Battlefield

I started out this season with proud thoughts of my 2 boys; Ben & Zach playing football. I was filled with enthusiasm, excitement, and drive. Now don't get me wrong i enjoy watching football, but today I decided i enjoy watching other kids and other professionals who get paid big $ to play the game.
Zach has been playing well and sleeping well at night too. No concern there.
I can honestly say for the first time ever...I want my son Ben to quit football. I have this tremendous fear that he is going to be crippled for life if he does not. Seriously! I wish he hated it. I wish he would ask me if he could quit. He has not. He has said "It is Fun!"
I do not understand this mentality. In the past week...Ben has bruised his ribs (to the point of scariness), bruised elbows & forearms, has had whiplash more than 4 times, and had the ball punted into the back of his knee!
It was all I could do to not run out on that field tonight scoop him up, telling the coach "Adios," and take him home to never return to another football field again.
What is a mother to do? If this is even 1/4 the emotion a military mom must feel sending her child off to Iraq I am here to say I could NOT handle it.
Everyday I feel like I am taking my son to a place where I am saying "Here torcher him, please" I have extreme guilt with this. I am afraid of that dreadful phone call from the coach telling me that Ben is on his way to the ER.
I really thought since Ben was tall & big that he would not receive as much damage as the other smaller guys. He has received more than anyone else on the team. With tears in his eyes today after practice expressing his pain, it was all I could do control my own tears.
Tomorrow this will all be repeated.