Category: Football

I believe that in addition to a beautiful spectacle, football pose a great risk of serious injury. Football players often injure the ankle, and knee joints, soft tissue bruises, sprains, and fractures. Often such injuries need surgical treatment; an athlete does not always return to the ranks, but may remain disabled. Moreover, their menisci are damaged, and cruciate ligaments are torn. Constant head play or contact with an opponent lead to dissection and brain concussion. However, even with all the possibilities of modern medicine, after injuries and operations, not everyone can fully continue their career.

The situation in many sports teams or even semi-professional sections is such that some athletes subsequently need psychological help. There are cases when a coach resorts to psychological or physical violence to achieve a result. The contact (collision) between competing team players is allowed in football. The rules of the game of football clearly describe these collisions. Nevertheless, they often lead to severe injuries to players musculoskeletal system, brain, and spinal cord. It is good if this player is already quite high-class and has managed to protect his health with contracts with insurance companies.

In general, of all sports, modern football accounts for the largest number of sports injuries. They become especially dangerous when the player receives them at a young age and in large numbers. There are many confirmations where scientists have conducted studies and concluded that football players are three and a half times more likely than ordinary people to suffer from dementia. Most of the diseases football players suffer from are somehow related to the injuries they receive. It is worth noting that strong emotional experiences characterize football competitions.

Moreover, one must not forget that there are advantages: playing football contributes to the education of several positive qualities and character traits: endurance, perseverance, activity, a sense of responsibility, mutual assistance. Regular football practice is a diverse physical activity involving all muscle groups. However, people must remember that emotional experiences in the game, like all other emotions, can have both positive and negative effects on human behavior. Successful competitive activity in football presupposes players constantly desire to improve their skills, search for unexpected solutions to emerging problems.

Thus, in football matches, a player is faced with the need to overcome constantly emerging stressful situations. The impact of stress and the reaction to it are repetitive. After all, the effectiveness of his activities will depend on the mental state of the athlete and, therefore, the result of the team. It is worth noting that football, like all sports games, improves all physical qualities and increases performance. Football players should always react instantly to the serves from the opponents players or the players of their team. They should always keep an eye on the ball and be able to score it into the goal.

In conclusion, football allows a person to strengthen their health, relieve tension and cheer up. However, when practicing this sport, it is necessary to dose physical activity, not overexert the body, so that it does not entail negative consequences. Football is one of the most traumatic sports: every second athlete gets damaged. Increased physical activity can cause not only a negative impact on a persons physical condition but also his psychological state. Moreover, football is a tough and, at the same time, spectacular and extremely exciting game.

Introduction

Football has all the rights to be called the most compelling and engaging kind of sport ever, with its numerous challenges, the approaches that allow winning even facing the strongest rivals, and the inspiring teamwork. However, football matches are not only about the issue of teamwork but also about strict competition and the importance of the defining last-minute goal which can tip the scale between victory and defeat.

There can be several conflicts concerning whether the goal has been scored or not, and the decision of the referee might not be the ultimate solution for the problem. Hence, the need in a more precise mechanism of defining the fact of goal appears, which might question the reasonability of using referees help during matches if the technology proves viable and even impeccable.

Though goal-line technology (GLT) is likely to be the most precise device to define the fact of scoring or not scoring the goal, it might at the same time pose a serious threat to the authority of referees and, hence, become a rather undesirable device to use in football.

Concerning the Basic Requirements

According to the current state of affairs, the A-League is not using the GLT technique at present, which, nevertheless, does not prevent the referee from passing an accurate judgment on the score of the game; as the video sequence offered by IceColdClarky shows¹ , even with the ball touching the net and almost hitting the target, it was still possible to determine whether the goal was scored or not.

However, according to what the basic idea of GLT presupposes, the use of the latter is going to solve several problems which arise in the course of the game. For instance, Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications (n.d.) assert that The goal-line technology appears solely on the goal line and only to determine whether a goal has been scored or not.²

At present, the GLT system is only a project, yet it is bound to become a part of reality soon since the testing has already begun and there are certain results delivered concerning the issue of the GLT and its accuracy. Even though the results are considered favorable at present, there is going to be a series of other tests which are bound either to prove the GLT viability or to cancel the use of the new technology for good.

According to what Harold says, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body which implements rules, is currently undertaking a second round of testing to see if several technologies are viable for introduction to football³, which means that the GLT is not the only option which referees have as a way to support their judgments concerning the goals and the winners.

The FIFA and the GLT Issue

Even though the GLT device has not been tested yet and allows only to make suppositions concerning the results of its use, FIFA seems to be inclined to use the new technologies in the nearest future. Under the influence of IFAB, the innovation is going to be introduced into the sphere of football under a rather solid pretext of whether a goal has been scored or not to support the referees decision⁴

When checking the argument for promoting the GLT technology into football, it is necessary to keep in mind the basic arguments which FIFA offered concerning the issue. According to the demands of the Association, the GLT subject area concerns solely determining the fact of scoring a goal.⁵

However, according to the AFL Commission and the reasons offered by several critics, the GLT system also has its flaws. According to what the AFL Commission says concerning the new technology, video technology will not remove all errors from the game, as some replays cannot assist, but the aim is to improve decision-making where possible.⁶

Therefore, the strategy of using the GLT device is supposed to be used only when the solution is far from being obvious. Indeed, using GLT as the last resort of justice makes sense, since the technology presupposes the most accurate calculations. However, the question arises, why not using the GLT device throughout the entire match.

FFA and the GLT Issue Acceptance

It is also important to take into account the position which FFA takes concerning the idea of introducing the GLT. According to the standards offered by FFA, the GLT device is supposed to be accurate, deliver the results within a second and, in addition to the previous demand, can only be communicated top the match officials (via the referees watch, by vibration or visual signal)⁷, which leads to another downgrade in the idea of the GLT use.

Since the results of the goal are going to be transmitted via something as unreliable as text messages, it can be easily faked or substituted with a false message. Thus, the reasonability of the goal line technology becomes rather doubtful. Also, FFA also has its objections as per introducing the GLT system into football.

According to Lyall Gorman, the Head of the Hyundai A-League, The FFA recognizes that part of the match day experience is that supporters get good and bad decisions. It is according to Mr. Gorman part of the match day experience.⁸ Therefore, the fact that at certain points, referees make mistakes can be considered as part and parcel of the game which gives an additional thrill for the audience and the players.

