Any sport is beneficial in bringing about an all-round development of a person. And in my opinion, it is even better when the game of choice is a team sport, like the coveted American football.
As a beloved sport, football has exceeded the popularity of baseball and basketball, and it has become one of America’s leading sports. Athletes make an all-round development in the physical, mental, social, and emotional areas of their lives when they sign up for the game.
SOCIAL BENEFITS
1. Teamwork.
As a team that will play for many seasons and tournaments, the burden usually lies on the coaches to make sure that there is cooperation among the players. When players enroll in the junior league or the major league, they stand to benefit from life lessons that are not quickly realized by many people.
Virtues like sharing, selflessness, contributing to a collective effort, etc. do not come by easily for many people. All such attributes are tested and tried when working with a team for a common goal. Playing football allowed many athletes to correct their weaknesses and contribute to a team-oriented goal. Team sports bring a sense of selflessness, which carries on an athlete’s life at home, work, school, college, etc.
2. Feeling of brotherhood.
With all the games and practices, athletes tend to spend a lot of time together. It helps them in developing a secure connection and a budding relationship for life. So whether they are practicing or on individual outings, there is a sense of brotherhood that binds them together.
3. Sharing.
The sense of sharing stems from the fact that players, as a team, work together and share a common goal. It creates a sense of comradeship that is beyond any other relationship and encourages each other towards the achievement of the common goal. With that being said, when athletes join a football team, they learn many life lessons, which later translates into their daily lives outside the field.
4. Communication skills.
Players learn to coordinate and communicate with their teammates because of the amount of time they spent with each other. It helps the players to get to know each other better, and instead of competing with their teammates, they learn to play together as one.
5. Sense of belongingness.
Football promotes a sense of belonging among a group of people. Being a part of a team comes with many perks like exercising together, outing companions, having someone to encourage and help out during difficult times, etc. the list goes on. Basically, as humans, we need a friend or a confidant; and finding that genuine person is not easy.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
6. Combination of various sports.
The exercises and routines involved in American football are a combination of the physical training required for other sports. So the method of a single sport results in practice and staying fit for other similar sports as well.
7. Overall workout.
Various workout movements like twist, throw, kicks, turns, etc. increases strength and scope of motion, which can contribute to a healthier overall exercise. The continuous stop-start nature of the game helps to burn fats and retains robust health for a long time, as it imitates interval training.
8. Cardio.
Every diligent coach makes sure to draw up a cardio plan that best fits the players’ ability, strength, and needs. Any level of football requires exercise routines that include jumping, quick changes of direction, and running.
Since cardio consists of a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises, players need a lot of body strength and reliable will power to complete it.
9. Traces of interval training.
Interval training is a type of exercise that includes a chain of low to high-intensity workouts intermixed with resting or break times. The American football training follows a similar routine, which provides for periods of slow and fast motion with the additional sprinting session. Such exercises help in elevating the heart rate that keeps fluctuating with different paces of training and would not stick to one perpetual level. This type of exercise routine has proven to control body fat effectively and boost overall fitness.
10. Increases bone density.
In general, athletes need to have a diet plan that is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, which helps keep them healthy and fit for the games. Along with an excellent diet plan, rigorous strength training also contributes to increasing the bone and mass density. It reduces the chances of suffering joints and bone-related ailments that occur with old age.
11. Neuromuscular coordination.
It is the ability of the central nervous system (CNS) to command the muscles in implementing the multi-limb operational movements. Athletes go through various sessions of exercise routines that keep changing in intervals. Such exercises are functional in helping with the rapid movements and coordination of the muscular system.
12. Promotes cognitive brain function.
It relates to the mind’s ability to process, store, receive, transform, and recover any information. During the game, players on the field and coaches have to have a stable mind to navigate through various game-plans to score a goal. Even during breaks, the thought of a player does not slow down and is continuously looking for territorial advantages or weaknesses of the opponent to gain superiority in the game.
MENTAL HEALTH
13. Instills work ethics.
Playing football teaches self-disciple as it requires following a quotidian regime.
Sometimes, players do not realize the amount of work and commitment required to yield a win. Other than the game day, footballers have to practice every other day to improve their weaknesses. As an athlete, the game is their job, and just like any average person working in offices, footballers also have to report to their practice sessions daily, which helps develop a strong sense of responsibility.
14. Stable mindset.
Football requires a lot of exercise time, which helps maintain proper body weight, as well as increase strength level. Such a process enables the player to keep up healthy endorphin levels and nurture a stable mental state. Many studies show that people who suffer from depression and anxiety were able to cope better when they started playing various sports. It helped in keeping them active and decrease stress levels.
15. Concentration.
During an on-going game, there is much excitement, noise, and distraction. Gradually, footballers are able to develop a mental state of mind that allows them to concentrate even during all the chaos.
16. Grit.
No one can predict where a game would go, and sometimes over-analyzing it can throw it all away. Having a firm belief in the team spirit and being persistent throughout the game (and season) is another lesson learned by many players.
17. Problem-solving & Quick thinking.
Football is a fast-paced game, and it requires players to think on the run. It promotes quick and helpful problem-solving ideas when in the field. Applying such mind exercises during a crisis outside the football field is most beneficial for many players.
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS
18. Stress buster.
The game requires a lot of energy and adrenaline rush, which helps in relieving stress. In such a situation, players learn to accustom to a more calm state of mind, and they’re less likely to fall into anxiety and depression.
19. Mood booster.
When a player is in the game, their focus and aim become one, which directs all their energy towards the goal. During or before the play, the excitement level builds and shuts out any other emotion that may bother with their game plan. In a way, the game helps in doing away with the blues and encourages positive, competitive, and leading thoughts.
20. Fun-filled activity.
The excitement of winning the game, coupled with the team’s enthusiasm and support, makes the exercise even more fun. Every football team shares a sense of family or brotherhood with their team, which comes in handy when working out and following the rigorous exercise routine together. There is an encouragement and positive energy shared among the players when training together, making it more fun and inspiring.
All in all
Playing football is much more than the game itself. The amount of knowledge and life lessons it teaches are many. The game can transform a person’s life physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. Some people take ages and even a lifetime to master such priceless goals. It is never too late to start and become a part of a cause that will bring success in many parts of life.