IT IS 6:17 IN THE MORNING AND THE WELLNESS CENTER IS ALREADY BUZZING.
♪ >> UP AND OVER.
SHAYNA: STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH RUNS THIS WORKOUT.
>> A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS AT THIS AGE HAVE NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO A FEMALE STRENGTH COACH.
THEY DON’T CARE HOW MUCH YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE.
SHAYNA: AND SHE CARES A LOT ABOUT CREATING A PROGRAM THAT PUSHES EVERY ATHLETE TO REACH HIS POTENTIAL.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOUBTING US SINCE WE LOST SO MANY SENIORS.
SHAYNA: DEFENSIVE END COLLIN TAYLOR HAS AN INTENSITY THAT MAKES HIM A PLAYER TO WATCH.
IF YOU ARE A PLAYER TO WATCH, CHANCES ARE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN’S DON BROWN ALREADY KNOWS YOUR NAME.
>> IT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST DECADE WITH THE ADVENT OF STRENGTH AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO THE PLAYERS ARE.
SHAYNA: ON THE EIGHT IN 10,000 HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS WILL MAKE IT INTO THE NFL BUT GET INTO A DIVISION I COLLEGIATE PROGRAM AND THOSE ODDS INCREASE.
YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED THE BEST RECRUITER IN THE STATE.
HOWEVER YOU BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL?
>> I GREW UP HERE.
I TRY TO BE AN EDUCATOR.
TO GET TO KNOW THE PLAYERS.
SHAYNA: WHO IS THE HARDER SELL, THE ATHLETE OR THE PARENTS?
>> USUALLY THE MOTHERS.
SHAYNA: TOM BRADY, MICHIGAN ALUM, DRAFT PICK 199.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU LOOK FOR THAT MAY NOT BE STATS?
>> THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU GO, I LIKE THESE GUYS.
LOOK AT HONESTY, ALL THOSE THINGS GO INTO THIS DECISION.
SHAYNA: IS THERE ANYONE THAT GOT AWAY?
>> THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE WHO BROKE MY HEART FOR SURE.
SHAYNA: TO AVOID HEARTBREAK, OFFERS ARE MADE AS EARLY AS EIGHTH GRADE.
THIS BRINGS UP THE HOT TOPIC OF WHEN EARTH CHILDREN SHOULD BE PLAYING FOOTBALL AT ALL.
MANY PARENTS LARGEST FEAR CAN BE REDUCED TO THREE LETTERS.
>> CTE IS ONE OF THE PROGRESSIVE DISEASES.
THERE IS A VERY HIGH ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HEAD TRAUMA AND CTE.
SHAYNA DR. ROBERT CANTU HAS THE EAR OF THE NFL BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERTISE WITH CTE.
HE IS THE CO-AUTHOR OF THE BOOK CONCUSSIONS AND OUR KIDS.
>> BOXING AND FOOTBALL HAVE THE GREATEST NUMBERS OF CASES, BUT VIRTUALLY ALL COLLISION SPORT HAVE CASES.
SHAYNA: AFTER YEARS OF LAW SUITES, THE NFL HAS RESPONDED WITH 30 RULE CHANGES MEANT TO REDUCE HITS AND PROTECT PLAYERS.
DR. CANTU: THE PROS ONLY HIT 14 TIMES DURING 18 WEEKS OF THE SEASON.
THAT IS NOT EVEN ONCE A WEEK.
SHAYNA: HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT, SOME STATES LIMITING TACKLE TIME TO ABOUT ONE HOUR PER WEEK.
DR. CANTU: MOST PEOPLE HAVE A WINDOW OF FOUR OR FIVE YEARS BEFORE THAT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES.
IF YOU ONLY PLAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR FOUR YEARS, YOUR RISK FOR CTE WAS NOT STATISTICALLY HIGHER.
SHAYNA: BUT HOW DO YOU INTRODUCE YOUNG KIDS TO FOOTBALL WHILE RESERVING THE CONTACT FOR HIGH SCHOOL?
♪ >> ARE WE READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
SHAYNA: IT IS MONDAY NIGHT IN NEEDHAM, AND UNDER THE LIGHTS OF MEMORIAL PARK, THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN FROM GRADES K-12 ARE PLAYING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP WITHOUT CONTACT.
WAS TACKLE FOOTBALL AND OPTION?
>> FOR ME, NO.
>> FOR ME, NOT YET.
I PLAYED FOOTBALL IN EIGHTH GRADE.
I THINK NOW, KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW, I WOULD SAY NO.
SHAYNA: THEY STARTED THIS LEAGUE AND IN JUST TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE SEEN NUMBERS THAT RIVAL TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS.
>> IT ALLOWS PEOPLE WITH ALL ABILITIES TO PLAY.
SHAYNA: IT IS NOT JUST BOYS OUT HERE.
>> THERE ARE PROBABLY 20-25 GIRLS PLAYING.
WE ARE WORKING ON INCREASING THAT.
SHAYNA: DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE FUTURE OF FOOTBALL?
>> LOOK AT LAST YEARS HIGH SCHOOL TEAM, ONE OF OUR CAPTAINS PLAYED FLAG UNTIL SEVENTH GRADE.
IT CAN HAPPEN.
SHAYNA: THAT NEEDHAM FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, BUT ACT SOON BECAUSE THEY WILL SELL OUT.
REGARDING CTE -- DOCTOR CANTU TOLD US FAMILES SHOULD GET ALL THE INFORMATION THEY CAN IN ORDER TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT PARTICIPATION IN ANY COLLISION SPORT.
HE’S IN THE NBA NOW - BUT HE HASN’T FORGOTTEN ST. JOHN