The game of football is a popular sport that can be played nearly anywhere, by people of all ages and abilities. In addition to being fun, the game is also very beneficial for the body. It promotes cardiovascular health, muscular strength, bone density and helps to burn fat. Additionally, football is a great social activity that can bring friends and family together to share in the excitement of the game.
There are three major rule setting organizations that govern the playing rules of American football; the NFHS, NCAA and NFL. While each organization has its own flavor to the game, they all essentially follow the same rule set.
Typically, there are 11 players on each team. A team’s offense consists of a quarterback, five offensive linemen, two wide receivers and a fullback or tight end. However, the makeup of an offense can vary to fit the needs of a specific play. The quarterback is a primary ball-handler and scouts the field for an open receiver on any given play. It is the quarterback’s job to call out a play and communicate this to the rest of the offense during a huddle prior to any given down.
Once the play begins, the center is responsible for hiking the ball up to the quarterback. From there, the quarterback will either hand off the ball to one of the backs, throw a pass or run with it himself. A down ends when the ball becomes dead (out of bounds or an incomplete forward pass) or when a player is tackled behind their own 20-yard line (the distance is determined by the number of yards from the end zone to the nearest hash mark). Once the down is over, the ball is spotted where it became dead and the teams change sides.
Ties are settled by a coin toss and overtime is determined by the first team to score. If no one scores in the first overtime round, the game is decided by sudden-death rounds until there is a winner.
The constant running and jogging involved in football provides a tremendous cardiovascular workout. This helps strengthen the heart, reduce plaque buildup in the coronary arteries and reduce blood pressure. In addition, the quick movements required in football improve coordination and agility and can help to prevent injuries by increasing muscle strength. In general, the aerobic exercise involved in football helps to keep the immune system strong and can help prevent obesity. It is also a great way to meet people and form meaningful friendships. Because children often play football with their same-age peers, they can maintain these friendships even after school, work and other extracurricular activities begin to occupy their time. This camaraderie can also be a great benefit for a community and can contribute to a sense of belonging and well-being in the local area. This is why it is so important to support your local youth football teams.