Even for all the safety precautions that parents and coaches are taking at the youth and high school levels, football is at a crossroads. “There is no conclusive link between high school football and CTE.”Participation, though, is dwindling. High school coaches across the Quad-Cities believe safety is just a fraction of the problem. Benefits outweigh risksNot every high school football program is feeling the numbers pinch. VanWetzinga hopes his two boys, Rusty and Joey, can enjoy the high school football experience he once did on Friday nights as a player.