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Once, when we lived in Georgia, we went to an arena football game. I was a little skeptical from the beginning. I mean, after all, football is the most amazing sport on the planet. I love the game, in all its glory, and I found it hard to imagine how the game would look when played indoors with slightly different rules.

I did not leave the game thoroughly impressed. I remember telling my husband, who was then my boyfriend, that I considered it an interesting alternative that could be fun during the off-season. It would never gain the popularity of a regular football team, however.

Well, last year I had a sad awakening when I went to a Cincinnati Bengals game with my son. He was too young to enjoy it. Indeed, we ended up leaving before the game was over because he cried every time the crowd cheered. On his behalf, it was not because he did not like the game that he cried. He could not handle the crowds and the loud noises.

So now I find myself considering going to see our local arena football team. I think that I can use the experience to introduce my son to the world of football in a less frenzied atmosphere. I have discovered, and ultimately conceded, that arena football does have a fair contingent of fans. It is just that I now know that they are different from the fans at your typical NCAA or NFL team.

I noticed when we are there, and have confirmed it since, that many of the fans at arena football games are not your average football fans. Instead they are women who do not like football, and they are children who cannot deal with major games. These people can compromise with their family members, as is the case with many of the women. I think that arena football may be more appealing to many women because it is not as intensely competitive. I have noticed in general that many women do not like how competitive football is, which I do not understand. Still that makes arena football more appealing.

At the other end of the spectrum, arena football is something that the football lover in a relationship can do. While it is not a substitute for the real thing, it can be fun. If you love football and want your girlfriend or wife in on the love, then you can think about trying out an arena football game. The game seems easier to understand, though I could not tell you why. If you have visions of getting your partner to enjoy football, too, then an arena game may be just the place to teach the rules.

Also, and I say this with no disrespect to the arena football players out there, the game does not have the rapid and lifelong fans that other football teams have. That means that your partner, who may not be interested in that crazy aspect of the game, can learn to love the game in a more supportive atmosphere. Because there will be mostly fans for the home team, you will not have to worry about heckling and the other problems that go with football.

For us, I think that my son can learn to appreciate live games better with this more relaxed environment. It is very much about entertainment between quarters and even between plays, which makes it easier to keep children paying attention. I am hoping to teach my son all about the game at these games.

Plus there is something wonderful about supporting a small team in your community. It is kind of like AA baseball. You can learn to enjoy the game and the players without the distractions of the big-money version of the game. That is because the players are not there for the money although the promise of it should they reach the next level is appealing. They are there to hone their talents and to show that they work hard. That makes the game more pure, and it makes the fans a bigger part of the experience.

So the next time you are looking for something to do, consider arena football.

By Julia Mercer