Quitting soccer for football

Question
Thanks so much for your sppedy reply! Is there anything you can tell me about what seem to be referred to as "skill positions"? Which ones are they, and how are they different from the others?
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Followup To

Question -
I probably just need to grieve, but here goes. My almost 14 y.o. 8th grade son seems to want to leave soccer for football.He's played soccer since he was 4 y.o., great at rec level, and generally well regarded at most sports ( snowboarding but not basketball for which he get's a lot of grief since we're African American!). He's played low mid level comp soccer ( division C metro here in N. Cal)mostly defender, but this year mid-filed, and the official "corner kicker" for the last four years, and we limited his footall to flag so he could play multiple sports. This year he's had much glory on his small, private school middle school flag footballl team, playing kicker, the guy who catches and runs with the ball (something about "juking"?), and occasional quarterback. He's about 5'5" and weighs maybe 115lbs.I wouldn't dream of saying no, but I hate to think that soccer experience will be wasted, that he'll be dissapointed when he's competing with big guys with limited glory, or worst of all, I'll get stuck forcing him to honor a commitment he'll make without enough info. Is this a reasonable concern ? I have spent many hours lurking on soccer forums, but this football stuff feels alien to me. Anything you can share, or directions you can point me is that might help my role as a parent?

Answer -
Dear Shrinkrap,
Kids will be kids. My daughter just left her championship basketball team to join cheerleading. I now know more about cheerleading than anyman should know, or want to know.

All we can do as parents is love our kids and be there when they need us.

The best advice I can give you is to get ready to learn about football. Here are some names of videos that can help you learn more about football. You do not need to buy all, of these videos, but I would give one of them a try.

Basic Football hosted by Burt Reynolds

How to Watch Football

Football: A Woman's Guide

If I can be of anymore help please let me know.
Your friend, Coach Louis.


Answer
Dear Shrinkrap,
They are all skill positions. This is just the way they talk in football (football language).
The skills positions are for example; the guy that catches the ball (the receiver), the guy that passes the ball (the quarterback), the guy that runs with the ball (the runningback).....

Non-skils, would be the linemen. (try doing what they do with-out any skills and see what happens)
Take my advice donot get caughtup on the football terms they can make you nuts. Football has a language all it's own and it is not easy to learn.
Coach Louis.