High School Football

High school football is one of the most enjoyed interschool sporting activities that is played in America. Also known by the name prep football, it is a sport that dates back to the development of the game back in the nineteenth century. Fast forward to today and we see that its popularity has never decreased. In fact it is a sport that has developed a huge following and a long list of traditions.

High School Football

The rules that govern high school football are established by the NFHS, otherwise known as the National Federation for State High School Associations. As the sport has the same ancestry as the college game the basic rules are the same though there are a few differences worth noting. The quarters are of twelve minutes in duration instead of fifteen. The kick-offs happen from the forty yard line whereas in the NFL and college game it takes place on the thirty inch line.

Other notable differences are that if the ball crosses the plane of a goal line during a missed field goal the referee then calls for a touchback from the twenty yard line, also each kick that crosses the goal line is instantly determined a touchback. Whether overtime is allowed depends upon the state association which is being used.

The training that is expected of players most often begins with conditioning exercises such as weightlifting and speed and agility workouts. When this begins would depend upon the state and the high school in question. It may start as early as a couple of weeks after the close of the previous season or as late as the month of August. Towards the end of the summer regular practice begins that involve daily sessions each afternoon apart from on the actual game days.

A typical high school football season would involve around ten games. The first match takes place at the start of September and the last regular season clash would occur in the middle of November. The best teams and largest schools can receive crowds of thousands of spectators and may even play at a college stadium to ensure maximum possible attendance.

Most high school football games take place on Friday evenings though they may also occur on a Thursday or Saturday. This would depend upon the available facilities such as whether or not the field has adequate illumination.

At the end of the regular season there is a short break before the playoffs begin. Regional champions would take part in elimination matches which determine the state champions. In large urban areas there are city leagues, whilst in smaller states the playoffs are seeded on a state-wide basis. Championship games take place on neutral ground, typically an NFL or college stadium large enough to hold a big crowd. These stadiums are also better suited to cope with bad weather which can occur in the month of December when the championships are decided.

The national champions are decided by mathematical formulas that take into consideration various factors such as the mean margin of victory and the strength of the seasons performances.

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