Canadian Football as an Unusual Student Hobby

Many modern students are interested in taking up unusual hobbies. Indeed, boring educational programs, quarantine restrictions, and the absence of exciting events in life make people try something extremely different. These can be either creative activities or uncommon kinds of sports. Have you already tried quidditch or zorbing? No? Then you may start from something less extraordinary, for example, Canadian football.

There is no doubt everyone knows what soccer is and has tried to kick a ball at least once in their lifetime. Sports-lovers, perhaps, also heard about rugby or American soccer. But how many people know what Canadian football is?

If you do not have time to try new kinds of sport because of too much education load, do not worry. In case you wonder “where can I find the best website to write my essay” to find free time for practicing sports, consider the following option. Studyfy offers its clients a quick and easy way of dealing with annoying home assignments. Just ask for expert assistance and get your homework done!

Now, having much more opportunities for taking up a desirable hobby, you can find out more information about this unusual activity. So, let us introduce the subject of this article to you.

The History of the Game

Canadian football is a team sport that originated in Canada. So far, everything is pretty obvious, isn’t it? This kind of sport combines thoughtful strategies with high intensity and pace.

The first confirmed match of this type took place on November 9, 1861, at University College (University of Toronto). After that, the university decided to establish a special club, although the rules of the game had not yet been formulated in detail.

In 1864, the rules of the game were laid out on the basis of rugby. Still, modern Canadian football is said to have its origins in a rugby match played later in Montreal in 1865. Given that the new game attracted interest, the Montreal Club was founded in 1868. It became the first non-collegiate club in Canada.

The Difference Between Canadian and American Types

1.- The Number of Players

Obviously, this point is the most potent example of how these two types differ from each other. In the American version, there are eleven players for each team as a rule. But in the type under discussion, there are typically twelve players on each side.

Nevertheless, as the rules of the version are quite close to those of the Canadian one, the clubs in both countries maintain a close relationship. Indeed, many Americans have repeatedly become members of Canadian teams and vice versa. A lot of Canadians have won places among American players.

2.- The Number of Downs

As opposed to four downs in the American game, Canadian football has three ones. Thus, the game becomes more pass and kick-oriented.

3.- Scoring Rules

It is worth saying that scoring is almost identical in both types of games. For example, there are two points for safety and a conversion run, three – for a field goal, and six points – for a touchdown. One point is given for an extra kicked point in both versions.

The only difference is the rouge or single point, which is a feature of Canadian football. It is given in a situation when the kicking team either punts the ball or misses a goal, while the receiving one catches it and does not run it out of their end zone.

3.- The Size of the Field

In the American version, the length of a pitch is 120 yards, while the length of a Canadian pitch is 150 yards. The latter’s pitches are also wider (65 yards) than those in the American variant (53 yards).

The Game Itself

The duration of the game is one hour. This period involves two so-called “halves” that are separated by a break. Moreover, each half is divided into two more periods. These are called “quarters” (each one lasts 15 minutes).

Points can be earned in many ways. Here you can find the list of examples:

• crossing the goal line with the ball in hand;
• throwing the ball to a player who is outside the goal line at that time;
• blocking the opponent’s legs with the ball in the opposing team’s in-goal;
• kicking the ball at the opponent’s goal. 

How is the winner identified at the end of the game? Obviously, the team scoring the most points wins.

Canadian League

The Canadian Football League, founded in 1958, is a professional sports league that unites teams playing the Canadian version of the game. The best teams in the league annually compete for the Grey Cup. This game is one of the major annual sporting events on television. Still, it is worth noting that this type of football is most popular in the province of Quebec, as well as in western Canada. 

This game is played not only at professional levels but also at high school, junior, collegiate, and semi-professional ones. In 1974, the Canadian Junior Football League and the Quebec Junior Football League were formed. These are leagues for players aged 18–22. In recent years, such major teams as Alberta Football League have gained momentum and grown in popularity.

Thus, this kind of sport is available to everyone interested in diversifying their sports activities and trying something unusual. There are many people passionate about Canadian sport in the country of its origin and abroad. These words can be confirmed by numbers. 

In 2005, a CFL attendance record was set. More than 2.3 million people were watching the regular-season matches at the stadiums. Moreover, the study conducted by the University of Lethbridge found that the CFL is currently the second most popular sports league in Canada.

Final Words

If you are a lover of standard kinds of sport, it can be a bit difficult to make you change your preferences and start practicing Canadian football. Still, this sport can be a great and unusual hobby for those searching for interesting activities. As you can see, it has its history and rules making the game stand out and become a passion of many.