IGWT t 2023
Football is a struggle for territory between two teams that can put 11 players on the field at one time. BTW, there are over variations of the sport with less players. Of course the main goal of the game is to score more points than your opponent as the offense tries to gain ground and the defense does what it can to prevent the gaining of ground.
To score a team must push the ball past the opponent’s goal line which would be a touchdown worth 6 points. The offense can also score with a field goal worth 3 points but the offense needs to be within kicking distance to attempt a field goal. The skills needed to snap the football for a field goal, plant it for kicking, and kicking often prevent or limit teams from kicking field goals or extra points after a touchdown. After a touchdown has been scored the team that scores can attempt an extra point kick (scored over and through the goalpost for 1 point) or attempt a 2 point conversion from a line three yards from the goal.
The defense has the job of preventing the offense from taking territory. Much of the game is centered around the defense preventing the offense from getting 1st downs. A 1st down is obtained when the offense has moved the ball 10 yards and when doing so receives another let of downs. The Offense has 4 downs to attempt to score or get the 1st Down. If the Offense is on their 4th Down they may punt the ball. Punting the ball takes the last down from the offense but unless returned puts the opponents offense with more territory to gain to score. The defense can score as well usually by returning a punt across the goal line, intercepting a pass and returning it across the goal line, and recovering a fumble in the end zone or returning it across the goal line.
At the back of each goal line is a goal post. The distance between the goal post uprights varies with the type of football played but the crossbar that connects the uprights is 10 feet high. The ball must go over the crossbar and between the uprights to be counted as a field goal or extra point conversion.
The football field surface can be natural turf or a synthetic turf. The distance between the two goal lines is 100 yards or 300 feet (91.44 meters). The field is marked with white lines every 5 yards and there are borders for coaches and players marked on both sidelines. Midfield is at 50 yards. The 50 yard line is where territory is split and this creates a defending team. When the offense crosses the 50 yard line the offense is in the other teams territory sometimes referred to as “enemy territory.”
There are two marks that run set near the center of the field and run across each 5 yard line called hash marks. Each play begins on or inside these hash marks.
