Have you ever wanted to sit down and watch a game of American football but you do not understand the basics of the game? This is a fascinating sport which is as much about gaining territory as it is about scoring points. For further insight into one of America’s most loved sports, read on.

Agility can be increased through practice drills. Many people are surprised to learn that the most agile athletes are often football players. Good football players are able to catch passes often and avoid getting tackled. You can improve your agility with tire running drills and jumping rope.

Make sure you work on your mental game as much as your physical game when preparing for football. Although keeping in shape and practicing the drills is tough for anybody, the mental aspects of football are what trips most players up on the field. Make sure you’re as tough mentally as you are physically.

Remember that making a running play is a little different than making a receiving play. You want to take the football from the quarterback with only one hand. You don’t cover it up with both arms until you are about to be tackled. Make sure that you hold onto the ball until you hear the whistle stopping play.

Record your gameplay. Football is all about plays and patterns, so you need a way to watch how you specifically did out on the field. Was your pattern off? Was the quarterback expecting you in a different locale all together? Did you come up too short on your turn-around? When you can see it, you can change it much more easily.

If you want to do well late game, make sure that interval training is a regular part of your cardio. This is basically alternating high-speed and low-speed laps or timed intervals within your overall running session. Doing this will help you keep up a consistent energy level throughout the whole game, meaning that coach can count on you in the fourth quarter.

A great tip you can use if you’re a football player is to start practicing olympic lifts in your workout routine. Olympic lifts give you a lot of functional strength which will help you a lot in any position you play. Particularly useful lifts are the power clean and deadlift.

Learn the proper technique for catching a football. The best receivers know that the quicker they can grab the ball, the less likely the defense will get it. To catch a ball extend your arms and reach for the ball as it gets close to you. Then tuck the ball to help avoid fumbling the football.

Be sure to drink lots of water or a sports drink as you play. Being in the hot and heavy equipment you have to wear to play football safely will leave you sweating buckets. Replace that water by drinking so that you don’t end up with a cramp or an injury.

If you aren’t mentally in the game, don’t play. Let your coach know if you are not feeling well because of a loss, a fight, a break up, a bad grade or anything else which might be getting you down. He can talk you out of it, or allow someone else to play for you.

When playing, look for dehydration signs. One that is an easy one to spot is the color of your urine. If it’s a darker color then you are more than likely suffering from dehydration right then. You’ll need to take immediate action. Drink water asap, and make sure you keep hydrated from then on out.

You will never achieve your goals by being lazy. When you skip a practice, don’t work out, eat the wrong things or allow your mind to wander, you will end up a loser. If you would rather be a winner, focus on your goals and do what it takes to achieve them.

If you and your team are not doing well during game time, you may need to go back to the basics during practice. Sometimes the simplest plays can seem difficult when you are losing. During practice, take the time to go over the basics and relearn how to do them perfectly.

Football comes to an end sooner or later on the competitive level. Sometimes it ends when you are injured, which is why it is important that you enter every play as if it is your last. That pushes you to do your best and ensures your last play is never a regret.

Work on your team work. Football is a team sport, and it is important that you and your team mates know how to work well as a team. While you are working on your skills and becoming a better player, share the skills you learn with your team to increase your game as a team.

Include a DVD that highlights your play time with college applications. Apply to at least 10 schools at the level of play you wish to join. If you have a lot of choices, you are in the driver’s seat.

Now that you have read this article you should have a better idea of how the game of American football is played and what each team is striving to do. Next time a game is on, take the time to sit down and watch. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy it.