by Sarah Novak
I caught a segment of “ Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel ” in September about the steady climb of high school linemen’s weights. These days, it is common for high school linemen to weigh upwards of 300 pounds, which would have been unheard of less than a decade ago. While they are mostly large to begin with, and some bulk up in a controlled, relatively healthy way, many of these players are intentionally overeating junk foods to gain weight quickly.
One reason for this alarming trend is the players’ desire to catch college recruiters’ attention in order to win a coveted spot on a college team. The more disturbing reasons include high school coaches’ desire to win games (even at the expense of their players’ health), and parents’ hope of getting their child a cheaper college education, and perhaps even a position in the NFL (once again, to the players’ physical detriment). Unfortunately, most of these young players will not be recruited for college ball and few will ever play professional football. The majority will be saddled with excess weight and unhealthy habits that will be difficult to change.
by Sarah Novak
I caught a segment of “ Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel ” in September about the steady climb of high school linemen’s weights. These days, it is common for high school linemen to weigh upwards of 300 pounds, which would have been unheard of less than a decade ago. While they are mostly large to begin with, and some bulk up in a controlled, relatively healthy way, many of these players are intentionally overeating junk foods to gain weight quickly.
One reason for this alarming trend is the players’ desire to catch college recruiters’ attention in order to win a coveted spot on a college team. The more disturbing reasons include high school coaches’ desire to win games (even at the expense of their players’ health), and parents’ hope of getting their child a cheaper college education, and perhaps even a position in the NFL (once again, to the players’ physical detriment). Unfortunately, most of these young players will not be recruited for college ball and few will ever play professional football. The majority will be saddled with excess weight and unhealthy habits that will be difficult to change.