Football Training Aid

Abstract

A glove comprising a trap or palm area that is designed to receive the end section of a football is provided herein. The shape of the glove has a continuous round edge, which allows the edge to act as a funnel to guide all errant throws into the webbing of the glove. With the rounded shape of the glove, the overall width of the glove will allow for a larger surface area for successfully catching a throw. The overall width and larger surface area of the glove further serves to reduce the chance a caught football will pop out of the glove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A football training aid to practice catching an American football, the aid comprising:
 a glove with a trap area, palm compartment, hand opening, and a thumb compartment;   an outer edge of the glove which is a continuous, rounded edge;   the trap having a first distance from a center of the trap to a rounded thumb edge of the thumb compartment, wherein the first distance is within a range of 5.25″-11.5″, which in range is equal to half of a length to a full length of a football from point to point; and   a second the distance from the center of the trap to a rounded palm edge of the palm compartment, wherein the second distance is within a range of 3.38″-7.50″ which is equal to half a width to a full width of a football;   the outer edge of the glove capable of funneling to the trap area, and   being constructed of material comprising an external durable, moisture resistant material and internal flexible padding, without rigid internal reinforcement.   
     
     
         2 . The football training aid of  claim 1  wherein the trap area comprises one vertical member and two horizontal members. 
     
     
         3 . The football training aid of  claim 1  wherein an outer edge of the trap area, palm compartment, and hand opening are rounded. 
     
     
         4 . The football training aid of  claim 3  wherein the rounded edges of the trap area, palm compartment, hand opening, and thumb compartment together form the outer edge of the glove. 
     
     
         5 . A glove for catching a football comprising:
 an area within the glove for a user's palm and fingers;   an area within the glove for a user's thumb;   a trap area, constructed between the area for the user's palm and fingers and the area for the user's thumb, that is designed to trap a football;   the trap area having a distance to an edge of the area within the glove for a user's thumb that is approximately half of a length of a football;   the trap area having a distance from a center of the trap to the edge of the area within the glove for a user's palm and fingers of that is approximately the same as, or slightly less, than 11″; and   the glove having a continuous rounded edge constructed of material comprising an external durable, moisture resistant material and internal flexible padding but without internal rigid reinforcement.   
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 5  further comprising an opening for a user to insert their hand. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 5  wherein the trap area is comprised of a vertical member and at least one cross member. 
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 5  wherein the trap area, the area for the user's palm and fingers and the area for the user's thumb have rounded edges. 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 5  wherein the glove is constructed from leather. 
     
     
         10 . A football training aid comprising:
 a trap area;   a palm compartment;   a thumb compartment;   wherein the trap area is constructed between the palm compartment and the thumb compartment;   the trap area, the palm compartment, and the thumb compartment being attached together such that they have a common, continuous rounded edge, which edge is constructed of material comprising an external durable, moisture resistant material and continuous internal flexible padding but without rigid internal reinforcement;   the trap area being positioned approximately half the length of a football, measured point to point, from an edge of the thumb compartment; and   the palm compartment being positioned approximately the length of, or slightly less than, an exterior length of a football from an edge of palm compartment.   
     
     
         11 . The football training aid of  claim 10  wherein the trap area comprises at least one vertical member and at least one horizontal member that are attached. 
     
     
         12 . The football training aid of  claim 10  wherein the palm compartment and the thumb compartment are capable of funneling a football toward the trap area. 
     
     
         13 . The football training aid of  claim 10  wherein the palm compartment is a padded palm compartment.