13 year old son playing football

[mamagardener]

So I posted a topic a while ago about my son playing football for the first time this year. He loves it! He is a center and man does he get bruised.
The problem is, bruises all over his arms. He says they don't hurt, but I hate going anywhere in public with him. I feel like people are giving me the look...even though he is 13 and huge! Like I could ever abuse my baby.
Oh well long sleeve weather is coming soon LOL!

 

[mom'sfolly]

My twelve year old is playing center on the seventh grade "B" team. The boy is in love with football. I want to know where my little boy went and who replaced him with this tall young man. Do you know?

Isn't it fun to see them coming into themselves.

 

[Tomhusker]

When my boys were young we made a point to tell their teachers to please ask them about their bruises before turning us in to child services. They began playing at 8 years old and had bruises on their arms, legs and ribs for the next 10 years.

I have been a coach for over 20 years and encourage parents to purchase forearm pads for kids who play on the line. They are most likely to get caught between helmets, stepped on or rammed from a charging running back. They can be had for a few bucks at your local sporting good store.

 

[sourland]

Enjoy the maturation process. My little boy is now 44 years old, and my 13 year old grand son is playing football. How did it happen? When I was a kid my best friend and I hunted a lot. He had a bad habit of firing his shotgun off his biceps instead of his shoulder. One gym class our PE instructor called us into his office and asked if Bob's parents were abusing him. (Gigantic bruises up and down his arm.) Coach accepted our explanation and told my friend to learn how to shoot a shotgun properly.

 

[mamagardener]

anyone have any tips on keeping his soles from hurting? we have tried the gel pads that go in the bottom of his cleats, and they don't really seem to work.
Thanks Sourland I will enjoy him and his brothers.
Tomhusker, I will try the forearm pads, today he has a game on astroturf for the first time, i hope he doesn't get too scraped up from it.

who would have thought that football could be so expensive? And next year my 9 year old wants to play. Unfortunately he is much, much smaller than his brother so he wont be getting any hand me down football stuff from him!

 

[RedRoosterFarm]

My son is 14 and playing also. We bought a foot massager for him and a heat pad for his back. It works but every day he comes home in pain in his whole body. Nothing we can do unless he quits playing. We hope he will get used to it but after 2 years the pain is still there. I tell him the more he plays the less the pain. I kinda think he wants attention. As for the black and blue... He has a foot ball jersey he wears out and folks seem to know he plays so they dont ask about the colorful arms. lol

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[Boyd]

That's what I did when I was a boy.. heating pad, and I'd soak my feet. The season isn't long enough for your feet to get used to that sort of abuse. How bath's help .. with epsom salts. It also seems to help with the bruises.

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[Tomhusker]

Astroturf burns can easily get infected, so if he comes home with some turf rash make sure you treat it. A good antibacterial ointment and then cover until it can scab over. Also wash it out real good before you apply the salve and wrap. If he whines, tell him "Chicks dig scars." Never had issues with sore feet, must be the shoes. We always bought the boys the football shoes with the molded cleats, usually Nike or Adidas, from Famous Footwear. You can get shoes at Wal-Mart and such, but you get what you pay for.

Also, we usually made it a point to have a parent record each game. I am glad we did. In 1991 I had a kid play QB for me who was your typical All-American boy. In 2002 he was one of the first American Marines killed in Iraq. I was able to give his young wife and son (born the day he died) a copy of the video. My point is, they all grow up someday. Enjoy it now, but record it for the future enjoyment too.