On the other hand, according to the data offered by the Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, the mechanism of checking the results which the device is going to provide is rather complicated and leaves little to the possibility of either cheating or dealing with any technical faults; as Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications.⁹

Explain, The GLT system must work automatically and independently for the entire duration of the tests without any interference by the technology provider¹⁰. Together with the fact that the GLT system also demands that the referee should be equipped with a specific watch the properties of which are supposed to match certain standards, it can be considered that the use of the GLT technology is rather safe and should offer rather trustworthy results.

Analyzing the Viability of the Project

As it turns out, the issue concerning the use of the GLT is rather complicated. On the one hand, the solutions offered by referees can be sometimes erroneous. However, the ethical issue which the GLT use touches upon is also worth serious consideration.

Among the greatest problems that football teams are likely to encounter, the fear that the audience will consider the GLT use as the justification for the poor performance is the stumbling block for all those concerned. According to the explanation offered by Iva Klasnic in Allens report, The laughable thing is that the FA has come out and said they are all for goal-line technology at half-time.

That is ludicrous that they try and protect the poor performances of their officials. Its a joke.¹¹ Therefore, the threat that the GLT devices are going to be used to justify the failures of the least successful players still exists, and, being voiced by one of the players, it becomes even more evident.

Moreover, it is necessary to keep in mind that, no matter how advanced the technology can be, there is still the threat of a mistake. According to what Garland, Malcolm and Rowe say, though the introduction of goal-line technology may reduce the occurrence of goals unjustly awarded and disallowed, evidence proved by the use of Cyclops suggests that technology is not infallible¹²

On the other hand, at present, it seems the most impeccable mechanism of all existing. As the former football player, Lee Sharpe, explains, the technology is worth trying out since at the moment it is the best way to define the fact of scoring a goal: If you take my system, we have eight cameras in each post, eight cameras in the crossbar.

You get a definitive shot of the ball crossing the line, straight in line where the camera should be, no error. (Its a) fantastic system.¹³ Nevertheless, it seems that the GLT devices are going to make the process of defining the fact of a goal considerably easier, which means that the GLT devices are worth being used in the game field as one of the proofs for the fact of a goal.

Therefore, the new technologies can be considered a sports breakthrough which is likely to lead to a fairer game and more precise judgments of the game results.

Conclusion

Once the goal-line technology is introduced to football, it will be possible to obtain more precise data and offer more specific and correct judgments on whether the goal was scored or not, which can prove a decisive point for one of the teams. Nevertheless, the moral aspect of the use of the GLT should also be viewed as the possible obstacle on the way of implementing the technology in the sphere of football.

Also, the fact that the mechanism of the GLT might also fail in its accuracy should also be considered a reason to take time in introducing the GLT system into football. Therefore, it can be concluded that goal-line technology is one of the innovations which modern football depends on and which will allow making football matches more just and the decisions which referees make more objective.

Since with the help of GLT technologies, corruption in the sphere of football will become hardly possible, according to the pieces of evidence which have been mentioned above, there are all reasons to suggest that GLT is worth being introduced to football. Once making the game more open and honest, people will be able to enjoy pure competition without any elements of farce.

References

IceColdClarky, 2011, A-League  Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Victory (Round 6 2011/2012), YouTube. Keane, P, n.d., a Media release from the Australian Football League, ALF.

Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, n.d., FIFA, 1A.

Matthew Harold, 2012, FIFA confirms goal-line technology tests, Goal.com. Web.

Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, n.d., FIFA, 1A.

Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, n.d., FIFA, 1B.

Patric Keane, n.d., a Media release from the Australian Football League, ALF.

Lyall Gorman, n.d., Notes of meeting with Lyall Gorman, the Head of the Hyundai A-League. Football Federation Australia.

Gorman, L., n.d., Notes of meeting with Lyall Gorman, the Head of the Hyundai A-League. Football Federation Australia.

Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, n.d., FIFA, 1B.

Goal-line technology (GLT) specifications, n.d., FIFA, 1B.

Justin Allen, 2012, Mark Hughes blasted the FA for trying to defend blundering officials, The Sun.

Garland, J, Malcolm, D & Rowe, M, 2000, The future of football, (Routledge, New York, NY), 211.

Dovaston, I, 2011, FIFA at Rochdale FC to test goal-line cameras, Sky News HD.

The award of hosting the World Cup in the year 2022 for the tiny desert country Qatar came as a surprise to many beating favorites such as Australia and the United States of America, which many people thought could win the rights. The FIFA executive committee had picked Russia to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup beating England the favorites and then out of the odds, picked Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.

Many people throughout the world have argued that the selection of Qatar as the 2022 FIFA World Cup host was biased because the soccer world cup calendar could have to be changed and be placed at least at January due to the high temperatures expected in June and July when the world cup is supposed to be hosted; but Qatar in their bid promised that with the temperatures expected to rise very much, they will build air-conditioned outdoor stadiums mainly for the event (Associated Press, 2010).

For any country to host an event whether the Olympics or the soccer World Cup as in the case of Qatar, the process begins with the preparation and implementation of a bid to host the event. This process requires specialist expertise and project management but it is also necessary to check whether it will be feasible for a particular country to host such a big event even before the country can submit the bid. The purpose of determining the feasibility of hosting an event is to ensure the effort and the expenditures are not wasted (Masterman, 2009).

Many regard the selection of Qatar as the 2022 hosts as a dubious voting process with allegations that Qatar promised to build air-conditioned stadiums a fact that too many appear more theoretical than real. The World governing body indicates that the World Cup might have to be hosted during the winter (around January) which was not part of the Qatar bid: A move which Qatar has bluntly refused. Through its co-executive member in FIFA, Qatar has maintained that its bid for the hosting of the event in June and July and it has never intended for the world cup to be pushed earlier or later from the two months even by a day. If the calendar was to be changed as FIFA is proposing, this would affect the schedules of European football to accommodate the Qatar World cup (Wallace, 2011).

But was the voting process dubious?

The process was not dubious from the public eye although allegations of lack of transparency and corruption are rife, just like in any other bidding process, several factors were which include knowledge of the bidding process, gaining of stakeholder support, political risk analysis was also exhibited and seem to have favored the Qatar bid over rivals (Masterman, 2009).

With the theme of the Qatar bid being to unite people while that for the US is to grow and improve the sport in the USA, the bid by Qatar seemed to have been preferred although technical issues were never looked upon well. Many thought that with the USA having credentials of holding successful events such as the 1994 world cup which fetched the largest ever several tickets, that it could be easier to win the hosting rights, FIFA still preferred the less known Qatar despite it hosting very few events with the just-concluded Asian cup tournament being the latest.

