[BronUVT]

This may be a question for the folks with young kids involved in golf as an extra curricular activity. Please anybody that wants to feel free to respond.

I had been watching this week's Frontline show which is mainly about the topic of head injury not as it relates to pro football players but as it relates to high school players. It seems that we have now discovered some issues of brain damage and cognitive issues even when no concussion has occurred but as a result of repeated collisions even at a much lower level.

Anyway as a part of the program they feature these high school football powerhouses that are basically a football program with a high school attached as opposed to the other way round. The size of some of these kids is incredible. When you consider the fact that they are in terrific football condition (not be confused with marathon runner condition for example) is it any wonder that the regular every day level of collision can cause some problems?

In addition they talked about the fact that there is no current limit to the amount of weekly practice time for a high school football team whereas there is a limit enforced by the NCAA for college. They went on to say that in fact these high school powerhouse teams practice many more hours than a college team. I played and started high school ball a zillion years ago. I think if I could even get on a team at my size today they would plant me in about the first 5 minutes of the first quarter. It was the practice time as much as anything that was a surprised to me.

I was just wondering if there is anything like the equivalent in high school for golf. By that I mean high school's that focus specifically on golf such that it is really a golf academy with a high school attached to it as opposed to a high school with a golf team or club. I know there are tennis academies where academics are combined with tennis training. If anything I guess I would expect maybe something like that for golf as opposed to what is available for high school footballers.

I don't mean to suggest anything negative in asking the question either. I am just interested in knowing. I thought I should say that because to be honest having played football in high school I have to admit I was a little disturbed by what I saw. Football is a completely different game though and the physical aspects of it really does pose a question for these youngsters I think. They of course would give anything to play and specifically would give anything to play for one of these powerhouse teams.