American Football

[treva]

Now I know there is already an NFL thread but this is different. This talking about American football as a sport not talk about the National Football League.

We've had talk about the sport and playing it in the NFL thread in the past and I think it's better to have a thread of it's own, even if the American footballer followers are only a minority.

The purpose of this thread is to talk about and share your own experiences of playing the sport.

I am planning on going along to the Nottingham Caesars tomorrow, having contemplated joining for many years. Football (Soccer for our American and Aussie friends) has always kept me back, but having stopped this season I am ready to give it a real go.

Annoyingly I will have to get up dead early and make my way to the Caesars training session via several buses, one of which I have never been on. this is where not learning to drive is a real downer, not that I could afford a car anyway so it makes little difference.

Probably not going to actually take part, I've contacted the youth team coach several times and asked to just come along and check it out.

However, if I do start training with the team I would be grateful for any tips and advice from guys who have played. As you know I'm a huge NFL fan and watch games every week, as well as play all the games. I have only ever played the sport with my step dad every now and again but nothing serious. My goal is to play as a wide receiver or corner back, considering I've got good hands and I'm pretty quick as well.

So yeah, any advice would be great.

 

[pcfan123]

Well seeing as youve never played in a proper game environment before, your best bet is to go and scrimmage with them. Catching a ball in the backyard is a lot different than catching a ball in full pads and fighting off a corner at the same time.

Id say try to train in your pads as much as possible and basically try to get as much coaching as you can. Good luck

 

[treva]

Well hopefully I'll be training with them every week until the season starts in the Summer. I reckon if I am asked to keep going I should be pretty comfortable by the time the season starts. I'm certainly aggressive enough to be able to dish out some hits, hopefully my body can take them back

 

[Howsie]

I played it in school when I was about 14 five years back, it was great fun. We had 25-30 guys that were trained by one of our schools social studies teachers who was American. Just about everyone in the team had the Madden game so we knew the basic rules, he just taught us most of the fundamentals of the game. We trained for two months before we played our first game and it's definitely something I'll never forget. You'll want to practice in pads as much as you can though, even little things like jumping can take time to get use to in pads.

 

[treva]

Well, although a little different, I am seriously quick running between the wickets with pads, helmet, the lot. I think, like you guys say, the hardest thing will be getting used to the pads and an actual game situation.

I'll report back tomorrow on how the training session went. I doubt I'll take part much if at all, though.

 

[McLOVIN]

LOL It will be lot different then cricket 1s

good luck though

 

[McLOVIN]

BTW, whats your # gonna be?

 

[treva]

Ended up not going this week. Was planning on it but the prospect of having to catch a few buses at 8:30 didn't seem that good when I woke up.

Next week I'll be able to get a lift so I'll definitely be going.

Hmm, number. If possible 99, I have that on my club cricket shirt and my England cricket shirt Though if I was a wide receiver obviously something in the 80's.

 

[McLOVIN]

88!! :hpraise

 

[pcfan123]

lol missing the first practice, what dedicaton and commitment. You'll win the Heisman for sure

 

[treva]

Luckily it's not first practice

They started way back in November, and I had contacted the coach about going, but coursework kind of took over for a while. Now coursework is tailing off and it's more about revision, which is a bit easier to manage. That's why I'm going now.

Anyway, I don't need to practice, I'm the next Ernie Davis

 

[pcfan123]

Any chance of taking pictures? Would love to see your facilities and players etc.

 

[treva]

Might be able to get a few on my phone. They train at a large leisure centre (Don't know if you have these in America. Large place where there are football pitches, tennis courts, massive indoor gyms and halls, swimming pools, the lot).

Here is their website if you want to take a look: Nottingham Caesars American Football Club

Thankfully there is a British Universities American Football league with many different conferences full of teams. That'll mean I should get three years of playing from September onwards. The good news is that my top choice uni, Lincoln, have a team in the second conference (out of 4). The bad news is they are bottom without a win all season

 

[pcfan123]

If their at the bottom, it might mean more chance to play. Do you guys play college or highschool rules?

 

[treva]

Not got a clue. I imagine they are virtually the same as the NFL because that is widely known over here and makes it easier for people to understand when playing the sport for the first time.