American Football: History and Future - Essay Example

Omar Alhassoun Petra T. Heinz ENGL 1210-02 Dec 4, American Football The American Football is a game of toughness, swiftness and fitness. It is played throughout the world as it has attracted many youngsters. It has gained so much popularity that it’s contested on a national level by schools and colleges. This game is known by different names like soccer and rugby in other parts of the world. The evolution of the American Football game is an art in itself. How this game of collision and aggression originated and affected people is an interesting journey in history. Sports have always been an important part of human life. Certain sports like football have been there from medieval times. Speaking broadly, sports were and still are played to gain political ends. Healthy and active sports industry results in booming economy of a country. Just like every other country has a national sport, America is known for football after baseball. Football is a game that requires manoeuvring, an alert and clear head and strategies that change with the course of the game. Every sport is a psychological game. That means whichever team utilizes the element of surprise effectively against the opponent wins the game. Unlike rugby and soccer, the American Football involves hands more rather legs. The history of football goes back to the second and third BC centuries in China where it was part of the military exercise. It was known as Tsu’ Chu in which the ball filled with feathers was kicked towards the goal without any use of hands. A similar game called the Japanese Kemari stemmed after some five hundred years. A Greek version of the game called “Episkyros” was followed by “Harpastum”, a Roman football game. The game came to England and fragmented into rugby and association football (soccer) in 1863. The introduction of these two games led to the formation of the Football Association in England. Hence, Britain became known as the home of football. (Fifa.com) Unlike contemporary football, in the early stages of the evolution of the game, it was much more disorganized and played violently in fields and villages with no limit on the number of participants. There were no specific rules or code of conduct. With passing time, the rules became defined and brought sophistication to the game in the 19th century. This was the turning point in the essence of football. By then, the game was introduced in schools. It brought out good character in the school students, some of them were loyalty, selflessness, unity, cooperation and respect for one another. Over the passage of time, the Cambridge University laid down the foundation of standardized norms and a uniform that would be acceptable to all. However, there were conflicts on the rules and regulations by the rugby teams. They objected on the forbidding of handling the ball and shin-kicking. These conflicts were discussed at the meetings of the Football Association and led to the separation of rugby and football games. From there on, football spread like fire with more vigour and zest across the world. (Fifa.com) The American Football is dominating the sports arena of America. It is a game of physical fitness. It requires the players to be experts in six skills that are, passing, catching, running, blocking, tackling and kicking. The game is known notoriously for the injuries it causes to players, some of them are head injuries, concussions, heat strokes and pulled muscles. Statistics show that around 300 000 high school children, 35 000 college players and players on the NFL are confronted with injuries every year season. The numbers of fatal accidents have decreased now with the changes in rules of tackling and blocking with the head. In addition to that, the introduction of protective uniform has also helped in reducing the numbers of injuries. The uniform is quite bulky and increases the weight of the player which consequently has an effect on the speed of the player. Professional coaches have been assigned to improve the calibre of young players and give them the required training according to their health conditions. (Answers.com) The American Football was initiated by the students of four institutes, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia respectively. They led the idea forward to form the Intercollegiate Football Association in 1876. Nevertheless, the rules were dissimilar from that of rugby or soccer. The founder of the American Football, Walter Camp was the prominent figure in laying down changes in the rules of the game. He was a player in the Yale in 1870. With his professional abilities, he was seen a prominent actor in setting down rules like the yards and down rule, numerical scoring, interference in front of the ball carrier and tackling between the waits and the knees. He introduced such changes in the game rules that received criticism. The American Football took pace after World War-I with the political factors in favour of the country. An official Football Association in the form of the American Professional Football Association, later replaced by the National Football League was formed in 1920. The post World War II era saw the decline of football because of a lack in investment and chaotic international environment but today, the NFL is the leading football industry in America with many stakeholders. There are thirty-two teams on the National Football League at present that are scheduled to play in four rounds. These rounds are categorized in Preseason, Postseason, Regular Season and Interactive Schedules. (nfl.com) Now, football is recognized as an American sport throughout the globe, although it has spread to Canada. In the past radio broadcasting played a major role in the promotion of football in the remotest areas of America like Brazil and Argentina. The addition of cable television has added to the inspiration and enthusiasm of youngsters. It is practiced in every school and college as part of their curriculum. The trend of the American Football is seen in men. A very small number of women have been seen playing football in America. The reason for this is that the game is considered to be a “man” game. It is rough and tough and needs full dedication given the hype of it. If a comparison is done of rugby versus the American Football with professional players, it reveals that they believe the latter to be more violent and the former to be more physically challenging. But the availability of time for practice is extended in the American Football unlike rugby. (Roy 2010) However, nothing comes without its pros and cons. There are both negative and positive effects of the American Football on the citizens of America like George F. Will, a columnist, television host and an intellectual on American conservatism said, “Football combines the two worst features of American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings.”(Answers.com) Research has shown that the positive impact of the game brings out character building and physical fitness in the player. The sense of sticking together, watching one another’s back brings loyalty and team work within the team while the adrenaline rush brings the energy needed to play. The American society bears her pride and prestige in the American Football. It is a matter of honour and fame if somebody is a football player in today’s world because the selection criteria have limited the number of players in a team. Physical fitness, extensive training and luck are required to get a position in the team. On the other hand, sports always have a psychological impact which can easily turn out to be its negative aspect. The most prominent threat posed to players is physical injuries followed by depression if disqualified. This can also lead to problems with anger management and self control. There have been many cases where it’s very difficult to get back in posture with the same energy especially after long breaks. The NFL for instance, has received criticism after a rise in medical cases, but the organization believes in a healthy league rather being worried about the players (Gelles, 2011). One major disadvantage of football for youngsters is the effect on their studies and grades. Youngsters tend to get involved so much in this game that they forget that they have to keep a balance between school and football. This is a concern of every other parent in America. This factor pushes parents to discourage football. Nonetheless, the American Football makes its way through the world in being an inspiration and motivation for youngsters even with its risks and challenges. It is part of their culture now. Of course, this game is the oldest of all games played in America. The world has seen the metamorphosis of football from the Far-East in China to the West in America. The aggressiveness, risks and fame accompanying the game is most appealing to the youth. The love and support for this game within the society is increasing. Currently, the American Football is man driven but with the increasing popularity of the game, the time when women will be seen in bulk on the game is not far. This shows that the American Football will lead the domain of sports for quite some time until a new trend emerges in the society. References: Answers.com, “American Football”, Web. 4th Dec 2011. Fifa.com, “The History of Football”, Web. 4th December 2011. Gelles David, “American football season under threat”, 4th February 2011, Web. 4th December 2011. . nfl.com, “NFL Teams”, Web. 4th December 2011. < http://www.nfl.com/teams> Roy Adam, “American football vs. rugby round II: The pros speak”, 29 March 2010, Web. 4 December 2011. . Wadhwa Arjun, “The impact professional sports have on American society”, 19th August, 2008, Web. 4th December, 2011. . . Read More