guilty of vicious hits that were glorified not long ago are now being penalized, fined and/or removed from games and suspended. Targeting a defenseless player – especially from the neck up – makes the perpetrator a pariah among peers. But attempts to legislate violent contact out of the game will be only partially successful at best.
Motta addressed Degenerative Brain Disease – or CTE – which was highlighted in the movie “Concussion.”
“Across the board there is a very real concern about concussions that we as a society are just learning about and recognizing how severe they really are. It’s a brain injury and it must be treated seriously. Head injuries can happen anywhere at any time in other sports or every day activities, but football is getting all of the attention right now.
“We all just need to acknowledge that we have been very negligent in the way we have addressed head injuries in the past. Overall we are addressing those concerns in a more serious way in every sport. Every coach is doing that.
“We are trying to do the right thing. The research shows that 50 percent of concussions are related to weak neck muscles, not impact. Also, a lot of concussions are related to secondary impact with the ground (whiplash effect).
“St. Ed’s has the best-in-the-line neck machine and neck strengthening system. It has been documented to drop the frequency of concussions in football. The school has sent me to clinics where we learn to tackle differently (Motta also conducts similarly designed youth clinics). The school has invested in the best equipment. We only allow the kids to wear five-star (highest rated) helmets. We’ve done everything as progressively as we can.”
Motta cited another factor relevant to keeping the football program alive at a school where interest might be waning. That issue is more sociological than physiological.
“People just don’t want to commit to something and be held accountable. Back in the day I believe that was something people just didn’t think about. You signed on to something and completed it. You fulfilled your task whether you liked it or not.
“Obviously I’m a football guy. I love football. But I love every sport. I was a four-sport guy in high school. All of my kids played more than one sport. Football is unique because 97 percent of the people who ever played (tackle) football will never play after high school. It’s a little less natural than the other sports. It’s not necessarily all athleticism. It’s the synapse between your understanding of the game and your athleticism that you have to put together while you are getting whacked pretty hard play after play.”