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Newsela | How wildcats will be reared for release in England and Wales

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Swiss expert behind successful reintroduction in Bavaria is training UK conservationists

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May 6, 2005 — -- It started with Perrier. Somehow, a French company convinced people it's cool to buy bottled water. Today, Evian has surpassed Perrier in sales and now it's the chic French water of choice. Why? It costs about 5 bucks a gallon! Why do people pay so much for something they can get virtually free?

If they're not buying Evian, they buy Aquafina and Dasani and the dozens of new brands that are jumping into this billion-dollar business, including bizarre ones like Venus, the Water for Women, and Trump Ice, with "The Donald" scowling on the label. I'd have to be very thirsty to buy that.

Many people say they buy bottled waters because they taste better. We spoke with people in New York City, asking them why they liked bottled better than tap water.

"I drink Dasani. It tastes good, it tastes crisp, like -- natural," one girl said.

"I think tap water kind of tastes like sewer," said another.

People also say they drink bottled water because they believe it's safer than tap water.

One man told me he's the only one "who's brave enough" to drink tap water at home. His family's afraid to drink tap water because of germs, he said.

At recent Earth Day celebrations, a lot of people told us they believe tap water is unhealthy. "As a parent I feel more comfortable giving her bottled water," one father told us.

Bottled water, we were told, is cleaner, safer, healthier.

Watching bottled water ads, you'd think that tap water might not be healthy. But it's not true.

"20/20" took five bottles of national brands of bottled water and a sample of tap water from a drinking fountain in the middle of New York City and sent them to microbiologist Aaron Margolin of the University of New Hampshire to test for bacteria that can make you sick, like e. coli.

"There was actually no difference between the New York City tap water and the bottled waters that we evaluated," he said.

Many scientists have run tests like that and have consistently found that tap water is as good for you as bottled waters that cost 500 times more.

Even Yale University School of Medicine's Dr. Stephen Edberg, the person whom the International Bottled Water Association told "20/20" to talk to, agreed that bottled water is no better for you. "No, I wouldn't argue it's safer or not safer."

"Healthy is a funny definition," he said.

"I wouldn't say it's healthier than tap water. I mean, they both provide water," Edberg added.

Maybe a taste difference justifies spending more money?

"I can definitely taste the difference between like a Fiji water and an Evian and a Poland Spring," one woman said. Many brands -- Aquafina, Deer Park and Dasani -- had loyal fans.

The labels of the bottled waters do suggest they're special. Some show mountains or polar bears or glaciers. You have to look at the fine print to find out Everest Water is not from Mount Everest. It's from Corpus Christi, Texas. Glacier Clear Water is not from a glacier in Alaska. Its source is tap water from Greeneville, Tenn.

Big-selling Dasani and Aquafina are also just reprocessed tap water from cities around the country. One of Aquafina's sources is the Detroit River! At least the popular French water, Evian, does come from France.

But does that make it taste better?

That's what people say, but is it true?

We ran a taste test, offering people New York City tap water and five other bottled waters, Evian, the top-selling bottled water Aquafina, Poland Spring, Iceland Spring (which comes all the way from Iceland), and American Fare, a discount brand from Kmart, which sells for less than half the price of Evian.

Would people be able to tell the difference when they didn't know what they were drinking? Would they still prefer their favorites?

Many who took our taste test were bottled water drinkers. They pay for it, they say, because tap water just doesn't taste as good.

It tastes flat and flavorless, they said.

Would the taste test show that?

We asked people to rate the waters as bad, average or great. Lots of people said one of the waters was particularly bad. Was that the tap water? No. Tap water did pretty well. Even people who said they don't like it, liked it on the blind test.

The "20/20" taste test was just one unscientific test, but lots of tests keep finding that people like tap water.

I suspect many people who buy the fancy waters are getting suckered by the ads or the labels.

In our test of bottled waters, Kmart's American Fare -- the cheapest brand -- won. Big-seller Aquafina came in second.

Iceland Spring tied the ordinary tap water for third place. Fifth place went to Poland Spring, and in last place, by far, with almost half the testers saying it tasted bad, was the most expensive water -- the fancy French stuff, Evian.

"It tasted like toilet water," one man said.