The issue of controversy with Qatar beating US and Australia, the questions which linger on my mind is if the US or any other country which was expected to win the hosting rights won, would the decision have been termed as wrong and corrupt? So why is it that when another country wins it seems outrageous? There is no doubt that FIFA like any other body has flaws when it comes to selecting hosts but anything can be improved. FIFA has moved from one member one vote to a 24 members team with the intent of improving its democracy and operation but it has not worked either. Though it is said that the 14 members of the FIFA executive committee who voted for Qatar were bribed or enticed with goodies, the process remains transparent to me.

Reference List

Associated Press. (2010). Qatar Wins Bid to Host 2022 World Cup.

Masterman, G. (2009). Strategic Sports Event Management: Olympic Edition. 2nd Edition: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Wallace, S. (2011). Blatter isolated as Qatars choice comes back to haunt FIFA.

Introduction

FIFA World Cup is one of the largest soccer tournaments in the world. It is scheduled to occur in 2022, and the host country will be Qatar. The FIFA World Cup is one of the prestigious and widely popular sports events, which gives a hosting nation a number of benefits. These include improving the brand image of a country, increasing the inflow of tourists across the globe, and an opportunity for Qatar to present its hospitality and inner traditions.

The Economic Impact of Qatar Hosting the FIFA 2022 World Cup

Economic Impact

It is important to note the fact that hosting any major sports events, such as the FIFA World Cup, is highly expensive, and it requires an allocation of large amounts of resources. According to estimations, Qatar is planning to spend a total of $200 billion on hosting the given event (Fattah). Evidently, this will be a major budget expenditure, which will have an impact on the countrys economy.

Impact on Real Estate Before and After the World Cup

However, allocating the budget funds can pay off in the long run due to the fact that real estate value might increase with a growth in the influx of foreign money. In addition, new tourists and investors will get an opportunity to see and evaluate Qatars infrastructure. It can significantly raise the prices of real estate in the region because the demand for these assets will grow.

Impact on Banking

In addition, hosting the FIFA World Cup will also mean that foreign tourists and potential investors will exchange their currencies for Qatari riyal. The main reason is that besides buying tickets for the event, tourists will also spend on hotels or rent, food, and other expenses. This process will inevitably occur through Qatars central banking system. Thus, there will be a substantial demand for the local currency, which will strengthen and make it more valuable.

Challenges During World Cup

The major challenge for Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup is the fact that the country needs to complete all construction and related projects on time. The critical segments of infrastructure need to be adjusted for easy navigation of visitors. The units of the event monetization must be put in place in order to increase the potential returns in terms of profit because a certain part of allocated resources should be regained.

Risk of FIFA

Moreover, it is important to understand that there are a number of risks associated with hosting the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Firstly, the hosting nation consists of a Muslim majority with Islam as a state religion. Therefore, there can be certain controversies regarding alcohol, LGBT, and qualification issues of teams from Israel. Secondly, the weather in Qatar is especially hot, which needs additional expenses to eliminate the given problem.

FIFA Regional benefits

Business Tourism

Qatar, as a hosting country, and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members can greatly benefit from an increased influx of business tourism. This means that a certain number of visitors will not only visit these nations to be a part of the FIFA World Cup but also conduct specific business-related activities. These individuals will seek out potentially profitable and prospective deals in the region, which can be considered as a foreign or outside investment.

Hotel Rooms

In addition, the event can significantly impact the local hotel business in the GCC region. FIFA World Cup takes several days to be completed, and thus, all visitors will need a place to stay. It is highly important for hotels in Gulf countries to be fully prepared for a substantial increase in demand for hotel rooms in order to maximize the profits and leave a great impression of hospitality on visitors.

Retail Shops and Transport

Shopping and transportation are other major business segments that will be directly affected by the growing influx of tourists. Many people will actively shop in Qatar and other GCC countries to not only purchase basic necessities but also experience the local food. In addition, visitors will need transportation in order to attend the event and tour across the nation for sightseeing. Therefore, it is critical for the transportation system in the Gulf region to meet the demand of potential event attendees.

Labor Market

In order to properly serve the needs of all people visiting GCC countries for the FIFA World Cup, the labor market will expand. It is due to the fact that local businesses, such as hotels, shops, and other event-related organizations, will experience a certain increase in demand for workers. Therefore, new jobs and vacant positions will have to be filled, which will, directly and indirectly, affect the labor market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the FIFA World Cup 2022 will incur costs, risks, and benefits to Qatars and GCCs economy, infrastructure, and the local environment. The economic impact is manifested in the fact that a large sum of money will be spent on hosting the event with a possibility for return on investment. Local banks and real estate can increase their assets because tourists will need Qatars currency, and foreign investors might show interest in the regions real estate. However, there are a number of risks and challenges of hosting the FIFA World Cup for Qatar, such as completing all projects on time and adjusting local policies for foreigners. In addition, there are potential benefits in terms of hotels, business tourism, retail shops, transportation, and the labor market.

Work Cited

Fattah, Zainab. Qatars $200 Billion Dash to World Cup Hits a Construction Cliff. Bloomberg, 2019, Web.

Quarterback Football Player

Quarterback is the most prominent position in a college football team. People envy and admire the players who play in these positions, and the players feature in different television football commercials. Apart from fame and popularity, it is one of the most demanding positions. It demands speed, strength, flexibility, endurance, plyometrics, and most importantly, mental capability. Being a quarterback means spending days before a game studying the opponents gameplay, hours of organizing with the coaches and the teammates, and analyzing the opponent teams weaknesses. A lot of practice is incorporated all through a training year to build an outstanding quarterback. Physical body training uses well-chosen and proven exercises to build body muscles. An American football player is required to be healthy and very strong to tackle their opponents efficiently. This strength calls for a consistent and intelligent workout strategy to cover all body parts. Coaches and assistant coaches should work hand in hand with the player to ensure proper training.

As other football players, a quarterback has five seasons in a football year. Every season is equally important, and various strategies are implemented in each differently to suit them. The off-season is the first in the calendar, it is the season immediately after the previous one. Pre-season follows the off-season, where the season is almost to commence. The early season is the third phase when the season has already begun but is in its early stages. The competitive season marks the second last phase when the season peaks. The postseason is when competitions end and the best teams compete against each other to win the championship title. The five seasons differ, and custom strategies are incorporated to fit each seasons requirements.

