Canadian football
Although hockey ranks as the favorite team sport in Canada, football is gaining popularity. Football is played in Canada by high schools, more than 20 colleges and universities, and the 8 professional teams that make up the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Most Canadian football is played by 12-member teams on a field 160 yards (146 meters) long and 65 yards (59 meters) wide. Eleven of the positions resemble those in U.S. football. On offense, the 12th player usually lines up in the backfield but may also be used as an end. On defense, the 12th player usually plays in the secondary. The offense has only three downs to make a first down.
Scoring in Canadian football differs from that in U.S. football in only one way. The Canadian field has a dead-line 25 yards (23 meters) behind each goal line. On a kickoff, the receiving team must advance the ball out of the area between the dead-line and the goal line. If it fails, the kicking team scores one point, called a single. The same rule applies to a punt.
Nearly all Canadian colleges and universities compete in four regional conferences. The champions of each conference meet in postseason play-offs. The team that wins the play-offs is the national collegiate champion and receives the Vanier Cup.
The CFL is divided into an Eastern Division and a Western Division. The division champions compete for the league title. The winning team receives the Grey Cup. For a table of cup winners, see GREY CUP.
Additional resources
Level I
1. Allen, James. Football. Troll, 1990.
2. Anderson, Dave. The Story of Football. Morrow, 1985.
3. Duden, Jane, and Osberg, Susan. Football. Crestwood, 1991.
4. Miller, Joseph D. The Super Book of Football. Little, Brown, 1990.
Level II
1. Carroll, Bob. When the Grass Was Real. Simon & Schuster, 1993. Football in the 1960's.
2. Harrington, Denis J. The Pro Football Hall of Fame. McFarland, 1991.
3. King, Peter. Inside the Helmet: A Player's-Eye View of the N.F.L. Simon & Schuster, 1993.
4. Neft, David S., and Cohen, Richard M. The Football Encyclopedia. St. Martins, 1991.
5. Ours, Robert. College Football Encyclopedia. Prima Pub., 1993.