Evian had no comment about that review.

Bottom line, if you buy bottled water because you think it's healthier than tap, test after test shows no evidence of that. And if you buy fancy brands because you think they taste better, you're probably just buying the hype.

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May 6, 2005 - -- It started with Perrier. Somehow, a French company convinced people it's cool to buy bottled water. Today, Evian has surpassed Perrier in sales and now it's the chic French water of choice. Why? It costs about 5 bucks a gallon!

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Dealing With Stress In Sports (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth

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The key to keeping calm when playing sports is to develop a healthy attitude and learn to deal with the stress that comes with competing. Here’s how.

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High School, College Football Comes With Risk

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High School, College Football Comes With Risk

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Mar. 23 -- THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- With the school football season just around the corner, a new study is raising awareness of the risks associated with playing the game.

Researchers found that college football players get injured more often than their high school counterparts, but high school athletes are more likely to end up severely injured.

The new findings also point to "where the focus should be in terms of prevention," said Dr. Cynthia LaBella, medical director of the Institute for Sports Medicine at Children's Memorial Hospital, in Chicago. She was not involved in the study, which is published in the August issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

A second report on youth sports injuries was also released Thursday, this time by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That study, published in this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, found that boys aged 10 to 14 were most likely to end up in the nation's emergency departments with a traumatic brain injury, and that activities such as bicycling, horseback riding, football, basketball and use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were most often to blame.

The football study was led by R. Dawn Comstock, a primary investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Her team collected injury reports for the 2005-2006 football season from 100 high schools and 55 colleges across the country via two Internet-based systems -- the High School Reporting Information Online (RIO) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance System, respectively.

Based on almost 1,900 injury reports submitted to the RIO, the researchers estimate there were 517,726 football-related injuries during the 2005-2006 season at the high school level across the United States. The NCAA system logged more than 3,500 injuries in its database during the same period.

Not unexpectedly, college players were about twice as likely to injure themselves as high school students, Comstock said, suffering 8.6 injuries per 1,000 "athlete-exposures" (a practice or competition), compared with high school athletes' 4.36 injuries/1,000.

But the researcher said she was surprised to find that the distribution of injuries differed, with fractures, concussions, and season-ending injuries more common among high school athletes.

For instance, injuries to the lower leg, ankle and foot were common at both the high school and college levels. But while the knee is the second most-injured site among high school players, hip and thigh injuries were more common in college athletes.

The study comes on the heels of findings released in July that found a much higher rate of catastrophic head injury among high school football players compared to college players.

LaBella noted that, if anything, this study is underestimating injuries at the high school level, because only schools with an athletic trainer on staff were included. It's possible that such schools have better resources and equipment than less well-funded schools, she said.

According to Comstock, the impetus behind this study was the lack of any injury reporting system at the high school level to match the NCAA's, which has been in place for more than 20 years.

"We set out to replicate the NCAA system at the high school level," Comstock explained. "That's important, because right now, rules, protective equipment, and education at the high school level are largely based on information collected on college athletes, and high school athletes are not merely miniature versions of their collegiate counterparts."

High school athletes are less physically mature and have less muscle mass than collegiate athletes, for instance. They also have incomplete growth plates, meaning their bones are still developing. Inexperienced athletic techniques can also exacerbate their risk of injury, Comstock said.

But better coaching might help. For instance, Comstock noted that most injuries occurred during tackles, and that the most injured positions were running backs and linebackers. "So, at the high school level, especially with younger players, coaches can make sure the athletes are very well-coached in the technique of tackling and are physically able to perform a tackle before they are allowed to play."

The CDC study showed that football is just one of many recreational activities in which young people can suffer serious harm. Poring over data from 2001-2005 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System--All Injury Program, the researchers looked at the causes of almost 208,000 nonfatal sports and recreation-linked brain injuries.

Kids aged 10 to 14 were at highest risk for these injuries, and males accounted for more than 70 percent of head trauma cases, the CDC report found. Activities linked to high rates of emergency department admissions for brain trauma included ATV use, use of mopeds/dirtbikes/minibikes, bicycling, golf and scooter use.

So, sports and recreation can cause injury, the experts say, especially when safety equipment is lacking or safety rules are ignored. And yet Comstock also emphasized that parents should not use her team's study as an excuse to take their children out of football.

