From youth football to the professional NFL ranks, football safety has become the paramount concern for every league across the United States. With the help of a lot of data and comprehensive overhauls to how the game is taught from a young age, the sport is becoming faster, smoother and an all-around better game to play. Here are five facts to help you feel comfortable making the decision to let your child play football.

1. Participation Remains Stronger Than Ever

In 2018, football (11-player) is ranked the most popular program for high school boys in the United States, ahead of outdoor track and field by more than 400,000 participants. The number of male participants dropped to around one million, whereas the number of female participants increased by around 7.5 percent to 2,404.

2. The Girls are Thriving!

Female participation in high school football has increased by 192 percent over the last decade.

3. Safety is Changing the Game

Several innovative techniques involving blocking, defeating blocks, and tackling are making the game safer while still keeping the competitive nature of the sport in tact for youth football players.

4. Football Teaches Core Values

Football players learn values like teamwork, communication, discipline, ethics, perseverance, goal-setting, handling outcomes, time management, and keeping physically fit.

5. Science is Refining Protective Equipment

The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) regulates the standards for each and every helmet in American football and every two years football helmets are reconditioned to meet these standards.