I never played organized football, so I am directing this question to those who have (specifically, prep football). Is playing football actually fun? I have read several nonfiction books that chronicled different prep football teams through the course of a season, and I don't come away with the feeling that playing football was actually fun for the players. The players interviewed in these books talked a lot about the discipline and work ethic football teaches, and they talked about how football shapes character and builds interpersonal bonds; they even talked about playing for the pride of the school/community/football program. But they didn't really talk about it being fun. Several of them indicated it was fun to win, but didn't come out and say it was fun to play.

 

Practicing a ton of hours in the summer heat, nursing nagging injures over the course of months, getting pounded day in and day out in practice and games... is the game of football actually fun for the players, or do they play the game for other reasons? If it is fun, what exactly is fun about it?

 

Also, for those who played football: when/how did you decide you were going to go out for a team?

Throwing a 45 yard touchdown pass, or planting a receiver in the ground as he crosses the middle of the field, sacking the quarterback, running back an interception for a touchdown, stiff arming a little DB like All Day does. Kids who play football today love it, trust me.

I had a lot of fun and came away with some great friends. Granted I didn't come from a football factory school where if you lose a game it's the end of the world but I had a blast.

You ask a simple question, but the answer is not as simple and explaining it is even more complicated. It's hard to explain to a non football player what playing football is like, and I have tried in person, but typing it is not going to be easy. Now, if you want a cut and dry answer, that would be "yes playing football is fun". But, if you want a more detailed gray answer that would be, "football is fun, but it is a lot of work".

 

I played several sports growing up: baseball, football, basketball, track, and weightlifting. I had more fun and enjoyed playing football more then any other sport. I have more good memories from football then any of the other sports. To me football is the ultimate team sport, and the sport that teaches more life lessons to those who play it then any other. The football team is a more close knit, well bonded team that the teams in other sports.

 

Is football fun? Yes, football is fun, but while playing it it is sometimes hard, difficult, trying, frustrating, and tiresome. But, after it is over you look back and see that you learned things that you were unaware that you even being taught. Self-discipline, self-motivation, how to be a leader, how to be a good teammate, how to count on the person beside you, and how let him know that he can count on you are some the things that football taught me and many others. Winning is fun, practice can be fun, it can also be exhausting. That is one of the important things, you have to learn to dig down within yourself and find the will to practice, because we all know that sometimes you just don't' wake up ready for work.

 

I guess everyone has different experiences, but to me football was most defiantly fun. It was also a very difficult experience at times. But, that does not diminish the fact that it was a great experience that taught me a great deal of life lessons and prepared me well for adult life.

Absolutely great fun and awesome personal satisfaction.

Some of the greats times of my life was playing the game of football. Not everyday was fun, but 99.8% of the time was not only fun, but life changing.

So, exactly what was fun about it? kyblue mentioned some things that were fun... how would others explain how it's fun?

 

For instance, I can say that it's fun for me to see a comedy movie, since comedies make me laugh and I enjoy laughing. What is it about playing football make players think it's fun?

 

Keep in mind, I've never played organized football... so you'll have to try to frame it in a way that a non-football player can understand!

I never realized how much I enjoyed football until my final play my senior year when I was in tears.

 

Admittingly, the first two years I played were long and miserable at some times because I never saw the field with the varsity unless it was in mop up duty. That is a tough pill to swallow and teaches you a lot of life lessons at an impressionable point of one's life.

 

It is like anything else in life; you get out of it what you put in to it. I devoted many hours of practice, weightlifting, film-study, and training to football and was sad to see it leave.

So, exactly what was fun about it? kyblue mentioned some things that were fun... how would others explain how it's fun?

 

For instance, I can say that it's fun for me to see a comedy movie, since comedies make me laugh and I enjoy laughing. What is it about playing football make players think it's fun?

 

Keep in mind, I've never played organized football... so you'll have to try to frame it in a way that a non-football player can understand!

Friday nights were fun. The bus rides were fun. Team comradery is fun.

 

Practice in the middle of July was not fun. Being knocked senseless is not fun.

 

The euphoria you get from a victory and overall experience is what made it fun. I equate to me running marathons. There is nothing more grueling that training for a marathon. The 13,15, 17, 19, 21 mile days are horrendous and painful. But that feeling you get once you cross that finish line makes it all worth it.

Having never competed in nor contemplated running a marathon, I'm guessing Bugatti's analogy is spot on. Its not "fun" in the traditional sense and its certainly not for everyone. I also suspect it becomes more fun as the years go by. This time of year (2-a-days) certainly reminds me of the portion that was NOT fun but it was the price you paid to get to experience such a wonderful time.

 

I know this. Its tough to get out of your blood. I went to two different teams' practices last week and I have no one playing. I just enjoy watching the entire process.

So, exactly what was fun about it? kyblue mentioned some things that were fun... how would others explain how it's fun?

 

For instance, I can say that it's fun for me to see a comedy movie, since comedies make me laugh and I enjoy laughing. What is it about playing football make players think it's fun?

 

Keep in mind, I've never played organized football... so you'll have to try to frame it in a way that a non-football player can understand!

 

Playing in front of a large home crowd, under the lights with the fans cheering. Making a big hit and hearing the crowd in unison "ooohhhhhhhhhhhh", making a big play that could possible change the outcome of the game and hear the entire crowd cheer in celebration. Feeling the atmosphere of a huge crowd, the music playing in pregame, the intensity in the air. Having your teammates come celebrate with you after a big play, looking at the faces of the your teammates after a big play.

 

Here is something that you had to play to understand: hitting someone so hard that you hear the air escape his lungs and you feel absolutely nothing. The hit did not hurt you, but was devastating to him.

 

Many of my memories are not even from games, they are form other team activities. Going to camps together and things we did in the down time, team trips, team gatherings. Those are irreplaceable.

I played more O'line than anything, and I loved it. There was always great personal satisfaction when you make a block to spring a back for a TD or 1st down or when the Quarterback throws a TD and celebrates with you on the way to the PAT. A personal favorite was when the other teams coach was yelling at the man across from me because his uniform was only dirty on the back and we had just run the ball at him about 5 consecutive plays.

So, exactly what was fun about it? kyblue mentioned some things that were fun... how would others explain how it's fun?

 

For instance, I can say that it's fun for me to see a comedy movie, since comedies make me laugh and I enjoy laughing. What is it about playing football make players think it's fun?

 

Keep in mind, I've never played organized football... so you'll have to try to frame it in a way that a non-football player can understand!

 

Locker room conversations, pranks, making fun of each other, talking about girls, making friends, commradery, getting the best of one of your buddies and trash talking. Just some of the stuff that I enjoyed

I can still see the smiles on the faces of my teamates after a big play, and hear their laughter.

I tore my PCL, ACL and meniscus in a scrimmage the week before the opener my senior season. My simple answer is that I'd unequivocally do it all over again.