Football is a sport that millions of Americans love and cherish daily.  Each year millions of Americans participate in one form of football or another, ranging from the friendly game amongst friends, up to the major league football game with players who make something so difficult look so very easy.  While football is dominantly a male sport, there are more women becoming interested and picking up a helmet to play. 

Football offers several benefits for your child, ranging from improved conditioning, muscle strength to improved cardiovascular fitness, and a great improvement over stamina.  The sport also boasts great success with coordination, dexterity and agility, many coaches are now requiring their football players to take either yoga or ballet to help make their team more graceful as well as powerful.  One of the biggest benefits that football encompasses is that it is considered to be the ultimate team sport, few sports require as much teamwork and effort as football.  This is truly a sport that will take a star shining sports athlete and teach them the value of teamwork. 

Football is a great sport since almost any child can do it, there is no need to be tall or skinny to succeed, since the various positions on a football use different skills there is almost guaranteed to be something that your child can do on the team, other than warming the bench.  This means that often children are swapped and switched around, as they are younger until they find the position in which they excel and that they are the most comfortable.  Most children tend to find that position and stay in it, very seldom will they stray from their comfort position, however, there are a few extremely talented kids who can play pretty much every position on the team well, this still does not make them a better athlete than the others on the team, they are only more versatile. 

Most true football teams start with children when they are 7-8 years old, there are some teams that start as young as 5, however these are mostly flag football style teams, which involves very little contact so the small children cannot be hurt.  Tackle football, which is what most Americans are used to watching typically starts around 9 years of age, once the children are old enough to know self-control and how to not deliberately harm the other players. 

Regardless of the age in which your child starts, you want to make sure they are playing with other children that are their age, as well as size and skill level.  You do not want to sign you 10 year old up for a team with other 10 year olds who look more like 15 year olds, this is asking for trouble and your child is much more likely to be injured.  There are numerous teams to choose from in most areas.  If one team is not acceptable or appropriate for your child, do not settle, keep searching for something that will work out better. 

While you are looking for the perfect team for your child there are a few things you should consider, you need to look into the previous history of the team, how well have they done.  When the team has done poorly, how has the coach handled it?  You do not want a team in which the coach is more concerned about winning rather than the rules of the game, or even appropriate sportsmanship.  You want a team that will help your child improve their physical condition, and teamwork skills.  You want to ensure the league your child is playing in uses only nationally certified officials, as well as uses well maintained playing fields. 

The costs associated with football can be high; however, the good news is that most teams will provide safety equipment for the child to use during the season.  The only catch is they must return the equipment at the end; typically, the team fees also include the uniform as well.  This leaves only the undergarments, jock straps, and shoes that must be purchased separately.  Overall reducing the amount of equipment to purchase greatly reduces the expense.  If you choose to purchase your child’s own equipment never, purchase something they must grow into, only purchase equipment that currently fits.