With adrenaline running high, FCA Football Camp at the King's Academy is getting teens ready for when football season officially begins at school.
As kids talk about their game plays, football coaches are talking about the latest research on former NFL players diagnosed with CTE, a degenerative disease.
Keith Allen, the head football coach for the King's Academy in West Palm Beach, said,
"Obviously the longer you play, the more force and trauma you are going to experience."
Coach Allen says playing the games has changed since he was a teenager. "Did you get your bell rung son? No worries, get back out there.
Nowadays we have a very, very strict protocol that we have to follow with concussions. We are a lot smarter today than we were as coaches five years ago, ten years ago, fifteen years ago."
He adds, "The way we teach tackling today is not stick your head in the guy or look down, it's head across keep your head out of the game, keep your eyes up."
Parents are supportive of their kids playing football safely. Parent Lele Brown said, "Any time I see anything football related, I perk up and take notice."
Another parent, Jackie Ross said, "I think as a parent you know I am concerned but overall his passion of the sport far outweighs the risks, I believe."
Allen said coaches nowadays are more pro-active reminding players to play with safety in mind. "I believe that study if we do it ten years from now, is going to be dramatically less."
The King's Academy also hosts a "Mom's Camp." It's a time when mothers are allowed on the field and watch football demonstrations close up to set their minds at ease about the game.