A quarterbacks performance affects the overall performance of the whole team. They should be fast, coordinated, have stamina, arm strength, and accuracy. The type of exercise a quarterback does, the intensity, the number of times they do them, the number of breaks between the exercises, and the duration of the practices are monitored when training a quarterback. Weight training exercises involving lifting weights are push-ups, pull-ups, chest press, deadlift, squats, and shoulder press. Plyometrics reinforces the muscles that have already been built and gives them power. The player incorporates speed and force through jumping, skipping the rope, and burpees to achieve plyometrics. Endurance exercises like running and walking will assist the quarterback in increasing and controlling their breathing and heartbeat. Flexibility exercises like forwarding lunges and side lunges will stretch the quarterbacks muscles.

I have recommended all the training requirements for a quarterback football player for a whole year in the article below. The report clearly states all the exercises which are split up according to the five football seasons: off-season, pre-season, early season, competitive season, and the postseason. The article addresses the specific exercises that the player should take and the duration, the number of sets, the reps, and the rest intervals. Every season has sub-seasons, with different exercises to easily track and assess the players progress. Various activities to build muscles, strength, agility, and quarterback speed are discussed to bring out the best version in highly competitive matches.

Off-season

Weight training exercises, plyometrics, endurance, and flexibility are crucial for a quarterback during the offseason. The player needs to build muscles at a slow but steady rate, increase agility, and increase speed. The duration of the off-season lasts from four to six weeks which should be divided into two. The player should have rigorous training at the first phase and then proceed to the second face with moderate activity for recovery. The player should work out two to three days a week at a rate of four sets per activity (Jagim et al.). The repetitions for each exercise should be ten to fifteen, with a rest of 30 to 60 seconds between every set.

All the exercises that a quarterback will do on each training day should be equal in the reps and the sets. The quarterback should do five weight training exercises on each training day. The barbell squat should be done with weights that are not too heavy for the player. The dumbbell bicep arm curls and the bicep incline bench press should be done simultaneously. The player should then do a reverse crunch and seated cable row and finish the weight training exercises.

Plyometrics and endurance training should follow immediately after weight training exercises. It is where the strength is built, and for the six weeks, single-leg jumps, jump squats, lateral hops, and clap push-ups are done each training day. Endurance training follows immediately and starts with more challenging props  the plank and bodyweight planks. Running and jogging should be included as a warm-up for the player. The final exercise should be flexibility training which should be only two amongst cross-over, side lunges, and seat stretch as the player will be tired. The importance of these exercises is to strengthen muscles and ensure a good cardio status of the quarterback.

Upon completion of this program, the player will have met most of the crucial objectives. The quarterback will be strong enough and will have gained so much confidence in the game. To assess the training impact, the coach will organize or fix a match for the player and see the weaknesses. The coach should do these evaluations towards the end of a season to prepare for the next seasons focus areas.

Sample weeks program.

Pre-season

This part means that the period when the season is very near from commencing. It is a period when the player should be fully committed, and the coach should study the quarterback very closely. The pre-season was shortened, going for around three weeks to allow for the 17^th game (Jagim et al.). The player should work out for four days a week and extensively with three to five sets per workout of seventeen reps. The rest between the reps will be a little prolonged because the activities will be a little intense. The player can cool down during rests, and additional monitored hydration should be checked for cooling down. The player should take at least eight glasses of water in a training session.

The player should do a barbell bench press with different sizes of weights in ascending order. A military overhead press while standing to impact more muscles should also be done. The final two workouts for muscle building should be the barbell and the cable lat pulldown, which are excellent exercises for building ar muscles. Anaerobic exercises will be crucial at this stage to improve the speed and agility of the quarterback. For the anaerobic, four workouts will be added to the plyometrics and the endurance. They are the sprint ladder, four quarters, tempo runs, and sprint-stride intervals. After these rigorous exercises, plyometrics and endurance will only be two exercises each. Tuck jumps and burpees for plyometrics, walking, and skipping the rope for endurance.

All the training will mark the completion of the pre-season session. The coach will gauge the player through mock matches only that this time, the mistakes will be corrected instantly. The end of pre-season will be a significant accomplishment in the quarterbacks players yearly football journey. The quarterback should be solid and confident and even start to get recognized. Everything that has been taught should be easily implementable, and at this stage, they should have the ability to control and even direct fellow players.

Sample weeks program.

Early Season

During this time of the year, the season has already commenced, but it is early. It is time that implementation is so much needed in the game. Competition has begun, and the quarterback starts getting the pressure to do better than the other season. The early season is the time where teamwork is required the most (Jagim et al.). The coach should give the quarterback a chance to practice with the team members and monitor the progress closely.

During this phase, it is more about enhancing all done in the off and the pre seasons. The workouts should concentrate on weight training, flexibility training, and plyometrics endurance. All the exercises during the pre-season should be done here too, but the number should be reduced, and the speed of doing them should be increased. For the goal to be achieved, the number of reps should be reduced to ten, while the number of rests between reiterations should be reduced to ten seconds in order o achieve speed. The hiatus between every set should be until the player recovers to do the following exercise with rate. This season should last for a maximum of four weeks, and the player will exercise for five days, so there is no need to subdivide it for training purposes.

The player should only do three exercises for muscle building; the barbell hung, barbell push press, and the power snatch. Anaerobic is crucial in this stage, and so the coach should ensure the player does the sprint ladder, four quarters, tempo runs, and sprint-stride intervals. The player should perform three exercises for the plyometrics like the tuck jumps, burpees, and box jumps. In finishing the exercises, flexibility should be observed, not only to train blindly but also to record the quarterbacks weaknesses. Flexibility exercises should mainly focus on the seat stretch and knees to the chest.

Most of the evaluation is done by evaluating the performance in matches played by the quarterback. Every goal of a quarterback unfolds in this stage as they shine their way up in the field. Every bit of training they have done manifests itself through agility, strength, skill, and speed in execution. The player should not have any problem with the aerobics or have trouble with the breathing patterns. The coach should now be confident enough that the player is great for the task.

Sample weeks program.

Competitive Season

During the competitive season, the games are so many, so the quarterback has no time for much training. The player does not need to do strenuous work lest they become too overworked and perform poorly. There is so much running and playing in the field that it almost substitutes gym time (Jagim et al.). On game days, the player should avoid working out at all. When there are no games, the player should decide to work out in the morning and rest in the evening or vice versa.

The exercises on this phase should be very light, and the coach should let the player choose what activities they want to do the most. The coach should be strict and even lock up the gym to give the player enough resting time. Rest is therapeutic, and it increases the productivity of players during match times. The only exercise that should concern the coach is good warming up before a game which should be jogging and not as rigorous. The coach should assess the progress with the games that the quarterback is playing. Here is the time for the player to achieve all that they have been working to attain.

