Should Kids Play Contact Sports?

According to the latest data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, about 55% of U.S. kids play organized sports. These include low-contact sports, such as tennis and swimming, which don’t require physical contact between players. They also include high-contact sports, such as football and lacrosse. Some believe kids should avoid high-contact sports. Others say the benefits outweigh the risks. We asked TFK readers for their thoughts. Where do you stand?

Nahla Bradley, 10

Greensboro, North Carolina

Kids should be able to play contact sports. If their options are limited, they might lose interest in physical activity.

In all sports, there’s a risk of injury. Thumb wrestling is a contact sport! But it’s very rare to get seriously hurt while thumb wrestling.

Lincoln Tenneson, 9

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Contact sports are dangerous, even for adults. If adults can get hurt, children can get hurt even more. For example, tackle football is dangerous for kids because their bones haven’t fully developed yet. That means they can easily be broken. Some kids have gotten very hurt from contact sports.

Julian Dela Cruz, 12

Denver, Colorado

Almost all sports include some form of contact. If kids weren’t allowed to play any sport with contact, there wouldn’t be a real selection. Parents might be concerned about injuries. But high-contact sports usually require young players to wear protective pads. (Adult players, too!)

Mila Matusevich, 13

Corona, California

Kids should not be allowed to play any type of contact sport. They could get injured badly. They could have sprains and break bones. They could get injuries that last their entire lives. Also, some parents push kids to go too far, causing an unpleasant experience.

Suchitra Panda, 10

Cupertino, California

Contact sports might come with risks, but they involve a lot of teamwork. This helps develop communication skills. Contact sports also help kids gain competitiveness and sportsmanship. These sports can also help improve resilience, endurance, and strong bones and muscles.

William Lee, 9

Bundang, South Korea

Kids should not play contact sports until they’re older. Their bones and muscles are still growing. Big hits can cause serious injuries. Children can still have fun by swimming, running, or playing basketball. When they grow bigger, they can try contact sports more safely.

The Next Debate: Should people live on the moon? Email your opinion to tfkeditors@time.com by March 16. Your response might be featured in an upcoming issue.

*Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.