Football is for Everyone

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This post is brought to you by our partners at Future for Football.

Football season is here, and no sport or activity has the ability to bring together people of all ages, genders and physical abilities quite like this one. Football is a BIG sport with lots of variations and ways to participate. Football is for everyone!

Football is Football

young boy runs with football

Football isn’t just professional NFL athletes splashed across your television on Sunday nights. It’s also 5 year old flag football players gaining their first knowledge and passion for the sport. It’s high school players under the quintessential Friday night lights. It’s co-ed squads competing for a coveted trophy and college players representing their school, miles from home. Football is football, and football is for everyone.

And by everyone, I mean everyone. Attend a high school game on a fall Friday night. You’ll see the players, of course, but hundreds of other students also take an active role in the game. There’s the band, who practices just as many hours as the football players in order to bring a stunning halftime show to the fans. There’s the cheerleaders, drill team and color guard, all who keep the crowd engaged and cheering for their team. And there’s the student section, full of kids cheering on their classmates on the field. In a world that’s so divided about so many things, football has the ability to bring people together. Football is for everyone!

Football is Challenging Traditional Gender Norms

Football has traditionally been considered a man’s sport, but no longer. Girls and women are proving that they are just as capable of running, throwing and tackling as the guys are. Co-ed leagues and all-women squads are forming all over the country. Young girls are proving that gender has little to do with what sport they are interested in, and can play.

Women are also great football fans, too. They understand and are invested in the game, and cheer just as loudly and passionately as the men by their sides. Football is for everyone!

Football Leads to Opportunities

football team stands in a huddle

Football is a great physical activity for people of all ages, and for young people, it could be an invaluable piece of a bright future. Football teaches kids teamwork, dedication and resiliency, and helps to make their bodies strong. And for some, it could be the ticket to an excellent education.

We all know that the cost of college continues to skyrocket. For many families, the burden of paying for their children to continue their education after high school is heavy. But many, many colleges offer football scholarships to athletes. Yes, there are the major Top 25 schools, but these aren’t the only options, for education or football. There are many smaller universities, junior colleges, and even community colleges who field teams and offer scholarships to their players.

Even if your child decides not to pursue playing football in college, just like in high school, there are many many opportunities to be involved in the game at the next level. Football is for everyone!

Future for Football

The organization Future for Football, sponsored by the National Football Foundation, aims to promote and celebrate the game at all levels. It is your go-to resource for news, statistics, equipment, and information on how you can become involved. As a mom, I love their League Finder, where I can search for leagues and teams that are appropriate for my own children. You can also follow them on InstagramFacebook, and Twitter.

I am so grateful to live in a time with such incredible opportunities for myself and my family to be involved in this inclusive sport. From tailgating and cheering on my team, to my own child throwing a game winning touchdown pass, football is for everyone!