turning more particularly to the drawings , fig1 shows a flexible football cradle support belt 2 designed to be worn around the waist of a football player being trained to carry a football in a desired manner , said belt having first 3 and second 4 ends and first 3 a and second 4 a fasteners , said fasteners being designed to fasten said belt around said player &# 39 ; s waist . fig1 . further shows said belt 2 supporting a cradle support 6 , said cradle support attached to a football support cradle 5 , said support cradle supporting a standard , regulation american football 1 , having two tapered ends and a central ball section progressively enlarged between the two ends . fig1 further shows said football 1 inserted into said football support cradle 5 , said cradle having two football support straps , the first said support strap having front 7 and rear 8 sections and the second said support strap having front 9 and rear 10 sections , first said front 7 and rear 8 sections attached to said cradle support 6 to form a first loop , second said front 9 and rear 10 sections attached to said cradle support 6 to form a second loop , said first and second loops securely supporting said football 1 . fig1 further shows front 11 and rear 12 connecting straps having first and second ends , said first end of front connecting strap 11 attached to said first front support strap section 7 , said second end of front connecting strap 11 attached to said second front support strap section 9 , said first end of rear connecting strap 12 attached to said first rear support strap section 8 , said second end of rear connecting strap 12 attached to said second rear support strap section 10 . said football support cradle allows said football to be raised to the level of the abdomen of the player , but does not allow said football to be raised above the level of the abdomen of the player . fig2 shows a football player 13 , said support belt 2 encircling waist of said player , said football 1 , said first 7 and second 9 football support straps , said front 11 and rear 12 connecting straps , a first 14 and second arm 15 of said player holding said football 1 and said football cradle at the level of the player &# 39 ; s abdomen , said first arm 14 beneath said football and said second arm 15 above said football , said first and second arms and player &# 39 ; s hands holding said football in a secure pocket . fig3 shows a standard , regulation american football 1 , a flexible flap 17 having front and rear surfaces , said football 1 attached to the front surface of said flap 17 by a non - removable attachment 21 , said flap supported by a waist belt 16 having front and rear surfaces and first 19 and second 20 ends , having first 19 a and second 20 a fasteners , said flap 17 attached to rear surface of said belt by non - removable attachment 18 . the fasteners 3 a and 4 a preferably have complementary hook and loop elements . fasteners 19 a and 20 a preferably have complementary hook and loop elements . the first fasteners 3 a , 19 a may have loop type fastening elements and the second fasteners 4 a , 20 a may have complementary hook type fastening elements . it is also understood that the first fasteners 3 a . 19 a may have hook type fastening elements and the second fasteners 4 a , 20 a may have complementary loop type fastening elements . the fasteners 3 a and 4 a , and 19 a and 20 a , may have conventional buckle fastener or snap latch design , or other secure conventional fastener design . the belt 2 , 16 preferably is made of a strong , flexible synthetic polymer fabric , but may be made of leather or other strong , flexible material . the cradle support 6 preferably is made of a strong , flexible synthetic polymer fabric , but may be made of leather or other strong , flexible material . the cradle support 6 preferably has front and rear portions forming a loop adapted to insertion of the belt 2 , providing removable attachment of the belt 2 to the cradle support 6 . the cradle support 6 may optionally be non - removably attached to the belt 2 , by conventional attachment means including stitching , adhesive or other attachment means . the front and rear football support strap sections 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 preferably are made of strong , elastic , flexible polymer material , but may be made of any strong , flexible material . the first support strap sections 7 , 8 preferably are made of a single , continuous , elastic , flexible material ; optionally , said first front support strap section 7 is attached by any conventional means to said first rear support strap section 8 , including stitching , adhesive or other attachment means . the second support strap sections 9 , 10 preferably are made of a single , continuous , elastic , flexible material ; optionally , said second front support strap section 9 is attached by any conventional means to said second rear support strap section 10 , including stitching , adhesive or other attachment means . the first 7 and second 9 front support strap sections preferably are connected by connecting strap 11 ; optionally said support strap sections are not connected . the first 8 and second 12 rear support