Football is a team sport with many benefits to one’s physical and mental health. It requires a lot of practice and dedication to improve skills, but it also teaches players how to work together as a unit. This translates into life lessons that help people develop stronger work ethic and better social interactions outside of the field. In addition, football is a great stress reliever and provides a healthy dose of endorphins that boost moods.
A game of football is played between two teams of 11 players each on a 100-yard field with goal lines at either end. The objective is to score points by getting a ball across the opposing team’s goal line. Each team has offense, defense, and specialized players called special teams.
The offensive player, known as the quarterback, calls the play in the huddle before each play. Once the center snaps the ball into play, the quarterback hand-offs it to a running back or throws it to a wide receiver. The quarterback may run with the ball as well, depending on the play call and the situation. The quarterback is responsible for scouting the field and finding open receivers to pass to or a running back to hand off to.
On each down, the offense is given four tries to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If they fail to do so, they must start again from where they last gained a first down. If the ball is kicked out of bounds or a runner goes out of bounds, possession passes to the other team.
There are four referees in a game of football. The centre referee has the final say on all infractions, including offsides. The two assistant referees officiate from the touchline and may advise the centre referee or draw his attention to possible infringements.
During the course of the game, the referees also keep track of the yards gained by each team. A yard is measured from the line of scrimmage to the goal line. The goal line is a separate line from the sidelines. Each time a team advances the ball past the goal line, they are awarded six points.
Each team has a set of rules that governs how the game is played and what the players are allowed to do with the ball. These are known as the “Rules of Engagement.”
The most important rule is that no player can be tackled in the end zone or have the ball in their possession while the opposition is in the end zone. In addition, a runner is considered out of bounds if any part of his body touches the sideline or the end line while he is carrying the ball. This prevents the opposition from recovering a fumble, which would give them the ball in their own end zone and potentially score a touchdown. It is also illegal to carry the ball out of bounds, as this could result in a penalty or loss of down.