Postseason

Finally, the player has reached the end of the season, and they have most probably won with a good strategy. There is a time when there is very little tension because there are no games except for the few championship games. The postseason is the only time that the coach and the player should meet outside the field for a cup of coffee. The player should only make sure that they stay fit by doing cardio and small exercises to keep healthy.

Work Cited

Jagim, Andrew R. et al. Relationship between Training Load and Recovery in Collegiate American Football Players during Pre-Season Training. Science and Medicine in Football 5.4 (2021): 330338. Print.

Introduction

Games are thought to be helpful in reducing stress and taking ones mind off mundane tasks and daily routines. Some games have grown to be recognized as official sports with strict rules, governing institutions, and international events. Out of all sports, football, soccer, and basketball have grown to be the most popular in the United States due to their simplicity and the fact that not only professional sportsmen and sportswomen can partake  ordinary people can also take pleasure in playing.

Football

The United States has always been a powerhouse in the world of sports. Even before I have learned proper names and game rules and gotten to experience the thrill of the play first-hand, I saw how sports-oriented the US culture is. People around me have always taken an avid interest in the three sports discussed in this paper  football, soccer, and basketball. Surely, sometimes their passion would take extreme forms  we all know reckless soccer fans making headlines every once in a while. However, for the most part, what has been ingrained into me since childhood is the bonding potential of playing of watching sports and the prioritization of the healthy and active lifestyle that they promoted.

One of the sports that I became aware of quite early on was football. Personally, I have never had close experience with it as it appeared to be quite violent and not to my taste. Yet, it was interesting to do some research and find out about its origins. One of the insights I had during the literature review was that probably one of the reasons why Americans are so attached to this type of sports is due to patriotism. Back in the 19th century, American students tried to come up with their own game that would be a successor of the British sports of rugby and soccer (Gems et al. 120). I take it that has created a game of their own that then became popular across the board has given the nation another reason to take pride in itself.

Interestingly enough, the early version of the game was even more violent than it is today  something that I did not expect. The issues that plagued 19th-century American football included bendable rules, a large number of players, and high injury rates. Still, the game was popular enough for many north-eastern colleges of the era to adopt it. Eventually, in 1920, the National Football League (NFL) was founded to regulate player transfers. Strangely enough, health concerns were taken into account no earlier than in the 1930s (Gems et al. 140). Before that, players did not even wear helmets to protect themselves from injuries. Over time, the game had grown to be more standardized so that competitions could be held at higher levels and all participants complied with the same set of rules.

In general, American football players must follow rules such as:

1. There are two teams consisting of 11 players each, that compete during four 15-minute quarters;
2. The aim of the game is to advance the ball into the oppositions end zone;
3. The latter can be accomplished by either running with the ball until attacked or bypassing the ball to a teammate;
4. The ultimate aim is to score as many points as possible  through touchdowns (6 points) and field goals (3 points).

Soccer

Soccer ranks second on the list of the most popular games in the United States. For me, however, it has no rivals as the simplicity of the concept and the thrill it delivers make it fun for people of all genders, ages, and paths of life. Many memorable moments of my life have something to do with soccer. At first, it was a family activity as my father, my cousins, and I would often play in the park. Later on, as I started middle school, soccer was something that helped students make friendships, learn to play fair, and develop good sportsmanship. I think that as simple as this game is, it still taught me many life lessons that would have otherwise taken a lot of philosophizing to conceptualize. I learned to be honest and humble and not cheat even when the odds were against me. Besides, I had to face healthy rivalry and refine my skills to stay at the top of my performance.

It came as no surprise to me that soccer was one of the oldest games known to humankind. The first mentions of a team game involving a ball are dated as early as over 3,000 years ago (Cox 81). Ancient China, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome also had their own variations of the game. Actually, it was the Roman culture that brought soccer to the British island (Cox 84). By the 12th century, England had developed their own version of the game that involved not only kicks but also hand punches (Cox 87). Overall, it took soccer centuries to take its modern form. There were no recognized rules or standards regarding the size of the ball, the number of players, or match duration as well as there was no clear distinction between soccer and rugby.

I think what made soccer so great and popular is its accessibility regardless of social status. Back in 19th century England, the working classes were the players and the fanbase, not the elites. To my understanding, only something that was created by the people can truly stick with the people while elitist trends come and go. The best evidence is how many people attended soccer matches back then despite the lack of modern marketing tools. It is not surprising that holding matches were soon recognized as potentially beneficial, and they were monetized. In 1888, the soccer league was established, and ten years later, soccer became one of the official Olympic sports (Cox 110).

Today, soccer players need to comply with the following rules:

1. The aim of soccer is to score more goals than the opponent in under 90 minutes;
2. The match is split into two halves, 45 minutes each;
3. Each team has 11 players, one of which is a goalkeeper and the rest are outfield;
4. To score, the ball must go into the opponents goal and cross the line.

Basketball

Basketball is the third most beloved sport in the United States. Interestingly enough, akin to soccer, this type of sports originated in a gymnasium of Springfield college, Massachusetts (Cox 201). A group of young men was restlessly roaming the building. They were assigned to mandatory indoor physical education classes; however, since the football season was over, they did not have much to do. The gymnasium offered them a range of activities to pick from such as marching, calisthenics, and apparatus work. Yet, they were seen as underwhelming substitutes for the thrill that football and lacrosse had to offer. The school board felt that students idleness was a threat to the system and came up with the idea of playing with the ball and two baskets.

Basketball was an instant success not only at the Springfield gymnasium but also statewide. In 14 years, in 1905, the game was officially recognized as an official winter sports activity by high schools and universities (Cox 250). Over the years, the rules have been somewhat tinkered, but the essence of the game remained the same. As of now, the following applies to the sport in question:

1. The object of basketball is to throw a ball through a hoop to score points;
2. The game is played on a rectangular court, and the number of points that one scores depends on the section of the court from which the ball is thrown;
3. Each team has 12 players with only five partaking at any time;
4. Their positions are Point Guard, Defensive Guard, Center, Offensive Forward, and Defensive Forward. Regardless of their positions, players are allowed to move around as they see fit;
5. The game is split up into four quarters, twelve-minute each;
6. Winning the game of basketball means scoring more points than the opponents.

Conclusion

The key to the popularity of any sport lies in its simplicity and accessibility by people of varying skill, age, and social status. Nowadays, some of the most popular games recognized internationally include football, soccer, and basketball. Out of all these sports, soccer is the one that I have had the most experience with while being more or less aware of football and basketball. Yet, it was compelling to research all the types of sports discussed in this paper and track their history back to the very beginning. My findings confirm my initial guess: these sports are so popular due to the fact that they were created for the people by the people. For decades, they remained an activity popular with students and the working class before making it big and becoming legalized. As of now, football, soccer, and basketball have professional and amateur teams and are fun to both play and watch.