"We have an epidemic of obesity in this country, and sports is one of the best ways for kids to incorporate exercise in their lives," she said. "Parents can help keep kids safe by making sure they wear all the appropriate protective equipment, and that their protective equipment fits properly and is in good repair."

LaBella added that parents can also help their children by ensuring that they maintain good physical conditioning year-round, are properly coached in techniques such as tackling and falling, and -- perhaps most important -- that they tell someone, whether a parent, coach, or athletic trainer, if they are injured, especially in the head.

In the case of a concussion, the consequences of returning to the field before the injury has healed can range from post-concussive disorder (which includes chronic headaches, memory problems, sleep disturbances and depression) to, rarely, death, in the event of a secondary injury.

"Encourage your child to let you know if they have pain or if they notice something different after a hit or a game," LaBella said. "It is not your job to know if something is important -- let the medical professionals make that decision."

More information

There's more on preventing kids' sports injuries at the Nemours Foundation.

SOURCES: R. Dawn Comstock, Ph.D., assistant professor, pediatrics, Ohio State University College of Medicine, and primary investigator, Center for Injury Research and Policy, and Columbus Children's Research Institute, Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Cynthia LaBella, M.D., medical director, Institute for Sports Medicine, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago; August 2007, American Journal of Sports Medicine; July 27, 2007, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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High School, College Football Comes With Risk

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Mar. 23 -- THURSDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- With the school football season just around the corner, a new study is raising awareness of the risks associated with playing the game. Researchers found that college football players get injured more often than their high school counterparts, but high school athletes are more likely to end up severely injured.

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Newsela | School uniform shift in U.K. allows students to express own identity

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Dress code allows both boys and girls to wear pants or skirts

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Plastic Bottles & Ocean Pollution—great images of the ocean, sea creatures, and plastic bottle pollution.

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Plastic Bottles & Ocean Pollution—great images of the ocean, sea creatures, and plastic bottle pollution.

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International Bottled Water Association: Which is safer? Bottled water or tap water? 

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International Bottled Water Association: Which is safer? Bottled water or tap water? 

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Bottled Water vs Tap Water - Bottled Water | IBWA | Bottled Water

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Drinking water - tap, filtered, or bottled - is important for healthy hydration and plays a vital role in people’s lives. Consumers choose bottled water for

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Corporate sponsorships, nationally televised games, minute-by-minute coverage on sports websites -- for players, parents and coaches, high school football has never been bigger. But is enough being done to ensure players' safety as the intensity of the sport grows? In Football High, FRONTLINE investigates the new face of high school football.
(read more ")

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High school football has never had a higher profile, with nationally-televised games, corporate sponsorships and minute-by-minute coverage on sports websites. In northwest Arkansas, FRONTLINE examines one ambitious high school team working its way towards national renown.

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MYTH #1:

BOTTLED WATER IS BETTER THAN TAP.

Not necessarily. While labels gush about bottled water that "begins as snowflakes" or flows from "deep inside lush green volcanoes," between 25 and 40 percent of bottled water comes from a less exotic source: U.S. municipal water supplies. ( Bottling companies buy the water and filter it, and some add minerals.) That's not really a bad thing: The Environmental Protection Agency oversees municipal water quality, while the Food and Drug Administration monitors bottled water; in some cases, EPA codes are more stringent.

MYTH #2:

PURIFIED WATER TASTES BETTER.

The "purest" water - distilled water with all minerals and salts removed - tastes flat; it's the sodium, calcium, magnesium, and chlorides that give water its flavor. The "off" taste of tap water is the chlorine; if you refrigerate it in a container with a loose-fitting lid, the chlorine taste will be gone overnight.

MYTH #3:

BOTTLED WATER WITH VITAMINS, MINERALS, OR PROTEIN IS MORE HEALTHY THAN REGULAR WATER.

" Vitamins, color, herbs, protein, and all the other additions to water - those are a marketing ploy," says Marion Nestle, Ph.D., professor of nutrition studies at New York University. Plus, the additives are usually a scant serving of the vitamins you really need in a day, adds Amy Subar, Ph.D., a nutritionist with the National Cancer Institute. Enhanced waters usually contain sugars and artificial flavorings to sweeten the deal and can pack more calories than diet soda. When it comes to providing fluoride, tap water usually wins, though that element is increasingly being added to bottled waters.

