No quarter given in Aussie rules
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GROWING up in the US, I spent a lot of time around the game of football, also known as “gridiron”. I had my first football before I came out of my mum’s womb. It is a sport I grew up watching on television and played with my friends in the front yard.
As I got older, I played the game. I remember how difficult it was. People hitting each other every play, the amount of mental energy that had to be put into it. You have to be tough to play football – both mentally and physically.
When I arrived in Australia just short of a month ago I was quite interested in sporting life down here. When I asked the locals all they could talk about was “footy”.
I had heard of the game before but did not know much about it. I thought it would be similar to American football and I was excited to see exactly how it worked. So, I headed down to Fremantle Oval to check out the game between South Fremantle and Swan Districts.
It took very little time for me to realize that the game of footy was quite different from the football I know and love. I was fascinated by the game and players.
While it is tough to play American football, it is nothing like what the Aussie footy players have to go through. They have no pads, no huddles, and no set plays. It is full bore running, hitting, and jumping for four quarters. And the amount of mental energy and focus is amazing – it was like nothing I have ever seen.
As I left the stadium I realized that to play American football you have to be strong, but to play Aussie football you have to be tough. There is no slacking whatsoever. The second you lose focus, the other team will capitalize.
It is both physically and mentally demanding, arguably even more so than American football.
I won’t go as far to say that Aussie rules football is better than American football. However, I can say that Aussie rules football is just as difficult and demanding.
Guest columnist: Notre Dame University student Derek Duman
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