Works Cited

Cox, Richard, editor. British Sport  A Bibliography to 2000: Volume 2: Local Histories. Routledge, 2014.

Gems, Gerald, et al (2nd ed.). Sports in American History, 2E: From Colonization to Globalization. Human Kinetics, 2017.

There’s nothing more satisfying than a perfectly planned shot that swifts its way past the goalkeeper’s defence. All of us are pretty much aware of the fact that this game is the most beloved one for over a century now. And nowadays even the digitalized version that is delivered to us in the form of video games is one of the most favourite ones for individuals. Therefore we have collected the best online football games that come without any costs and completely free. No matter what your favourite part of the game may be, this collection is all gathered in a single place that you only need to browse and try out.

Rise as One

We cannot deny how cool is the moment of the last-minute of the penalty kick when everything is as silent as a pin drop with every eye on the players. You are in the crowd with only the goalkeeper as you step up to the kick you have been planning to and as soon as the whistle is blown, the moment when the power of one is finally shown comes to the spot and the crowd goals wild. No doubt that these types of moments are gold and they even become more fun when you have been given the opportunity to do them without any limits as it is allowed in many of the games belonging to this category. Not to mention, no matter how amazing it might be to relive the gold moment of the penalty unlimited times, it all comes down to the fact that Soccer is all based on teamwork and unity. That’s the reason we ensure you the inclusion of various games that’ll let you select and compile the most desired squad of yours as if it’s the real-life soccer match. The only thing you need to do is balancing properly every factor that is a part of your game so that you will become the most successful one on the field.

A Great Place Football Lovers

Every player in the game of soccer has many different things that they desire the most whether it’s just striking after stripping the ball from the opponent team or just smashing the ball as much time as they can within the net. No matter which one you prefer the most, this category is full of titles that can make your pro football fantasies come to life. Bravely face the opponent team, score like a pro in the specialized area of yours and take the entire spotlight of the crowd with these titles. Whether you prefer single man scorer or a proper team plan, it’s up to you to even the odds with whatever the game challenges to you.

Play With Friends or Yourself

The competitions with the computer can get intensely difficult as you proceed further and further in the game, but the great thing about these games is that you can not only play these alone but can even get your friends to join the action. Yes, now is the time to get the most amazing victory possible since this is a place where Winners are praised and the losers have to redeem their status again and again till its properly revived. While if you’re more of a solo gamer and likes to play the game with the computer, then this category is also blooming with those types of games as well. Doesn’t matter what type of gameplay style you choose, because in the end, it is only you who’ll get praised by the thunderous crowd of the match if you perform like it. Play hard like a champion no matter how much of a pressure comes to your place.

The Perfect Place To Showcase Your Skills

If you got some great skillsets and tricks to show to the world, then this free category of great online, as well as free soccer games, is going to give you various ways to expose your skillsets in these amazing games as well as the tricks you have mastered yourself within. No matter whether you’re a beginner or a pro, everywhere you can find great chances to work on the skills and tricks you have. So what are you waiting for? Calmly sit, tie up your laces and walk proudly in the field where the crowd is cheering for you to perform the best possible game you can. Prepare to have a fun time for yourself with this category as a soccer enthusiast.

The football, also known as soccer, is one of the most popular sports worldwide. The history of football can be traced back to England at the end of the 19th century. Game development is carried out on a rectangular field of grass, in which a target is located at each end of the field. Discover everything you should know about this sport, what are its basic rules and what are the benefits it brings, among which teamwork stands out.

BASIC RULES OF FOOTBALL

The basic rules of this sports football consist of introducing with the foot or the head the ball in a goal, which is known as goal. In the game a total of 11 players participate in each of the two teams that face each other.

The winning team is the one that at the end of the game obtains a greater number of goals in favor. By regulation, a professional football match is composed of two times of 45 minutes each. The 11 players that make up a football team are divided into the following positions: the goalkeeper (since he occupies only one player), the defenders, the flyers and the forwards. However, some of these rules may vary depending on the soccer modality in question.

BENEFITS OF FOOTBALL

Football, besides being an entertaining activity, is also a sport that offers innumerable benefits . The first is that it is present everywhere, which makes it possible to practice at any time. Likewise, it stimulates the character and motivation of the person, accustoming it to group work, to maintain the competitive spirit .

On a physical level, soccer is an excellent way to lose calories and tone up the muscles of the legs and abs. Similarly, recent studies have indicated that the practice of this sport gives us greater cardiovascular benefits than jogging on a daily basis. Those who practice this sport constantly will have the advantage of being able to maintain a regular control of their weight, as well as eliminate the accumulation of fat in the back and buttocks.

It should be noted that the practice of football has a professional level must be subject to a prior physical assessment, because it is a highly demanding sport.

THE DRESS IN SOCCER

As in other sports, choosing a correct outfit before football training will be important so that the player can expose their physical capabilities to the maximum, without risking their health. Going from top to bottom, it should be noted that shirts should be loose and of light material, with the number of the player stamped on the back for easy recognition.

The pants to use are short and are made of lightweight nylon or polyester. It is preferable that they are waterproof. As for the stockings, these should be high enough to cover the shin guards. The most recommended material is cotton, to prevent blisters. Regarding the footwear, always known as chimpunes, which are characterized by having a better stability on the grass and avoid injuries to the ankles. The implements of Protective, such as shin guards and suspenders.

COORDINATION EXERCISES IN FOOTBALL

Footballers, both amateur and professional, know very well how important coordination exercises are for soccer practice. Therefore, having a good personal soccer coach should develop a physical preparation stage in different ways. One of the most common is running with the arms extended horizontally, touching the heels with your hands. Also, the so-called jogging without brace is frequent, which consists of jogging by lifting the knees and interlacing the hands behind the back.

There are exercises with jumps, such as the cap, where players jog while jumping with each movement. A slightly more complex exercise is the deltas, which involves moving the legs quickly around a rod, without touching it. Sometimes the rod is replaced by a soccer ball. Finally, we have the front pass, whose purpose is for the player to run through the middle of aligned rings, without hitting them.

What is sports football coaching?

If you have always been passionate about sport and would like to work in this area, why not dedicate yourself to sports coaching? Maybe the time has come to leave your job and start a new professional path. When you enter the world of professional sports, your hobby can become a real way to earn money, be successful, and also live passionate about what you do.