MYTH #4:

YOU NEED EIGHT 8-OUNCE GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY.

The Institute of Medicine recommends about 91 ounces (a little more than 11 8-ounce glasses) of fluid daily for women. But here's the thing: It expects 80 percent of that to come from water, juice, coffee, tea, or other beverages and the remaining 20 percent from food. That means if you drink a 12-ounce cup of coffee and a 12-ounce can of diet soda, you only need 48 more ounces (three 16-ounce glasses, or four soda cans' worth) for the day.

MYTH #5:

AFTER AN INTENSE WORKOUT, BOTTLED WATER IS BEST.

There's a reason volunteers hand out Gatorade during marathons. If your workout lasts longer than an hour, you need to replace the water and electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, that you've lost (that's what sports drinks generally do). For less intense workouts, regular water is fine.

MYTH #6:

WATER BOTTLES AREEASY ON THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY CAN BE RECYCLED.

Wouldn't it be nice? And it's not just the bottles. Eco-costs include manufacturing, trucking, shelving, and marketing. And meeting the annual U.S. demand for plastic bottles requires enough oil to keep 100,000 cars on the road for a year, says Janet Larsen of the Earth Policy Institute. Sure, the 70 million empty water bottles the U.S. produces per day can be recycled, but the sad truth is, about 86 percent of them end up in the trash. Hardly worth it, for what flows out of the tap and into a reusable glass for free.

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MYTH #1: BOTTLED WATER IS BETTER THAN TAP. Not necessarily. While labels gush about bottled water that "begins as snowflakes" or flows from "deep inside lush green volcanoes," between 25 and 40 percent of bottled water comes from a less exotic source: U.S. municipal water supplies.

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As many as 59 percent of adolescents can identify a role model in their lives, according to research published in the January 2011 issue of the "Journal of Adolescent Health." Of the adolescents with role models, those that looked to athletes were more likely to make positive health-related decisions. The fact is, not all athletes are positive role models. Unfortunately some athletes engage in negative behavior, but overall, the athletic lifestyle lends itself to a position of positive role modeling for adolescents.

Engaging in Physical Activity

To stay on top of their game, athletes have to engage in regular, vigorous activity. In a relatively sedentary culture where much of life revolves around TV shows and video games, athletes model the benefits of physical activity to children and adolescents in a very real way. Athletes make a living from being fit, healthy and strong. Just by hitting the field or the court, athletes give children the opportunity to see that physical activity has the ability to pay off.

Confidence

One of the reasons girls should play sports is for the boost in confidence they receive, according to the TeensHealth website. You can see this confidence in action when watching professional athletes. On the field and off the field, athletes embody a sense of confidence in themselves and their team. This sense of confidence is one of the reasons that athletes make good role models -- they show youth how important it is to believe in themselves and those around them.

Work Ethic

Athletes have to work hard to stay on top of their game. The time baseball players dedicate to the sport goes well beyond the two or three hour daily practice. They spend time stretching, watching tape and working on their swing. Then they hit the gym and lift weights or hit the field to work on their speed. They may spend six-to-eight hours a day just on baseball, plus the time traveling on buses and playing in doubleheaders on the weekends. Adolescents who see athletes as role models learn to mimic the work ethic that it takes to become a top athlete.

Education

Athletes learn early that if they want to play the game, they have to make the grades. Even as early as middle school athletics, a failing grade will prevent an athlete from being allowed to play. When youth look to high school, college or professional athletes as role models, they understand that those athletes had to make a commitment both on and off the field to excellence. High school athletes won't play if they don't make the grades. Colleges will only recruit athletes that can get accepted into their school, then athletes can only play if they pass their classes. And while some professional athletes get drafted straight out of high school, most still have to prove themselves as college athletes to get a look. It's a chain that requires at least some dedication to academics to succeed as a money-making athlete.

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As many as 59 percent of adolescents can identify a role model in their lives, according to research published in the January 2011 issue of the "Journal of Adolescent Health." Of the adolescents with role models, those that looked to athletes were more likely to make positive health-related decisions.

