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Youth Program Central* Search for Football Camps
AMERICAN FOOTBALL HISTORY OF FOOTBALL The ancient Greeks played a game known as harpaston that was similar to modern day American football. Players, not limited in numbers, were to advance a ball across a goal line by running with, kicking, or throwing the ball. In 12th century England, a similar game was also played. Seven hundred years later, during the 19th century, these earlier football-like games had diversified enough that two separate sports were formed - soccer and rugby. (1) In 1823, at the Rugby Boys School in England, the game of rugby began. In America, around the same time, Princeton and Harvard students were playing games also similar to modern American football. In 1865, after the Civil War came to an end, various colleges arranged football games. In 1867, football received a patent. On November 6th, 1867, the first college football game occurred between Princeton University and Rutgers College. (Rutgers won.) The Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA) was formed in 1873, when spokespersons from Rutgers, Princeton, Columbia, and Yale met and developed football rules to be used in college games. Originally, fifteen players were allowed on the field. This decision was later changed when Walter Camp, the Yale coach, lead and won the campaign to decrease the number of players to eleven. Walter Camp also birthed the downs method. In 1905, a meeting was conducted between Harvard, Princeton, and Yale to address the concerns of the extreme violence that was becoming a problem in football. Eighteen players actually lost their lives in certain ferocious plays that were being used all too frequently. At a second meeting attended by a much larger forum of schools, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was established. This committee was important in abolishing a number of dangerous plays. (2) Professional football was first played in 1895 when two teams representing the towns of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and Jeanette, Pennsylvania, met to battle it out. In 1920, professional football teams banded together to form the American Professional Football Association. In 1922, the league became known as the National Football League. In its beginning stages, NFL players held daytime jobs to help make up for the small salaries they were paid to play football. In fact, public interest in professional football was minimal until in 1925 when Red Grange started playing for the Chicago Bears. Grange had been a prominent halfback for the University of Illinois. After his decision to join the Bears, a greater number of college players went on to also play professional football, thus increasing the appeal of the NFL to the public. (1) Many other leagues attempted, unsuccessfully, to form and follow in the footsteps of the National Football League. One league that actually carried it off was the American Football League (AFL). Eventually, in 1970, the NFL and AFL merged and the NFL name stayed. Two conferences were established within the league - the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. Champions from both leagues would go on to play a final season game, later and famously known as the Super Bowl. (3) FOOTBALL EQUPIMENT Although the level of brutality in football has decreased as compared with its early days, it's still a contact sport requiring specific equipment to help prevent injury. The purpose of the helmet is obvious. Within the helmet is the chin strap, mouth piece, face mask, and jaw pads. The chin strap keeps the helmet in place. The mouth piece protects the teeth and mouth. The face mask is just as it sounds, a mask to keep the face protected. The jaw pads protect the bones of the jaw when blows to the helmet area occur. The neck is protected from whiplash by the neck roll. Shock pads are worn directly on the shoulders and lessen the force of the impact when the shoulders are used. The shoulder pads sit on top of the shock pads and protect the shoulder area. Rib pads are also just as they sound - a pad for the ribs. Elbow pads cushion the elbows. Arm pads protect the wrist and forearms. The linemen have gloves that prevent knuckle injuries. The receiver's have gloves designed for better catching by increasing the ability to feel the ball. Hip pads, a tailbone pad, thigh pads, and knee pads protect the lower half of the body. (4) HOW FOOTBALL IS PLAYED After a coin toss in which the winner decides whether his team will start on offense or defense, a football game is started with a kickoff. The defending team has a player called a placekicker who kicks the football towards the other team. The goal of the team playing offense is to then return the football as close to the end zone as possible, which also happens to be where the defensive team is positioned. If the football is kicked out of bounds, the offensive team can start their next play from where the football left the playing field or thirty yards from the place where the ball was originally kicked. If a player on the offensive team catches the football and kneels, the play is stopped. If this occurs in the end zone, known as a touchback, the next play begins on the twenty-yard line. If this occurs outside of the end zone, the play is stopped and the next play begins where the person knelt. During a kickoff, either team is free to try and gain possession of the football and if the defending team happens to be successful in doing so, they then become the present offense. Each play starts with the players of opposing teams lined up on either side of the football, facing each other. From where the football sits, an imaginary line extends to both sidelines, called the line of scrimmage. Neither team is allowed to cross this imaginary line until the play is actually started. Each team must have seven of their eleven players lined up along the line of scrimmage. The players along the line of scrimmage are not allowed to move until the play actually begins. The remaining four players stand behind their teammates. They are free to move about even before the play begins, although, they too cannot pass the line of scrimmage prior to the play. The play begins when the offensive player known as the center passes the ball between his legs to the player standing behind him. The center knows to go ahead and pass the ball when this person gives him the verbal signal. This play is known as a snap. The offense once again attempts to return the football as close to the end zone as possible. The ball is advanced by running with it or passing it to another team member. The ball may only be passed to another team member if the player throwing the ball is still behind the line of scrimmage. The end of a play occurs when the player with the ball is tackled, when the player with the ball can no longer physically move because too many defenders are stopping him from doing so, or when the ball or the player holding the ball go out of bounds. When a pass is incomplete, when a field goal is attempted unsuccessfully, or when one of the team's scores, the end of a play also occurs. The offense is given four chances, known as downs, to advance the football towards the end zone. If they are able to advance the football far enough, they are given four more downs to continue their attempt at reaching the end zone. During the fourth down the offense has the option to continue trying to advance the football far enough to earn four more downs. If the ball is close enough to the goalpost, they can opt to attempt to score points by kicking a field goal. If the ball is successfully kicked between the goalposts, the offense earns three points. If earning more downs, or a field goal are unlikely, the offense may opt to punt the ball. Punting (kicking) the ball down the field causes the opposing team to start their play that much farther away from the end zone in which they can score, which is to the kicking team's advantage. Play then continues as described above with the opposite team now attempting to advance the football into the end zone. (5) Youth Program Central offers a comprehensive listing of available youth camps designed for children and teens with an interest in football. Check it out, you may find just what you and your child have been looking for. REFERENCES 1. "Football History." Berlin Thunderbirds. (08/27/04). 2. "American Football History." PageWise. (08/27/04). 3. "Rules and Information." Football.com (08/27/04). 4. "Rules and Information." Football.com (08/27/04). 5. "Rules and Information." Football.com (08/27/04).
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