strap sections preferably are connected by connecting strap 12 ; optionally said support strap sections are not connected . said connecting straps are attached to said support strap sections by stitching , flexible adhesive or other conventional attachment means . the football 1 may be a standard , regulation american football , or another football having a size , shape , material or other feature adapted to an individual player , including a smaller football adapted for use by a younger player . the material of the football is preferably leather , but may be plastic or plastic foam for the training of smaller or younger players . the loops formed by the football support straps preferably have circumferences approximating the circumference of the football chosen for use for training in carrying the football , at a point midway between the enlarged midsection of the football and the pointed ends of the football . in the most preferred embodiment of the invention , the football support straps are made of elastic , flexible polymer material and the circumferences of the loops formed by the football support straps are slightly smaller than the circumference of the football chosen for use , at a point midway between the enlarged midsection of the football and the pointed ends of the football , and the elastic loops can be stretched to insert the football , providing very secure support for the football . the flap 17 is preferably of any strong and flexible fabric , most preferably of polyester or polyamide synthetic fabric , but may be of any leather , synthetic or natural fabric or flexible film . the football attachment 21 may be of any strong and flexible adhesive . the flap attachment 18 may be any conventional attachment means , preferably stitching , any strong and flexible adhesive or a combination of stitching and any strong and flexible adhesive . in use of the preferred device , the football player inserts the football 1 into the cradle support loops and initiates the ball - carrying exercise by grasping the football 1 and pulling the football and cradle upwards towards his chest , resulting in the football 1 being positioned in a horizontal orientation at his abdomen . the player then supports the football 1 , as specified by the coach or trainer , and runs towards an opposing player or line of players . in use of the second embodiment of the device , the football player initiates the ball - carrying exercise by grasping the football 1 and pulling the football and flap upwards towards his chest , resulting in the football 1 being positioned in a horizontal orientation at his abdomen . the player then supports the football 1 , as specified by the coach or trainer , and runs towards an opposing player or line of players . typically , the player forms a protective pocket by placing the first forearm against his lower abdomen , under the horizontally oriented football 1 and the second forearm against his upper abdomen , above the horizontally oriented football 1 , and holds one end of the football 1 with each hand . the device of the invention encourages the desired holding and carrying of the football 1 , and the desired stance and posture of the player . the location of the belt 2 , 16 at the waist of the player , and the location of the attached football 1 in the cradle encourage the player to crouch to reach the football 1 , and also limit the distance of the football 1 above the waist to the level of the abdomen , when the football 1 is carried . the player is thus encouraged to assume and maintain a desired crouching stance , resulting in a lowered center of gravity , greater stability and reduced vulnerability to being tackled , slowed or stopped by opposing players . the location and horizontal orientation of the football 1 also encourages the desired formation and maintenance of a protective pocket for the football 1 by the player &# 39 ; s arms and hands , and by the crouched posture , resulting in a reduced likelihood that opposing players can dislodge the football 1 or disrupt the player &# 39 ; s control of the football 1 . the location and horizontal orientation of the football also encourage the desired horizontal orientation and squaring of the player &# 39 ; s shoulders , resulting in greater stability in approaching and encountering opposing players or line of players . it is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described , it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof .
a device which aids the training of football carriers , specifically backfield players , in the desired ball carrying and retaining posture , comprising a belt worn around the waist of the player , an attached cradle or flap hanging from the belt , and a football supported by the cradle or flap , which in combination assist in teaching a player to assume a crouching posture when running while carrying the football towards opposing players , and to protect the football from opposing players in a pocket formed by the player &# 39 ; s arms . the training aid also encourages the player to hold the shoulders squared in a horizontal orientation , to form and maintain the protective pocket for the football in the most effective manner .