Strategy and Preparation
Strategy and Preparation
By Christopher Fister
While it may seem that football is a purely physical game, winning in football requires much more than physical strength. Even if a team has superior athletes, it is not guaranteed victory if it is predictable. Therefore, most teams at every level have their own playbooks.
The playbook is formulated by the coaches, then passed out to each player on the squad. Players must memorize the playbooks before starting the season.
Game films and scouting also play a key role in making up a team’s strategy. Coaches will examine films of opposing teams for hours at a time in an effort to find the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Assistant coaches will also be sent to watch future opponents in action.
Many coaches in the modern era will also use a script in each game. A script is a list of plays a coach believes will work against a specific opponent. Coaches will follow the script until they determine which type of plays will work best in that game.
Because of game films and scouting, most teams are able to go into a game well-prepared, with an idea of how to beat a certain opponent. It is, ultimately however, up to the players to execute the game plan and achieve victory.
Because football is such a physical game, with much wear-and-tear and the body, teams play only one game per week. Five days a week, sometimes more than once a day, football teams will practice to hone their skills and condition their bodies. Conditioning is a vital part of the game and most teams have coaches who are specialized in the conditioning of players.
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Christopher Fister is a former sports editor at the New York Post.
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