Tackle football ban for California kids proposed

SAN JOSE, Calif. - There’s a renewed effort to get tackle football for children under 12 years of age, banned in California. Some parents are worried taking that action prevents the youngest players from developing foundational skills, and connections, that can last a lifetime.

"I’ve had kids in the Pop Warner program for about 12 years," said Danielle Ramirez-King, a board member of South Valley Pop Warner, in San Jose.

She has watched her two older kids participate, and now, her youngest, seven-year-old, Mateo, is strapping on the equipment and giving it a run.

"I think it assists with their confidence level. I think it assists with their activities, allowing them to work with others. It helps get them ready for real life," said Ramirez-King.

In a small hearing room at the State Capitol in Sacramento, Assemblymember. Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, tried again to get tackle football banned for kids under 12 years of age. He’s a self-proclaimed San Francisco 49ers fan who had previously introduced legislation that would end this contact sport for the youngest players.

"We’ve come to realize in the last few years, there’s no safe way to play tackle football. There’s no safe blow to the head for a six, seven, eight-year-old," said McCarty, seated and holding a 49ers football.

Under AB 734, California would become the first state to bar children under 12 from playing tackle football.

The goal is to prevent sub-concussive helmet hits that could cause CTE in some of the four-million youths that play tackle football in the state.

"CTE is also detectable in the brains of amateur sports players, not just professional players," said Dr. Stella Legarda of the Calif. Neurology Society. "Repetitive head impacts, regardless of impact severity, lay the foundation for brain injury." Added McCarty, "The brains are still developing. The earlier you start participating in this activity, the more at-risk you put yourself."

McCarty and others are pushing the playing of flag football, which has grown in popularity. And, minimum age limits for other contact sports, the way lacrosse, hockey, and soccer have already been put in place.

But some parents feel government intervention doesn’t belong on the grid iron.

"The choice of whether a child should be allowed to participate in a sport should come down to a child and their parents," said Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper.

Ramirez-King said her older son played Pop Warner, high school, and even college football, and has shown no signs of injury. He’s now coaching his little brother, Mateo, and continuing their family legacy of football, partially paving the path forward.

"And I think it’s even more unsafe to allow children to go into tackle football at the age of (12 or) 13 not having any training prior to that," said Ramirez-King.

She said Mateo will begin his third season of Pop Warner in August.

AB 734 was passed by the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism subcommittee, and goes to the floor for a vote. A date for that vote hasn’t been set.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter), @JesseKTVU and on Instagram, @jessegontv