Your heart races as you catch the fast flying ball. You tuck it in tight and take off running down the field. The other team quickly moves in to stop you from scoring. You dodge the players in front of you, keeping the end zone in your sight…

This is all a part of the game of football.

Let’s explore this fun pass time

The History of Football

Thousands of years ago, in Ancient Greece, people played a game called harpaston. This sport was very similar to our modern day football.

England had its own version of football that started back in the 19th century. It is called Rugby and is still a popular sport today.

Walter Camp

Football in America happened in 1869 when Rutgers University challenged Princeton University to a match. However, the rules were very different from today.

It wasn’t until 1873 that the official rules of football were developed. A Yale University player named Walter Camp helped change those rules into what we know today.

Because of Camp, the football field is now a set of ten sections that are each ten yards long. He also introduced the idea of downs, and he changed the number of players on the field to eleven.

But the changes didn’t stop there. Another group of over 60 colleges came together to discuss these changes. This marked the start of the National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA. This group worked to make changes that would be safe for players, and now it oversees all types of college sports.

Tackle This Fact: Football is the most watched and played sport on Earth.

What You Need to Play Football

• A group of players 
• Helmet
• Football
• A large, open space
• Neck collar/Neckroll
• Jockstrap/Cup
• Mouth Guard
• Gloves
• Pads (shoulder, hip, thigh, and knee)

Tackle This Fact: During every game, a football player runs about 6 miles.

Let’s Play Football

Football is made up of two teams of 11 players on the field. It is a game of physical stamina and strategy. In football, your team must control the field to keep the opposing team from getting a touchdown.  

To do this players have to block the other team’s players. This can be done by knocking them down (tackling) as in Tackle Football, or by grabbing their flag as in Flag Football.

In football, you must learn plays that your coach will teach you. Each player has a critical job on the field, so each play must be executed properly to win the game.

Tackle This: There are 32 teams in the NFL. Each team is vying for the Super Bowl win at the end of the season.

What do you think of Football? If you have played this sport or would like to someday, tell us in the comments section, we’d love to hear from you.

If you want to learn about more fun sports, check out our Let’s Play section!