LA84 Foundation And Leading Researchers Tackle Controversial Youth Football Safety Issue

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Should youth be allowed to participate in tackle football -- or is the practice too dangerous for children under the age of 14? This Sunday, August 18^th, the LA84 Foundation, which provides millions of dollars in grants to youth sports programs across Southern California, will welcome leading scholars, doctors and sports officials for a conference at the Foundation's historic West Adams campus to discuss this hotly debated subject. The Foundation has provided over $500,000 to youth football programs over the past three years, and the outcomes of this summit may influence grant awards for these programs in the future.

Keynote speaker Dr. Robert Cantu is a vocal proponent of delaying participation in tackle football until high school, citing the special risks of head trauma to the developing brains of children. On the other side of the discussion will be sports physicians who believe that tackling at younger ages can be managed with reasonable safety, as well as youth football administrators who attest that teaching younger children how to tackle safely will prepare them more effectively for high school football. Finally, Rebecca Carpenter will screen clips of her documentary "My Dad's Brain," a film about Lew Carpenter, a 10-year NFL running back with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, who suffered for decades from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological disorder that results from repeated brain trauma.

Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP in advance to Deepti Immaraju at (310) 974-6680 or [email protected]. An agenda and speaker list is attached to this advisory.

SOURCE LA84 Foundation