Football Game Ideas
- Football can be fun at any age, and there are a variety of ways to play.football player image by Maria Bell from Fotolia.com
The basic idea of the game of football - not the international version, known to most Americans as soccer - is to stop the opposing team's player with the ball from advancing past a certain line. How you stop that player determines the safety level of the game, and how old players should be. There are leagues for all ages, and all levels of the play, so no matter how young or old your player is, there's always a way for them to enjoy playing the game. - Touch football is a safe version of the game.american football image by Christopher Walker from Fotolia.com
Touch football can be used to introduce the rudimentary rules of the game. It also is a vehicle for teaching more advanced rules and strategy. In fact, there are leagues for touch football that involve every aspect of the game. Basically, touch football substitutes "touching" for "tackling" in stopping a player's progress. The player with the ball is "tackled," or stopped, when an opposing player touches him or her. In order to keep the game interesting, normally the player with the ball is "tackled" when the defender places both hands fully on the ballcarrier. This is commonly known as "two-hand touch" football. This game can be appropriate for players of all ages since the physicality can be adjusted accordingly. Touch football leagues are more intense than recreational games, and players are grouped by age and skill level. But for a family game, touch football is most appropriate. There is no need for equipment beyond a football, and virtually any relatively flat area is suitable as a field. The game can also be played using various numbers of participants, from a game of 2-on-2 up to teams of 12 to 15 players each. - Flag football involves more physical contact than touch football.football goal posts image by Scott Slattery from Fotolia.com
Flag football is a more advanced and physical version of the game than touch football. It requires special equipment - detachable cloth or vinyl flags for each player - and therefore is usually a more regulated game. When the player carrying the ball has his or her flag grabbed by an opposing player, he or she is "tackled," or stopped. In leagues, the flags typically are attached with Velcro to a belt. A less-official version of the game can be played using any item as the flag, such as a shirt or a towel. Since the player carrying the ball is allowed to try to prevent defenders from grabbing the flag, the game is more physical than touch football. It's still safer than tackle football, and therefore is more appropriate for younger players. Organized flag football typically is played with teams of seven players on the field. - Tackle football requires specialized equipment and proper coaching and supervision.Football image by Richard McGuirk from Fotolia.com
Tackle football is the style of the game used in most competitive situations, from youth leagues to the National Football League, the professional level. To ensure safety, players use specialized equipment such as a helmet and padding on much of the body. Still, injuries are common at every level of play. Even youth teams use complicated strategy on offense and defense, with the 11 players on each unit having specific roles. The idea is to stop the player with the ball from advancing by tackling him or her to the ground. Specific rules state that when forward movement of the ball is stopped, the player is "tackled." However, all forms of tackling involve significant force. Opposing players also collide all over the field, regardless of whether one has the ball. This version is reserved for players who have received extensive coaching on techniques and safety. It should be played only under strict, professional supervision and with proper equipment.
