How soon should anyone begin to play family football? The dominant opinion on this question is “the sooner the better”. Boys and girls, as young as 8 or 9, can play family football. But will they need any kind of special equipment? This article talks about what junior players need to help them get started in family football.
The only difference in junior play is the smaller size junior football. It is only 9 inches long while an official football is 11 inches long. A junior football comes in two coverings – rubber and composite. And there is an inexpensive Champion Sports Rubber Junior football as well as junior footballs made by Olympia, Mikasa, Baden and Rawlings in both rubber and composite. There is no junior leather football.
All other football equipment for junior play is identical to that of official play. This includes ball pumps, pressure gauges, inflating needles, ball repair kits and tote bags. So there is nothing stopping younger players from having a full share of football fun!
Our family football team had a dilemma! We have been playing football as a team every Sunday afternoon for some time. We use a leather official NFL football. It is a Rawlings football. In fact, we have several leather footballs that we use for our games. In addition to these official footballs we also have a football pump to keep our footballs properly inflated. Yes, we even have a few inflating needles and a pressure gauge too. In this way, we can keep our leather footballs properly inflated and ready for play.
However, our dilemma comes when we have to transport our footballs and support equipment. For some reason, we never invested in any kind of container for our equipment. Individual players bring along one each of our three official Rawlings footballs. Also other players carry the ball pump and inflating needles.
We finally realized that we had to get a tote bag so that all our balls and other equipment could be handled easily by one person. So very recently we finally acquired a nylon ball bag. It is made of heavy duty orange nylon mesh and can hold up to 10 footballs and all our other football support equipment. The tote bag seals securely with a nylon draw string. It’s about time we finally got smart about easily hauling our football equipment.
What is top level equipment in family football? This game is played week after week in a variety of games with all types of footballs and accessory equipment. What is the best equipment to have and how much of it is truly necessary for a team that plays family football seriously.
The most important piece of equipment is the football. For serious players only leather official NFL footballs, like the Spalding football or Rawlings football, will suffice. To play the game properly three of these footballs should be available to play. They must be in good condition and properly inflated at 13PSI.
Supporting these three footballs is selected accessory equipment. First and foremost is the air pump. A double action high volume pump is recommended. It has a large hose and a valve adapter and can keep any football properly inflated. Second, a reliable pressure gauge is also recommended. It should have a release button to adjust the leather football to the proper pressure.
Third, the well equipped family football team needs at least six inflating needles and a suitable ball repair kit. These items will ensure proper football inflation and also seal leaks or punctures in all valve inflated footballs.
All these items – footballs and accessory equipment – can be stored and carried to games in one or more nylon ball totes. These bags come in a variety of colors and are made of durable nylon mesh with a nylon draw string. They are ideal for carrying the equipment of any family football team.
Is there a best way to play family football? What is the proper type of equipment to use as a beginner and as a more advanced player? Is one type of football better than another? How to ensure that all family football participants play? This article answers these and other questions by looking at the best playing conditions for every level of family football.
All family football games begin with two things – the players and the football. If the players are young and inexperienced use an official, but inexpensive, rubber football like a $12.00 Champion football. The more experienced players will want to play with an official NFL football like a $70.00 leather Spalding football.
Inexperienced players have only minimum equipment. So they will likely have just one rubber football and little or no support equipment like an air pump or nylon tote bag. The more experienced players will be well equipped. They could have as many as three official NFL footballs. These would be leather footballs and they would be supported by the right number of ball pumps, pressure gauges, inflating needles and ball repair kits. All this equipment would be kept and carried in one or more tote bags.
As play improves and experience increases in family football, more and better equipment naturally happens. So keep improving your football game and the equipment needed to play it!
What is the proper amount of football equipment for a family football team? How many footballs and what type should be maintained? What other type and amount of support accessories, like ball pumps, inflating needles and tote bags, should the typical family football team have? This article sheds light on this topic.