But what is a sports coach? This is a professional who is responsible for guiding and being with the professional athlete at every step of his career, making sure that his result and emotional state is optimal for success. Lately, this work has become more popular given the new importance that the emotional health of athletes has taken.

What skills do you need to have to be a sports football coach?

To start, you must be a positive person, willing to give a balance to the busy life of an athlete. It is your job to help the athlete to face fears and overcome goals, but that can only be done if you have confidence in your abilities and know how to put emotions aside. Likewise, you should always have a sentence of encouragement for difficult times and know how to solve problematic situations.

What kind of knowledge do you need?

Although it is a new profession, sports coaching are more than just knowledge about sports. In this case, you must also have knowledge of sports psychology, some physical therapy and health, and finance. It is important that you are always aware of everything that happens in the sport of who you train, because it is you who will guide it and lead it to success.

As part of the training, you have to be aware of the physical part, from the daily hours, to the feeding and long-term planning.

Should I be an athlete?

Not necessarily, but it is common for former sportsmen to become sports coach. Therefore, if you are not a professional athlete, you must ensure that you bring skills superior to those of others. Things like extensive knowledge about sports, nutrition, health, economics, psychology and marketing can make you a better candidate for work, because you are giving your athlete more than others can.

Think of it as a professional career that sees beyond just the athlete and the physical part, so if you are an entrepreneur you can take advantage of your business knowledge and personal success to push your athlete more than usual and achieve more goals.

Can I only train one athlete at a time?

This depends on you and your success as a coach. The reality is that if you are a coach of more than one athlete at a time, it is because you have already established a practice and you have more people under your command. If you are starting in this business, it is recommended that you dedicate yourself to a single athlete, because you must travel with him, be by his side for long hours, work together with his team coach, and make sure that emotional health is also under control. All this takes time and experience.

Once you have established a name and brand, you may create a sports coaching organization and help those aspiring professional athletes. Do not get distracted trying to be a coach of several people at the time, it is better to start with a single athlete and grow professionally.

What do you think? Being a sports coach can be a unique and special opportunity for those who love sports and entrepreneurship. Focus your passion for soccer, or tennis, or any other professional sport, and take your business and emotional knowledge to help others while earning money.

The football versus soccer battle seethes on throughout recent years and has started very some contention. How about we begin by saying that I will call football, as it is known far and wide, soccer what is regularly named American Football. A portion of the discussions that have been started between the two are ones, for example, ‘for what reason is it called football when its solitary one player in the group is permitted to utilize his feet and is just done on little events?’, ‘which is progressively physical?’ and issues as straightforward as which of the two requires more perseverance.

Let take a glance at it from one path when there is likewise another approach to see these two amazing games as I call them. As there might be contrasts between the two, there are likewise likenesses. There are a great deal of discussions that goes on respects with football and soccer. Some think about that soccer is another name of football while others may contend that soccer is totally unique in relation to football. The investigate of the two well known diversions, football and soccer will set us on a clearer way. Football can be considered as the name for the various game where the players need to play with foot and ball so as to score. There are various football sports, for example, affiliation football, field football, and rugby football. Soccer is a regularly utilized name of affiliation football.

The sport that was to progress toward becoming soccer was conceived in 1848, which is the point at which the main formal arrangement of tenets was drawn up. These principles were to give it the name ‘Affiliation Football.’ A breakaway gathering at that point made a different game where players were permitted to utilize their hands amid play and this would end up known as rugby. Thusly, rugby would then cross the Atlantic and seed the development of the game Gridiron or for this situation, become American Football. The most questionable issue that a soccer fan will separate among soccer and American football is that soccer is played essentially by kicking the ball and it is just permitted to the goalkeeper to utilize his hands or if the ball leaves limits and requires what is known as a toss in. American football interestingly, is played by tossing the ball and is possibly kicked when a field objective is required or in their terms an arrival punts. In soccer, kicking the ball to the next group is infrequently or even better, done deliberately. This is just done purposely on reasonable play calls; these are occasions which occur during the time spent whichever group has the ball while another player is compelled to be taken a gander at by restorative authorities amid time of play. The ball is then played to the restricting group that was on offense.

Then again, in football, that player is evacuated and the amusement is proceeded toward whatever path it was going previously. There are numerous likenesses among soccer and football, for example, the idea of two objectives on the contrary sides of the field where the players need to kick the ball and score. The primary thought of the amusement is either to guard or offense the ball with the assistance of group. The quantity of players in the group on the field for the two recreations is eleven. The two groups are likewise permitted to have up to twenty two players on their lists. The contrast between the amusements is because of the diverse standards that are connected. As we go on there are a lot more contrasts and similitudes between the two games. Above all else the players in football must be furnished with head protectors, shoulder braces, support cushions. While in soccer, the players just wear shin cushions, and spikes.

Another enormous contrast between both the amusements is that the ball which is utilized to play in the two games is not the same as one another. The state of the ball in football is oval while the ball that is utilized in soccer is a considerably more circular fit as a fiddle. Clearly in the two games all together for a group to win, one needs to acquire focuses than the other. In soccer, an objective is scored to pick up focuses while in football a touchdown is expected to pick up focuses. Despite the fact that this is along these lines, there is additionally a closeness where a field objective is required for additional focuses in football though the field objective kicker is permitted to kick the ball between the objectives. An objective is scored in soccer by putting the ball into a net that is comprised of two posts and a crossbar and every objective is one point. While in football, a touch down is six and a field objective is three points.

A touchdown is scored in American football by contacting the ball down over a touch line. The touchdown in American football can be scored by a pass or a run, while in soccer you may just think carefully or your foot to score an objective or any piece of your body with the exception of the hand. The field of play is somewhat unique in size issues. A football field is 120 yards in length, including two 10 yard profound end zones on both end and 30 yards wide. A soccer field can go from 100 yards to 130 yards in length and 50 to 100 yards wide. Another vital factor of the two is the time periods. Soccer is played more than an hour and a half and is part into two 45 minutes parts. While in football, the amusement goes on over only an hour that are part into four quarters.

Time outs are permitted in football however not in soccer. This additionally demonstrates progressively physical movement happens amid a soccer match, as opposed to on the football field. Soccer matches can finish in a draw/tie. Be that as it may, in certain rivalries, 30 minutes of additional time is played to attempt to decide a champ and a punishment shoot may result if groups still can’t be isolated. Football match-ups are chosen by 15 minutes extra time on the off chance that they are tied after ordinary time. Soccer matches are typically played on regular grass contributes despite the fact that America, they are once in a while played on counterfeit pitches.

