American Football was derived from the initial versions of rugby and soccer football, both of which originated from the UK around mid-1800s. Both rugby and soccer, combined together to form American football have the aim of kicking the ball over a line or to a goal. American football also involves 22 players on the field which is similar to soccer. Terms such as “halfback” and “fullback”, which refer to various positions, were also originated from the soccer sport. American football developed from a major alteration from the rules of rugby football, as established by Walter Camp, who is known as the “Father of American Football.” American football and Rugby do have a few main differences and some of the changes of the rules were introduced by Walter Camp who people calls the Father of Football in America.
In order to establish American Football as a sport, according to Jonathan Bunge, the significant changes that were made by Walter Camp includes the line of scrimmage and down-and-distance rules. Using a numerical scoring, he also standardized the scoring system and created the precautions, safety, penalties, intervention and neutral zone. He also introduced the rule that one side had undoubted ownership of the ball until the ball is forsaken due to the violations of the said team. He also created the forward pass, quarter-back and center positions and the 11 on a team instead of 15. By the early 20th centuries, further changes and developments to the rules of American Football were made by college coaches such as Eddie Cochems, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Knute Rockne and Glenn “Pop” Warner.
By the early 20th century, college football became more famous and popular than soccer and rugby football. An inter-collegiate competition called Bowl games enticed a national audience, strengthening extreme rivalries among college football teams. In 1920, the American Professional Football Association was formed and after two years was changed to the NFL (National Football League), which became the major alliance of American Football. The AFL, also known as the American Football League started in 1960, a rival football league to the NFL or National Football League.
In many different ways, football points can be scored which includes carrying the ball over the goal line, catching a pass over the goal line, tackling a football player in his own end zone, or on the opposing side, a kicker kicking the football through the goal posts. When the game is over, the football team with the highest score is the team that wins the game. American football is also played in several other countries outside the US. There are National football leagues that are in Israel, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Mexico as well as United Kingdom, and some of the Pacific Island nations.
As sports enthusiast Jonathan Bunge says, no matter where you are, you are sure to find sports fan stuff of local as well asinternational and national sports. And the beauty of it all is that the stuff is beginning to get actually thrilling and original with manufacturers thinking up ways to entice sports fans. Regardless of your taste, you will quite certainly find sports apparatuses in the market.