The Tega Cay Parks and Recreation Department’s decision not to offer tackle football in their youth leagues wasn’t a national story, until Sports Illustrated found out about it.
That decision to only offer flag football to children between the ages of seven and 12 was made by Tega Cay Parks and Recreation Director Joey Blethen last April.
Then came the call much more recently from a Sports Illustrated writer.
“During the interview it just brought out some things I didn’t really think about before with my own previous experiences like my own injuries.”
Blethen says he was taken off the field by ambulance as a “9th grader, and then the heat dehydration and heat exhaustion as a 12th grader. Then she reported back to her editors.”
Blethen says the editors told the reporter to fly down here and do some in-person interviews with families and get photos.
Whatever story comes out in Sports Illustrated will be in the September 12th edition.
Blethen says the bottom line is that he doesn’t want a Tega Cay youngster to become seriously injured or to die playing youth tackle football.