American Football

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American Football

American football was first played in 1869; each team was made up o 25 players and was a combination of rugby and soccer rules. The ball used was round and the field was 400 by 250 feet. With time there have been changes in the game, then it was never played professionally but currently it is (Foley, 1990). The ball changed and is oval to allow for a good grip, the players have reduced to 11 players from each team, the field size was reduced to measure 110 by 53.3 yards and the duration of a game was reduced from 70 to 60 minutes.

Football fits into everyday life of the American society as it is played in all high schools and colleges. The ratio of men to women funs is 4.9:5.1, while the ratio of the college graduate funs to high school drop outs is 3.6:4.1. The game has great influence in the society this is because not only does it offer a platform to sponsor high school students to college but experiences great media coverage. National and international games are aired by television stations and are watched all over the country (Maguire, 1990). The sport is a male dominated, however this is not due to biased rules. It is highly physical and rough and this has led to there not being a national women’s football team, however it is work in progress.

It is a representation of the society as it incorporates men from all walks of life both race and class. This is because, it offers scholarship to students who have talent and passion for the game but cannot be able to afford to pay for their college fee. The funs are people from all different walks of life from high school drop outs to men with post graduate degrees (Foley, 1990).

The game is a social institution because it brings people from all walks together. Team members come together under the leadership of a couch and play together (Maguire,, 1990). They always have their team members back and this makes them a family while on the field. The game also unifies funs from all places to come together to share in the action of their favourite team. It gives them a recreational activity that helps in relaxing after long hours of working. It creates a place where people can socialize and meet new faces. The fact the game has been in existence since 1880’s, then it means it has been part and parcel of the lives of the people throughout the years and has affected and influenced their major and minor decisions.

References

Foley, DE ,( 1990), The great American football ritual: reproducing race, class, and gender inequality. Sociology of Sport Journal, – cabdirect.org

Maguire, J, (1990), More than a sporting touchdown: the making of American football in America 1982-1990. Sociology of Sport Journal, cabdirect.org