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BOTTLED WATER INDUSTRY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO HAITIAN RELIEF EFFORTS
Statement of IBWA President Joseph K. Doss:
"The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and the bottled water industry have been working to provide bottled water to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Since we first learned the news of this disaster, IBWA and the bottled water industry have produced, coordinated and distributed critical bottled water supplies through relief agencies and organizations such as 'Clean the World', 'Convoy of Hope,' 'American Red Cross' and 'AmeriCares' and other state and local charities.

A key facet of IBWA involvement has been to provide bottled water companies with specific information regarding staging areas where bottled water shipments may be dropped, as well as other contact information for relief organizations that are seeking bottled water and other contributions.

The bottled water industry has always been at the forefront of relief efforts during natural disasters and other catastrophic events. Throughout the years, bottled water companies have immediately responded to the need for clean water after natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, the earthquakes and wildfires in the West, or the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. More recently, our companies provided bottled water to those in need in the aftermath of the 2009 spring flooding in the Midwest."

###

Contact:
TOM LAURIA703-647-4609 office / 703-887-4056 cellphone
Emergency Relief contacts:
Clean the World ( http://www.cleantheworld.org)

Convoy of Hope ( http://www.convoyofhope.com)

American Red Cross ( http://www.redcross.org)

AmeriCARES ( http://www.americares.org)
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA's membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.

In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.

IBWA is proud to be a partner with Keep America Beautiful and a supporter of Drink Up, an initiative of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which encourages Americans to drink more water more often - whether from the tap, a filter, or in a bottle. Choosing water is always the healthy choice.

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BOTTLED WATER INDUSTRY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO HAITIAN RELIEF EFFORTS - Bottled Water | IBWA | Bottled Water

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BOTTLED WATER INDUSTRY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO HAITIAN RELIEF EFFORTS Statement of IBWA President Joseph K. Doss: "The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and the bottled water industry have been working to provide bottled water to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

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When you compete in a sport, you play against another player or another team. Both sides play to win. Competing can make a sport more exciting. And it can make you a better player. But it also means somebody wins and somebody loses.

If you compete in sports, you have to be ready to:

try hard

win or lose

handle pressure

be a good sport

take care of yourself

Here are some tips to help you compete.

Try hard.

When you play or practice, give it your best. When you try hard, you get to see what you can do.

When you fail, don't give up. Just try again. You may need to try lots of times to get good at a new skill.

When you win.

Go ahead and feel good! You earned it! But don't brag or boast in a way that makes others feel bad.

Think about what you did that helped you win. Did you try hard? Use a new skill? Practice a lot? Help a teammate score? Keep up your good work.

When you lose.

Keep your cool. You might feel upset or frustrated. It's OK to feel the way you do. But try hard not to lose your temper. If you need help with this, ask a parent or coach.

Even when you lose, there are things you did well. Think of what they are. Think of what you need to work on too. Use the loss to help you improve.

Encourage yourself. Don't let the loss keep you down too long. There's always next time. It's another chance to play and try to win. Stay hopeful. Keep a winning attitude - even when you lose.

Check the pressure.

A little pressure can be a good thing. It's like a "get ready, get set" signal. Don't let a nervous feeling freak you out. Use it to help you step up.

Too much pressure can come from your coach, your parents, or your teammates. If others are being too hard on you, talk to them about it. Ask them to ease up. It's good if they expect a lot from you. But if they pressure too much, it's hard to do your best. Tell them what would make you feel more confident during practice and games.

Do you put too much pressure on yourself? Don't be too hard on yourself when you don't do well. It's OK to make mistakes. Each one is a chance to learn.

If there's too much pressure, let a parent or coach know. If you are too stressed to enjoy your sport, it's time to ask for help. Figure out what to do to ease pressure. Make a change if you need to.

Be a good sport.

Follow the rules. Play safely. Play fair. If there's a call you think is unfair, it's OK to say so. But you'll have to go by what the ref says.

Say thanks when people say you did great. Tell teammates they played well. Give players who lost a good word too. Say they played a good game. Or that they'll do great next time. Think of what words help you feel OK when you lose.