Conversely, football match-ups will in general be played on fake pitches, similar to turf. There is additionally a major distinction as far as universal prominence and circulation. Soccer is the predominant group activity crosswise over South America, Africa, Europe, and extensive pieces of Asia. Then again, Football is predominant in North America. Another of the reasons why soccer is progressively mainstream in world terms is that it is intensely at a universal dimension. There is likewise various alliances all through the entire world with the most prominent being The Barclays chief association. In spite of the fact that there are numerous competitions all through the world just a single takes the best spot. The World Cup Tournament, which happens like clockwork between all nations who qualify. You take the best soccer players from your nation, and enlist them to play for the nation’s group. The World Cup has likewise been known as the greatest game on the planet. Football has its Super Bowl however it’s a logical inconsistency as it just includes North American club groups as it were.

The super bowl is played between the best group in every meeting in the NFL and, is the most watched single show in America. Soccer is additionally progressively common over the globe on the grounds that very little hardware is expected to play it. For whatever length of time that you have a great time, objectives can be produced using anything as far refuse receptacles, shakes and knapsacks from my encounters to begin an amusement. Football is increasingly physical and hence defensive gear is required which makes it less appropriate for youthful youngsters and less open to individuals in less fortunate nations. The sport of soccer is dominatingly a game that is commanded at expert dimension by men. Be that as it may, female expert classes have begun to show up.

To the extent my sentiment goes and to the extent I’m mindful, football has not acquired a similar dimension of investment from ladies. There are two players that rule each game and, presently we will talk about who has affected the game. In football you have Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos, who at present overwhelming the NFL with nineteen touchdown in 4 amusements. Peyton is on root to breaking each and every record set by quarterbacks. Notwithstanding be remarkable on the field he has driven the horses to an amazing five and zero record. Peyton has likewise expanded horses tickets by fifteen percent, the most any one football player has influenced ticket deals ever of NFL. Then again you have the supposed ‘God’ of current soccer Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi is right now third on the record-breaking objectives list on the planet, and as indicated by 247sports.com he has 3 additional years left in his before he truly begins to decay. He is relied upon to take the rule ever driving objective scorer by fifty-four objectives. At the point when Messi was marked to barcelona.

The Barclays Premier League costs expanded for the principal amusement an astounding thirty-two percent. For the ordinary season tickets costs have went up eighteen percent. Messi has likewise lead barcelona to two Premier association titles in the three years which is remarkable considering Peyton is as yet looking for his first Super Bowl in Denver. By and large Messi unquestionably takes the crown for competitor that has affected their game the most. In end there might be numerous things diverse about the two games, however the fans are fundamentally the same as in their adoration for the game. They have their groups they cheer for and groups they want to abhor. Basically we can infer that both the recreations depend on the utilization of foot and ball however extraordinary regarding use of standards. The distinction and similitudes will end up more extensive with the expanding pattern of the two ‘Titan’ sports. But judged dispassionately, soccer is only a superior game.

If you had asked Zac Easter, he would have told you he loved football. The middle child of three boys, he and his brothers all played football. The smallest of the brothers, he was also the fiercest and played as a linebacker on the high school football team. He was so intimidating, even bigger teammates shied away from tangling with him in practice. He would have said that football is a really fun sport. Ask any player or former player, and they will also likely extol football’s many virtues. While there are many benefits that come with playing any sport, football’s benefits seem to be countless. Football can improve aerobic capacity, cardiovascular health, body fat and improve muscle tone. You can learn how to work as a team and how to share. Anyone can play football, and you can play anywhere. Players usually tend to burn more calories during the game when compared to their regular workout sessions. Playing football increases the strength of the body’s skeletal frame and increases your endurance. “The combination of running, walking, sprinting and kicking can bring benefits including increased stamina, improved cardiovascular health, reduced body fat, improved muscle strength and tone, increased bone strength and improved coordination.”

Beyond the exercise and health benefits, most players will tell you that playing football taught them discipline, toughness, and even life lessons. A pediatric doctor explained that football teaches kids discipline and how to be good at sports. “You learn time management, you learn discipline. You learn how to deal with losses and disappointments. And those types of things are really critical to youngsters as they get older and have to apply that to real-life situations.” It builds strategic thinking skills and can help players develop leadership qualities. Playing football can also increase a student’s grades, as they work harder on their schoolwork to stay academically eligible to play their sport. “Participation in high school sports actually has been shown to deliver consistently higher grades.” Additionally, students who participate in high school sports are 15% more likely to attend college than students who don’t play a sport. Most players will also tell you that camaraderie is a big positive with football and that football builds friendships that often last well beyond the season. Belonging to a group, or rather having a sense of belonging that is fostered by being in a group, can be very good for a kid. Self-esteem is higher in kids who feel accepted and a part of something. Teamwork is also developed by playing football, and the ability to work in a team with common goals and direction is a skill that will benefit kids long after they’ve stopped playing on the field. For all of these good reasons, most people would think of football as a very positive sport. It certainly can be. However, football is not without risks.

One major risk of playing football is getting a concussion. Concussions are temporary unconsciousness or confusion caused by a blow to the head and can cause very severe damage to the brain. They are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance, and coordination. In his football career, Zac Easter had three diagnosed concussions related to football. His family believes he had others as well that just weren’t diagnosed. Concussions can be a serious problem. Over the last decade, the number of kids suffering concussions caused by playing high school football has been increasing. “High school football is consistently shown in studies to be the sport with the greatest proportion of concussions (47.1%) and the highest concussion rate (6.4 concussions per 10,000 athletic exposures).” Football is the number one sport you are most likely to get a concussion from while playing. This is not because of any new rule or anything like that. It has more to do with the competitive nature of football. Winning is obviously better than losing, and when you play really well with your team and win, it feels amazing. Because of this, sometimes kids will play harder, and even risk their own health and safety, for the win. “CDC reports show that the amount of reported concussions has doubled in the last 10 years. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has reported that emergency room visits for concussions in kids ages 8 to 13 years old have doubled, and concussions have risen 200 percent among teens ages 14 to 19 in the last decade.” When you consider that the average football player gets six hits to the head during practice and 14 hits during games, these statistics are not surprising. “Burkhart noted that athletes aged 14, 15, and 16 years were at a greater risk for concussion compared to players aged 17 and 18 years.” This is particularly concerning when you consider that these are the typical ages when kids begin playing football in high school.

A concussion alone should be enough of a concern to make people give some hard thought to playing football, but when you consider the link between concussions and suicide, it can be surprising that anyone would consider taking up the sport. A 2020 analysis revealed “