Follow Us
American football is a classic US sport, drawing inspiration from soccer and rugby. Also referred to as gridiron football or simply as football, it originated in the late 19th century after being adopted by North American colleges and universities. The vertical yard lines painted on a rectangular pitch and an oval-shaped ball are the two distinctive features of this game, setting it apart from association football (soccer).
So, how did this game that's celebrated supremely across the United States, especially through the Super Bowl, come into existence? The first-ever game of American Football reportedly took place in 1869, between two college teams. The rules and format used in this match between Princeton and Rutgers were significantly different from what we see today. Players weren't allowed to pick up the ball, and could only steer it towards the scoring area by either swiping at it or kicking it.
In the 1870s, Harvard University adopted a hybrid approach combining the rugby and soccer game formats. This came to be known as the "Boston Game” and was soon picked up by other colleges as well. The game became more structured and codified during the 1880s by the contribution of Walter Camp, who are also referred to as the "Father of American Football”. As the team captain and halfback, Camp he helped devise common riles for the game under the approval of the American Intercollegiate Football Association. These included rules regarding the number of team players on each side, the distance required for a player to cover for scoring, and the number of attempts allotted.
By the 20th century, American football had become something of a national sport. With the formation of the National Football League (NFL) in 1922, the interest in the sport expanded further, and in the 1950s a rival league called the American Football League (AFL) was also created. The first-ever Super Bowl—an annual championship match between the two leagues—was held in 1967, and has been an instrumental sporting event in US sports ever since. It has inspired several youth football tournaments that are held all year round.
While you wait for the next Super Bowl, don't miss out on all the other football events happening all across the US! With TourneyPlex, you can easily find football tournament listings in or near your area, as well as those happening farther away. We give our users updates about all the upcoming competitions and youth football tournaments, enabling them to register as soon as they can.
TourneyPlex is also extremely beneficial to sports organizers arranging these events. If you want your event to be visible and not get lost amidst the sea of matches and competitions, make sure you post your event details on our website. With all the football tournament listings available in one place, interested participants can easily go over the event details and register for your event with a single click!
Log in to TourneyPlex now for more details regarding upcoming football events!