Treat and talk to other players well. Players you compete against today might be on your team another time. You might fight hard against a player during a game. But when the game is over, treat each other with friendship, fairness, and respect.

Take good care of yourself.

Take care of your body. You'll need energy to play well. Eat foods that are good for you. Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed on time. Go to bed a little early the night before a big game.

Take care of your mind too. Learn ways to keep your nerves under control. Take a few slow deep breaths. March in place. Do some gentle warm-up stretches. Talk yourself up. Some teams have a group cheer or huddle before heading onto the field. Let any tension you feel melt into the excitement of the first play.

Win or lose - go have fun!

You'll win some and lose some. That's just how it is. Of course, everyone who competes wants to win. But someone has to lose. Give it your best and see what happens.

Each game and practice is a chance to get better. Learn from coaches and from other players. Enjoy the friendship and fun of being part of a team.

You don't always have to compete. When you feel like playing just for fun, you can shoot baskets, kick a soccer ball around, or have a catch. Swim, ride your bike, dance, or go for a run. Whether or not you compete, have some active play every day. Because it's fun - and really good for you!

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Sometimes sports competition can make kids feel pressure. If it's too much, a kid might not have as much fun as before. Find out what to do if this happens to you.

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Bottled Water Is Silly — But So Is Banning It

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Bottled Water Is Silly — But So Is Banning It

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Ideas and Insight From National Geographic

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Listening to Wisdom From a 10-Year-Old Son About His Head Injury

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Listening to Wisdom From a 10-Year-Old Son About His Head Injury

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"Dad, I'm scared. I only have one brain, and I don't want to hurt it playing football."

My son Will, his 10-year-old eyes filling with tears, was trying to decide whether to play quarterback in his peewee game against Roosevelt Elementary. Ten days earlier, he'd taken a helmet-to-helmet hit during practice and possibly, although we really don't know, sustained a concussion. Now I wanted to help him make the right choice — if only I knew what that was.

For several years, I have been following the furor over football and head injuries. I've become all too familiar with accounts of N.F.L. veterans exhibiting Alzheimer's-like symptoms in their 40s, of teenagers dying after playing too soon after a concussion. But these tragedies didn't seem very relevant to my own life until Will took that first big hit.

I wasn't there, but he told me afterward that he went to the sideline to lie down. He thinks one of the coaches checked on him, but he can't remember. Because he fell asleep.

He fell asleep? Isn't that the first thing they tell you to avoid in a head-injury situation? Was this the moment I'd been dreading since his mother (grudgingly) and I (excitedly) told him that, yes, he could play tackle football?

Was this a concussion?

Will spoke clearly, and his memory seemed intact. He did his homework with no trouble. In short, he seemed his usual, fifth-grade self. He returned to practice the next week, after a pediatric nurse practitioner assessed him — looked into his eyes, asked him a few questions — and cleared him. When she mentioned in passing the idea of seeing a neurologist, I shrugged it off.

I don't know why, at this crucial moment, I didn't remember all I'd read. Or why I didn't discuss the situation with Will, the person affected most by my decision. He was fine, I decided. And everything seemed that way until the morning of the Roosevelt game, when he told me he didn't want to play.

At first, he said only that his stomach hurt. But as I asked more questions, he brought up the subject of concussions. Will, it turns out, knew more than I realized. He'd read Troy Aikman's account of being unable to remember a Super Bowl victory. He knew that Steve Young had retired because of concussions. And he recognized that if he kept taking hits year after year, he could suffer the same fate — or worse.

Will Cohen, 10, read that Troy Aikman did not remember his Super Bowl performance and knew that Steve Young retired after concussions. Credit... Adam Buckley Cohen

As he explained his fears, I thought about why I wanted him to play that afternoon. Like most parents, I wanted my child to experience competition and learn the lessons that sports teach. There was more, though. I was using Will to live out the gridiron fantasy my mother had short-circuited when she'd forbidden me to play as a kid.

But when Will voiced his fears, I woke up. This was one of those moments that could have changed the lives of the children I've been reading about, kids who played through pain and got seriously hurt.

And so Will did not suit up against Roosevelt. Still, when he soon after informed his mother and me that he was ready to return to the team, we allowed him. He took his share of hits over the final few games, but he's already announced that he'd like to play football again next fall. We haven't yet decided what we'll do.

