At a car event, I met a young man and his father whose lives have been completely changed by football. Not going to use any names, as I believe the father is a Pelican. The young man had a concussion and (if memory serves) wound up getting another one. The effect was devastating and permanent. No speech, could not walk, etc. All skills to be slowly relearned. He will never be the same.
At the time I met these two, our son was playing pop warner and not really enjoying it. We finished out the few weeks of the season and called it quits. Just had a bad, bad feeling about it...
edit - found this after I posted, Pop Warner specific regarding the later long term damage issue Pop Warner lawsuit: CTE in youth football on trial | SI.com
angela