‘They got it, or they don’t’: Huard discusses the move to tackle football on Jake and Spike
Apr 24, 2025, 5:00 AM
A youth football game. (Photo: @watts_photos via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo: @watts_photos via Flickr Creative Commons)
Jake Skorheim, co-host of 鈥淭he Jake and Spike Show鈥� on 成人X站 Newsradio, is coaching his sons’ flag football team. However, he has some concerns about the transition from flag football to tackle football.
Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard, co-host of on Seattle Sports, joined “Jake and Spike” to discuss the impact of football on children.
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“My son is 10, and some of his friends were asking, 鈥榃hat does next season look like?” Jake asked. “Are you going to play in the flag football league again, or are you moving up to tackle to start developing those skills?”
Brock explained that ensuring your child is ready before moving onto a more physical sport is essential. Even though some children develop faster than others, he says there are “some who got it, and there are some who just don’t.”
“The worst thing is when kids start playing tackle football at eight or nine, and little Johnny gets hit in the face, gets hurt, and realizes he doesn鈥檛 like the pain鈥攕o he quits football,” Brock said. “Let鈥檚 not do that. Let鈥檚 keep them in flag football as long as we can. For some boys, yeah, you can tell鈥攖hey鈥檙e built for it and ready to move up. But others need more time, and that鈥檚 OK.”
Parents should consider if they’re kids are ready for tackle football
Even though it can be difficult for parents to make the decision, a child should never be put in a position where they’re not ready for the next level and could get hurt.
“The other really important thing is just body control, like bigger kids, especially if they, and my son fits into this, I think he may have wanted to play earlier,” Brock said. “I’m like, ‘No, it’s not beneficial for you, because you don’t have the coordination and the body control.'”
Brock added that gender plays a large role in determining when a child is ready to compete at a more challenging or physical level.
“In younger ladies, it’s very difficult if they don’t have it, very difficult to equip and coach it in, they got it, or they don’t,” Brock said. “And, you know, the ones that don’t, yeah, sure, you can always elevate, but you’re never going to change that nature, I think boys are different.”
Listen to the full conversation below:
Listen to 鈥淭he Jake and Spike Show鈥�聽weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on 成人X站聽Newsradio聽97.3 FM.聽Subscribe to the podcast here.