If we choose to let him take the field again, we'll do our best to learn from all of the information that's come to light. Before the season begins, we'll take Will to a neurologist for baseline testing. If he takes another hit like the one this season, he'll go back to the neurologist, who will do a proper examination to determine when, or even if, he's fit to return.

One day, helmets may come equipped with sensors that measure the impact of each blow a player takes. Perhaps neurologists will populate the sidelines in the same numbers as trainers and those guys who squirt electrolyte-replacement drinks into players' mouths. Whatever happens, we'll no doubt remember this era as one of those "before" times, much as we recall automobiles before seat belts and airbags or restaurants before smoking bans.

This Sunday afternoon, I am taking Will and his brother Theo to see our beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Theo will sport a Donovan McNabb jersey, and Will will don Brian Westbrook 's 36. Only Westbrook won't be playing; he's out after sustaining a pair of concussions.

When I told Will that I wished Westbrook would play, he shook his head.

"He shouldn't play until he feels 100 percent better," Will said. "Because even though football is all he does, he still needs his brain."

Once again Will reminded me that no matter how many articles parents read, we can still learn plenty by listening to our children.

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Listening to Wisdom From a 10-Year-Old Son About His Head Injury

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"Dad, I'm scared. I only have one brain, and I don't want to hurt it playing football." My son Will, his 10-year-old eyes filling with tears, was trying to decide whether to play quarterback in his peewee game against Roosevelt Elementary.

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Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles

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Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles

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Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles

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High school football linemen face tough bodyweight pressures

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High school football linemen face tough bodyweight pressures

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After a concussion, when can teens return to the football field?

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After a concussion, when can teens return to the football field?

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National Park Service ends its ban on plastic water bottles

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National Park Service ends its ban on plastic water bottles

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Teams are taking a timeout, but sports lessons are still timely

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Teams are taking a timeout, but sports lessons are still timely

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Americans told to wash their hands to fight pandemic, but some don't trust the tap

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Americans told to wash their hands to fight pandemic, but some don't trust the tap

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Game on! New study says video games could be good for you

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Game on! New study says video games could be good for you

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Winning through exercise: Fitness trainer helps video gamers focus and stay strong

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Winning through exercise: Fitness trainer helps video gamers focus and stay strong

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Educational gaming is catching on, especially in science class

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Educational gaming is catching on, especially in science class

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The "Minecraft" miracle: teachers tell students to go play a video game

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The "Minecraft" miracle: teachers tell students to go play a video game

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Fourth-graders use a video game to stay in touch with their deported friend

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Fourth-graders use a video game to stay in touch with their deported friend

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Issue Overview: Do Video Games Cause Violence?

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Issue Overview: Do Video Games Cause Violence?

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Video games: Can they make people more empathetic in real life?

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Video games: Can they make people more empathetic in real life?

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Student Opinion: Video games are rotting kids’ brains

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Student Opinion: Video games are rotting kids’ brains

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Violent Video Games Change Kids to Think More Aggressively | Time

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Violent Video Games Change Kids to Think More Aggressively | Time

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Violent video games: they may make kids think in more aggressive ways

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New research suggests that hours of exposure to violent media like video games can make kids react in more hostile ways compared to ones who don’t spend lots of time controller-in-hand, reigniting the debate about children and gaming

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Newsela | Heads up: Concussion risks prompt more soccer players to visit the ER

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela - Groceries and packages could soon be delivered by robots instead of trucks

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Is that pilot in the cockpit human or a robot, and does it matter?

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Is that pilot in the cockpit human or a robot, and does it matter?

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Newsela | Is that pilot in the cockpit human or a robot, and does it matter?

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Newsela | Chefbots: Is it just hype or a sign of automation change in food industry?

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Automated systems finding place at restaurant kitchen tables

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Newsela - Surgeons test “intelligent tool” — this robot will leave you in stitches

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Robot surgeons are not headed to an operating room near you anytime soon. But when it came to a simple task like stitching up pigs, robots performed pretty well in a recent test.

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Newsela | Schools around the country face criticism for dress code policies

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Do dress codes discriminate against girls?

