Is my child too old to start playing Football? (2024)

FAQs

What age is too late to start football? ›

No Age Limit to the Beautiful Game

Many aspiring players commence their football journey around this age and go on to become skilled athletes through dedicated training and passion for the sport.

Travis Nolan, MS, LAT, a clinical athletic trainer at University of Utah Health, says it is generally safe for children as young as 5 or 6 years old to begin playing flag football. However, kids should not begin playing tackle football until middle school.

Youth football, like any sport, carries certain risks that can have both short-term and long-term consequences for young athletes. Players are at risk of injuries, including concussions, sprains, strains, fractures and dislocations. The physical nature of the sport can lead to both acute injuries and overuse injuries.

On the other hand, it is never really too late to start playing football. Some professional football players started playing the game at a later age and still achieved great success. These players often had experience playing other sports, which can provide transferable skills to football.

So in answer to the question, of course, it's never too late for your child to start playing soccer and football, regardless of their age. In fact, I would go as far as to say it's never too late to ever start playing football or trying anything new.

Meanwhile, football experts - from coaches to Hall of Fame players - remind us that you don't need to start tackle young in order to become a great football player. Until tackle football is proven safe for the developing brain, we urgently recommend flag and other non-tackle versions of football before age 14.

It's never too late to start a sport.

In fact, starting a sport later could even be beneficial to kids for two key reasons. One, the risk of overuse injuries is decreased, thanks to fewer years of doing the same repetitive movements. And two, the risk of burnout is minimized.

While there is no agreement regarding a fitting age at which a player ought to start tackle football, numerous organizations suggest beginning tackle football around age 14, or freshman year of high school.

With footballing legends like Peter Crouch not attending a football lesson until he was 9 years old, there really is no age that is considered 'too late' to join a football academy – in fact, it's never too late to get involved and build a love for a sport and to learn new skills!

Many football-related injuries are musculoskeletal, and involve the lower legs, ankles and feet. Injuries typically include sprains, strains, fractures and contusions (bruises). In youth who are still growing, an injury to the growth plate may also occur and may be serious.

Should my 9 year old play football? ›

Many medical experts, Robinson said, advocate not playing tackle ball before they reach high school age. “Before then, they should play maybe a flag football-type sport where they're learning the game better,” he said.

How Old Should My Child Be To Play Tackle Football? Whether and when to start tackle football is a tough question and one that each family has to address. A Boston University study suggested that players who began playing tackle football younger than 12 were more likely to have cognitive and behavioral issues.

It's never too late to start a sport.

In fact, starting a sport later could even be beneficial to kids for two key reasons. One, the risk of overuse injuries is decreased, thanks to fewer years of doing the same repetitive movements. And two, the risk of burnout is minimized.

Overall, there is no 'best age' for children to start playing football, because the answer is they can start pretty much any time after they're three years old! Even for older children, picking up football as a hobby can come with great benefits.

Becoming a professional footballer is not about how old you are (It is if you are in the thirties, sorry) but its about the hours you put in to your training. There is the saying that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to perfect anything. Soccer is a physical sport and thus fits the bill.

Its never too late to start anything. There may be some that have started earlier and may be a little more advance at the moment currently. Continue to prepare and work hard and your skills will develop and you will be able to compete at that level of competition.

Soccer or football can sometimes seem like a young person's game. But with the right attitude and preparedness, anyone who is fit and dedicated to the sport can get in the game. Here are a few tips to help you out if you're over 20 and still keen to get involved.

As unusual and heartwarming as his story is, Zach Von Rosenberg is not the oldest to play college football, and by a long way. Every year a handful of athletes who are the wrong side of 30 will compete in college sports.