First of all, I don't know much about football. Pretty much the only football I've watched is when I was in the marching band in high school & college and had to go to the games. This something I've been curious about for a while. What purpose do the hashmarks on football fields serve? And why are they different distances apart depending on if it's high school, college, or NFL? -Chelle
I thought the hashmarks were so the halftime show groups could find their "marks"? Sorry, I couldn't resist Still Dreamin'
lol. Like a football team would ever do anything to help out the marching band. But that is partly why I asked. When I was in the college marching band, most of the time we used the regular college hash marks. Every year, we hosted a highschool marching band competition so we would have to get used to the highschool hashes which were further apart. Then when we played for the Chiefs, we would have to adjust again and get used to the NFL hashes which are closer together. And it was always fun using the Chief's indoor practice facility because the field had a goal line on one end, but only went to the 30 yard line on the other end. We would have to shift our forms over at least 20 yards (on top of getting used to the different hash marks). -Chelle
as far as i remember they are used to place the football depending on the area of teh field the player was downed. It's really not too important until you go for a field goal. Then you want to place it in a certain 1/3 of the field depending on what the kicker is most comfortable kicking from (usually the center part of the field unless there is a heavy wind out). BTW I know all about adjusting to the hash marks when marching (did marching band for 3+ years).
They are for the placement of the ball. It can be placed anywhere in between the two. In the case of a field goal, the previous play determines where the ball is placed. If it was a running play outside, then it would be placed on that sides hash mark. Most teams, if the attempt is going to be a long field goal, will do a sort of sacrificial running play to get the ball closer to the center of the field. I played in Arrowhead in June of 1976. Can anyone tell me how this happened? Hint, I shook hands with Hank Stram, wore clothing belonging to all Pro Jim Lynch, and Stram's son Stuart was on my side, and I was across from soon to be All-American and future Kansas City Chief Brad Buddie, which by the way, I smoked on one occasion.
Thank's for expalining, Oz. I played there in 98, 99, & 02. We got to warm up in their indoor practice facility, park in the player's parking lot, enter through their tunnel, and sit on the sidelines during the game. -Chelle
Cool. I was a linebacker on the Kansas side of the Kansas-Missouri All-Star football team. Don't know if they still play it there or not. We got to practise for 2 weeks before the game and enter through the same tunnel you described. A grounds person forgot to open the field drains once, and we arrived to 2 feet of water on the field. It was astroturf then so it didn't drown the grass. Just had to cancel practise. It was one of the highlights of my carrer before college.
