How does the weather from a meteorologist stand point affect playing Essay

How does the weather from a meteorologist stand point affect playing football - Essay Example When making football predictions people usually take into consideration factors such as history, temporary form of team, statistics, suspended and injured players. However, they rarely check the weather, a factor that is often overlooked but can greatly influence the football matches outcome. Weather conditions not only affect individual players, but also affect the condition of the football pitch and this can affect players’ performance (Wesson, 2002). A particular weather condition affects how players play, how they pass, as well as their ability to determine how effective certain tactics are within that system. True professionals in football clubs are aware of the importance of weather. This explains the reason why most of major football clubs hire the services of professional meteorologists to obtain the most accurate information regarding the conditions on the time and day of the game (American Football Coaches Association, 2002). This paper will discuss how the weather f rom a meteorologist standpoint affects playing football. One of the most common weather situations in football is the rainy weather. This situation makes the football ground more slippery and may cause the ball to move faster and to slide. However, this condition may be perfect for teams who like quick movements with many tactics and short passes (Hyde, 2009). If the rain becomes quite strong or continues for a long time, the pitch will be over flooded and this will disrupt passes and slow down the ball. This is especially true for matches that are played on fields with poor drainage system and which are not able to keep the ground in perfect condition. Since such conditions makes heavy tackles inevitable, they tend to favor teams with better physical shape (Biskup, 2010). It is for this reason that it is critical for meteorologists to examine whether it will rain, and how much rain is expected. In rainy conditions, football pitch is likely to be slippery and this can have a major i mpact on the number of goals that can be scored in a given match. Rain will not only impede safe capture of the ball by the goalkeeper, but also will reduce the ball’s visibility in the long shots (Hurley, 2013). The second most common weather situation in football is the windy weather. Wind affects any sport that involves flying objects in an open place. Strong wind can affect teams who prefer playing with long passes because it changes the ball’s movement and players must take into consideration the direction of the wind. Strong winds may impact playing conditions, with throwing and kicking becoming especially hard (Wesson, 2002). Unlike other weather conditions, wind tends to affect both teams equally; it is considered to be an equal-opportunity hazard. It causes players to have more runs and this means less overall plays because plays use more time. As a result, there are less field goal attempts due to reduced passing effectiveness. Also, the winds have an impact on the fans attending a football match (Guy and Sang, 2009). Besides, football fans enjoying tailgating have to make sure that all their personal items are securely held down, or risk having them being blown away. However, it should be noted that that the effect of wind on playing football is prominent only in significantly windy conditions that exceed 15 mph. In addition, temperature is a weather