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A former CFL offensive lineman is making the case that parents should not be leery of enrolling their children in youth football.

Safety concerns regarding concussions is one reason why enrollment in the sport has declined. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, enrollment in high school football has decreased 6.6 per cent over the past decade.

READ MORE: NFL funds Calgary research to prevent youth concussion in sport

Angus Reid, who won two Grey Cup championships while playing in the Canadian Football League, said on 980 CKNW’s Jon McComb Show that, “we need to do everything we can to obviously keep the sport as safe as possible but also as available as possible for the most amount of kids.”

Reid added that the recent spotlight on concussions in football has forced the sport to adopt new safety regulations.

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“The sport has never been safer and I would also be very confident in saying that [league administrators] are leading the way in player safety. No sport has more safety protocols now than football.”

LISTEN: Angus Reid discusses the value of team sports:

“So the question isn’t ‘where can I avoid my child from getting a concussion?’ The question is ‘which sports are doing the most they possibly can to ensure the safety of our youth?’ and I can feel very confident that football is leading the charge’,” added Reid.

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