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Newsela - Meet Flippy, a burger-flipping robot alternative to human workers

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Will we one day order food from fully automated restaurants staffed entirely by robots?

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Newsela | New Zealand school's gender-neutral uniform choices don't hem students in

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Newsela - A robot that can make beds and wash dishes may be in the near future

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Special appetizer: Startup gives city a taste of robotic food delivery

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Change in Back-to-School Shopping: More School Uniforms - Copyright (c) 2019 PQ - Washington Post_ProQuest

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | Opinion: Turn on the taps! Bottled water industry is bad for the Earth

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Bottled water is a big business that depletes aquifers, harms ecosystems and adds to the garbage disposal problem. Plus, tests show bottled water is no healthier than tap water.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | How to end your dependence on single-use plastics

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What are ways you can reduce single-use plastics?

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Newsela - It’s getting harder for polar bears to act naturally, even in nature

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Polar bears in the zoo do the same thing over and over, like swing their heads. Some say it’s because they’re confined. It’s no picnic for those in the wild either, their habitat is shrinking.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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China's return-to-nature program readies pandas for living in the wild

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China's return-to-nature program readies pandas for living in the wild

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | How the bald eagle made a comeback

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In the mid-1960s, bald eagles were in danger of becoming extinct. But in the 1970s, the U.S. Forest Service listed the birds as endangered and enacted new laws to protect them.

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Newsela | Zoos make birthday cakes from bugs, bamboo, melons and more

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | SeaWorld tanks or sea pens? Dispute over which is best for orcas continues

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Newsela | Saving the elephant population means using special breeding

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Zoos have not been very successful breeding captive elephants. Project Frozen Dumbo is a program that hopes to change that by collecting and freezing wild elephant sperm for zoos.

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Zoos: What Are They Good For? - Copyright (c) 2020 PQ - Dominion Post_ProQuest

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Newsela | Animal rights groups dislike Japan's owl cafes

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There's a new animal cafe in town. Tokyo locals and snap-happy tourists are lining up for the owl cafe experience. But not everyone's happy about it.

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Account required

Log in to your Newsela account (or sign up for free) to access reading content, videos, and more.

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Newsela | Video games called a "great equalizer" for people with special needs

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Video game makers provide more accessibility features for people with disabilities.

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Newsela | Forget what you think you know about video games

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Since the COVID-19 lockdown began, there has been a dramatic shift in who plays video games and why they play them

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Newsela | Opinion: With or without trophies, youth sports need to be fun

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Sportswriter Fred Bowen argues that giving kids trophies up to age 8 or 10 is OK, but having fun is more important.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela - Teams are taking a timeout, but sports lessons are still timely

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Sports teach important life lessons that can be applied to dealing with the coronavirus outbreak

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Newsela | Opinion: Fix sports by letting all kids play and making teams affordable

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Sports have stopped being fun for a lot of kids because of too much competition. They've stopped being fun for parents because of too much expense.

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Newsela | Winning isn't most important for making sports fun, kids say

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A recent study looked at what makes organized sports fun for kids.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Nation's largest study of student athlete concussions conducted in Texas

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Newsela | Starting schools later leads to less tardiness, fewer "zombies"

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One weapon in the fight against "zombie" students: later high school start times

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Newsela | A sleep survey says too many tired teens are using medicine to help

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It's no secret that teens don't get enough sleep, but medication is not always the best way to help.

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Newsela | Does the early bird always catch the worm? Seattle high schools say no

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Most middle schools and all high schools in Seattle have adopted later start times in an effort to help students get a bit more shut-eye.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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volare via

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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You need sleep to keep your body healthy and your brain active

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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If Teens Get More Sleep, We All Gain - Copyright © 2017 Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission._ProQuest

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Why Letting Teens Sleep in Could Save Lives - Copyright © Apr 13, 2016 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved._ProQuest

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Why It's Ridiculous That High Schools Start So Early in the Morning - Copyright © Apr 6, 2018 Washington Post Digital. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission._ProQuest

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How Teens Can Get More Sleep - Copyright (c) 2020 PQ - New York Times_ProQuest

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Teens Snooze, Grade-School Students Lose - Copyright (c) 2019 PQ - Wall Street Journal_ProQuest