LifeLong Benefits of Football

You might think football is a dangerous sport, and in some cases it can be, but it also has many benefits that will help you in the long run. Here’s one of the main reasons that most people compete in football, fitness and exercise. Playing the sport helps develop physical strength, agility, endurance, speed, and flexibility. The players obtain this from conditioning exercises and explosive power through tackling and defensive moves during practice. During the In-season training players often train a six-day-per-week program, that also includes significant practice time. During the Off-season, training often occurs three to four days per week.The amount of conditioning and training is quite a lot and time consuming, but it all pays off in the end because you developed a method to be in shape and stay in shape. Keep in mind the time and effort these players are sacrificing, as well as their dedication for the sport. It  is unbelievable. 

Which brings me to my next subject; the work ethic and discipline you gain. Work ethic has a lot to do with football. Even though teams play one game weekly, they practice five days a week while wearing 10 pounds of pads, a helmet, and cleats in the hot scorching sun. This shows a major commitment to attend practice every day, and work even harder  to try and improve your physical self and memorization( the plays ). The strong work ethic players develop is important to the sport, and is an asset that they can carry with them throughout the rest of their lives. Discipline is another trait the players learn to maintain concentration and stay prepared for anything to get the win. This sport requires keen attention on everyone on the field. One wrong error or dropped pass can lead to a loss. To prevent this, the coaches supply discipline to all of the players and instill repetition so it won’t happen.  

When interviewing my step dad I asked him “How has football impacted your life and physical abilities?”, He responded with “Football has impacted my life a lot, it helped me in real  life situations when it came to work ethic and discipline. This sport improved my stamina and my strength when doing labor at work and playing baseball with my family. No one wants to do labor almost everyday, but I still go out there and do what I need to do to provide for my family.” 

The second question asked was, “What have you learned from this sport that has helped you in your life?” He responded with “This sport has shown me that if i want something really bad I have to work for it really bad.” 

I agree with his answers because it is true some parents don’t want to do certain things, but they have to provide for their families being financially and  physically wise. I also agree with his second answer because things that I have wanted like clothes, gaming systems, and shoes, I had received because I worked hard for it.

In addition to physical toughness, it also takes a strong mind to play football. The players often develop a mental toughness that they would have never discovered from the sport. They eventually develop this trait when overcoming a mistake they made in football. For example, a turnover or the opposite team making a touchdown. When this occurs, they have to forget about their mistake, and keep the same mind set that they came in the game with which is to get the win. Speaking about getting the win, in order to get a win you also need a team, and with a team comes camaraderie/ teamwork. 

The friendship amongst a team of football players is unlike any other sport. With dozens of players working towards a hard goal, the bond of the players is very strong. The players learn that if one of them fails, they all fail, and if one of them triumphs, they all triumph. This camaraderie is a lifelong benefit for the players, as they will appreciate the importance of developing relationships between others. 

As one of the greatest professional football players has once said, “Football is an honest game. It’s true to life. It’s a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life.” – Joe Namath

One of the most important benefits the players will obtain from this sport is academic opportunities. A good high school football player can turn his skill into a free college education. This is an option in many other sports as well, but none have as many opportunities as football. Many football D1 athletes obviously go to college with a paid scholarship to play football, but only 1.7 percent of college players ultimately go pro. However, the players who do take advantage of the paid scholarship can set themselves up for a career they want to pursue in the future. 

In conclusion football comes with many advantages that will help you in the future, but you have to be willing to put in the time and effort to obtain the benefits it comes with. Having confidence in yourself is key because this sport improves your physical abilities and most importantly you learn life skills that you’ll use everyday by doing the thing you love.