Every family football team should have at least three footballs. Each of these can be a rubber football, a composite football or a leather football depending on the caliber of play and what the team can afford. Regardless of the type of football used, every family football team needs a football pump, inflating needles and a simple pressure gauge to keep all footballs properly inflated. The team also needs a simple football repair kit in case of football damage. Also, all equipment should be stored and carried in a nylon tote bag.
Keeping game footballs playing properly requires only the minimum support equipment described here. It is inexpensive and truly required. Without the right amount of accessory support equipment, no family football team can have proper football fun!
How do you maintain a football so that it ready for sports football and so plays properly? There are a few simple rules to keep an official football at its playing best.
First, ensure that the football, regardless of its covering, is kept clean and properly inflated. Nothing ages a football faster than being continually dirty and under-inflated. Second, inspect the football regularly for cuts to its covering and damaged laces. All footballs have wear and tear. But any rubber, football, composite football or leather football lasts much longer if its surface is kept blemish-free and its laces are secure. Third, don’t use one football continuously. It is good practice to use at least three footballs in any one football game. By changing official footballs regularly during a game, all the footballs played are assured of being properly inflated and completely playable.
Footballs, like any well used piece of sports equipment play much better when properly maintained. Remember to keep all footballs clean, blemish free, properly inflated and regularly rotated. Your reward will come in a much better played game!
You are already playing with a good rubber football like a Mikasa football, or maybe even a composite football, like an Olympia football. Why should you need to upgrade to an official leather football, like a Spalding football or a Rawlings football?
There are three good reasons to upgrade. First, a leather official football handles better and plays better than any type of rubber or composite football. Second, a leather official football is constructed much better of top grain leather. Therefore, it can take more abuse and still perform well. And third, a leather official football is exactly what league teams use in their games. So by using one you are more closely emulating organized league play.
An official leather football is much more expensive to purchase than a rubber or composite football. So consider carefully how well used the leather football will be in the family foot ball game before investing in one.
When is it best to upgrade to a leather football? They are much more expensive and can cost 5 times as much as a rubber football! So when does it make sense to invest in an official NFL football or does it?
The better leather official footballs are the Rawlings football and the Spalding football. They are made of top grain leather and are official size and inflation. They look and feel like official footballs because they are. These footballs are used in every league game since a rubber football and a composite football are not suitable.
If football is played seriously in a family game then only an official leather football will do. It is acceptable to play a family football game with a rubber football or a composite football. But for true football fun and authenticity nothing surpasses the realism and enjoyment of playing with an official NFL football.
What is a composite football and how is different than a rubber or leather football? A composite football has an integrated leather and rubber cover. So it is neither rubber nor leather. Composite footballs are made by Olympia and Rawlings and sell for $24.00 to $49.00.
The Olympia football is perfectly satisfactory for family football play. It is less expensive than the Rawlings football and plays very well. The Olympia football even gets tacky when wet and is well constructed. It has a fairly durable surface and strong laces.
The Rawlings football is better constructed and so will last longer than an Olympia football if it is properly maintained. So a higher caliber family football team should consider a Rawlings composite football, or even an official NFL football, when they wish to upgrade.
Should you use a rubber football in a football for family fun game? Yes! Rubber footballs of official size and inflation are suitable for the average family football game. There are at least four excellent rubber football brands – Champion, Olympia, Mikasa and Baden. All are priced under $16.00 and offer an acceptable game choice. The best one to use is probably the Baden football. It has a pebbled surface for a better grip and is well constructed of quality rubber.
But understand that rubber footballs for family football have limitations. They can get quite slippery when wet making then difficult to handle and pass. Also, a rubber football is not as well constructed as the more expensive composite or leather football. As a result they tend to puncture easier and do not stand up long to rougher play.
A rubber football is fine to use in clear warm weather. But for more serious football play in all weather, use a composite or, preferably, a leather official football. The game will play better and all participants will have more football fun.
