Teen Permanently Disabled in High School Football Game

Photo courtesy of Google Images. The quarterback for Chula Vista High School is examined by coaches after landing on his knee when he was tackled.

Redmond, CA- Pete Stenhoff was a physically fit, 210-pound linebacker for the Chula Vista High School when he cracked vertebrae in his spine during a game. Now, he is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Stenhoff is among the 20,000 other high school football players that are injured each year playing the sport. He is also part of the 2,400 players that are disabled permanently. Thirteen youths died last year.

Many critics blame the helmet for the amount of injuries that players encounter, since 35% of injuries occur to the neck or head (attribute in a real article). Stenhoff’s injury came from ramming his own head into another player’s chest.

Stenhoff is not bitter about his injury. He said, “I knew the risks involved when I decided to play football, but I wish I would have known just how bad it could be.”

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Consider these preventative measures if your child plays football:

• Knowledge and Skill development: Know the game and the rules.
• Conditioning: Use resistance training for muscle and neck strengthening.
• Equipment: Make sure all the right equipment is bought and is being used at every practice and at every game.
• Emergency Preparation: Know what to do if a player does get injured.