Think about what you need for a game. The first things that come to mind are the players, coaches, referees, a field and equipment to play a football game. But having a great football game that functions seamlessly will require much more than this. You need more than a field, you need those crisp painted lines, the Friday night lights, the booming announcer and the smell of burgers wafting over from the grill. Which reminds you- who’s got the Gatorade for the kids?

A football team, from a fan’s perspective, is made up of several dozen players and a few coaches. Any coach who is familiar with a football program’s operations, though, knows there are many people who contribute to a team’s success who never put on a helmet or step onto the field. Just as a musical is made possible by teams of people who work backstage, a winning football program needs people who are willing to work behind-the-scenes to make sure that the team’s players can succeed. Here’s why non-players are important to a football program, along with how you can recruit student help for your football team if you’re a football coach.

Millions of kids play football every year. While they’re having fun playing this sport, they are also learning valuable life lessons. Here are five of the most valuable lessons your players will learn while playing football:

We all know the old expressions about how a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and how one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. Every coach knows that there's some truth to these sayings, but it doesn't have to be that way. Understanding how to deal with difficult kids on your football team is crucial to success and, perhaps more importantly, to the enjoyment of everyone on the team.

Injuries can tear apart a team’s season, and even more so, a player’s confidence. In football, injuries are expected, but you don't want to start losing players before the season starts. Here are steps that you should take to avoid preseason football injuries: