2005 Adult Kitted news

15th May 2005 - BAFL Week 7 Results

In undoubtedly the closest game of the day the Sussex Thunder came from behind to defeat the Dominos Oxford Saints 20-19 despite the Saints scoring late in the 4th quarter only to see the 2 point conversion fail.

Elsewhere the Coventry Jets defeated the Manchester Titans to keep their undefeated records. BAFL player of the week, Mark Cohen, led the way with 4 catches for 58 yards. All 4 went for touchdowns!.

The Kent Exiles also improved to 4-0 with a victory against the Colchester Gladiators. 

Not to be outdone the West Coast Trojans tightened their grip on the Division 2 Scottish conference with a convincing victory against the Dundee Hurricanes.

In European action the news was not so good for the Personal Assurance Knights who lost 32-6 to D'Elancourt Templiers and lost the tie on an aggregate score of 38-26.

Div 1 EFAF Cup
PA Knights 6 at D'Elancourt Templiers 32 (D'Elancourt win 38-26 on aggregate)

Div 1 Inter Conference
Birmingham Bulls 53 at Staffordshire Surge 0
MCP Ipswich Cardinals 31 at Cambridgeshire Cats 7

Div 2 Central
Coventry Jets 48 at Manchester Titans 0

Div 2 Scottish 
Glasgow Tigers 27 at Edinburgh Wolves 7
Dundee Hurricanes 13 at West Coast Trojans 46

Div 2 South East
Kent Exiles 26 at Colchester Gladiators 0
Essex Spartans 42 at Maidstone Pumas 0

Div 2 South West
Sussex Thunder 20 at Dominos Oxford Saints 19


15th May 2005 - BAFL – Week 7 player of the week

Mark Cohen – Coventry Jets, #1, Wide Receiver.



Four receptions
Four TD's
58 yards

15th May 2005 - Lights, Camera, Aztecs!

The Bristol Aztecs went global this week, as they appeared in the 6th Laureus World Sports Awards, held on Monday 16th May. The awards, staged in Lisbon, Portugal, featured a host of stars and will reach a broadcast audience of 460 million worldwide.

While renowned Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman hosted the Awards, the Aztecs played their part, appearing as part of the ceremony’s impressive backdrop of audiovisuals, designed to wow the audience.

Viewers saw Aztec Quarterback, and Great Britain Youth player, Adam Stenlake running with the ball, before being abruptly tackled by a defender wearing the distinctive black and orange of the Bristol Aztecs. The segment is part of the vision of Bristol-based video production company Hello Charlie, who called on the Aztecs early last week to take part in the shoot.

"Spending a few hours with the film crew was really interesting" said Adam, "They explained what they wanted, and listened to our advice on how American Footballers would do certain things and how it would look. The hardest thing was having to let the other player hit me during all those takes!"

The Laureus World Sports Awards are now recognised as the premier honours on the international sporting calendar and are unique in that they honour the world's best sportsmen and sportswomen for their achievements across all sports and all countries. Awards are made in a range of categories including Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and Laureus World Team of the Year. The Awards also celebrate the role that sport itself can play in promoting international goodwill through the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

The awards will be broadcast in over 200 countries, and UK highlights appear on Channel 5, Thurs 19th May, starting at 7.15pm.

Commenting on the exposure afforded to the South West’s best American Football team, Promotions & Sponsorship Officer Phil Fear added "Being asked to take part in the filming for such a prestigious event is a real honour for the Aztecs. The Laureus Awards are a night of celebration for an organisation committed to making the most of the positive impact of sport across the world.

It also is a sign of just how far the Aztec brand has come in a few short years. I think any potential sponsor should bear in mind that it could have been their name appearing on millions of television sets, if they had already signed up with us."

While everyone at the Aztecs is looking forward to seeing the team’s big moment on their screens, Adam is already back at work, preparing for the Aztec Youth team’s opening 2005 fixture against the Bath Cardinals on Sunday 5th June, kicking off at 2pm.

The Aztecs Adult team also face a key fixture, as they prepare for the visit of the London Blitz on Sunday 22nd May, KO 2.30pm. After a narrow 6-3 win for the West Country side last year, this promises to be a pivotal match up in deciding who will progress to the playoffs.

Both games are staged at BAWA Sports & Leisure, Southmead Road. Admission is free and American style refreshments are on sale throughout the day. Visitwww.aztecs.co.uk for more details.

10th May 2005 - Bergamo boys join Jets

John and Lester Hopewall have become the latest Internationals to sign up for the Coventry Jets. The brothers, natives of Auckland, New Zealand, have played the last four seasons with the Italian powerhouse Bergamo Lions and bolster the Jets on Offensive and Defensive Line.

Lester took a year out playing in Stockholm last season, whilst John helped the Lions to a place in the Eurobowl final against the Vienna Vikings. Both players were on the Lions back-to-back Championship teams of 2001/2 and the guys are hungry for more success. Last weekend they both attended the Great Britain Lions camp in London and made the cut. Now they can turn their attention to the domestic game with the Merseyside Nighthawks this coming Sunday.

John, at 6ft and 17-stone, said of his move to Coventry: "The set up here is as good as in Italy and my ambition is to one day face my old team mates as a Jet…but first-things-first, we need a win over Merseyside to consolidate the Jets explosive start to the season."

In other news, Bernie Hackshaw (pictured) became the 10th Jet to make the GB line-up following his impressive start to the new season. Bernie transferred from Nottingham in the close season and is a man-mountain at 6’ 4’’feet and 19-stone. He will take some stopping in the weeks ahead…

Tickets for the Jets game on May 22nd at the Butts Stadium are now on sale. £10 for a family ticket, £5 for adults, £2 for children/OAP’s. Call our credit card hotline on 02476-238-380.

8th May 2005 - BAFL Week 6 Results

Division One

Gateshead Senators 28-6 Nottingham Caesars
Staffordshire Surge 0-27 Doncaster Mustangs
Ipswich Cardinals 2-26 PA Knights
Bristol Aztecs 13-6 Chiltern Cheetahs

Division Two

East Midland Saxons 32-8 Merseyside Nighthawks
Glasgow Tigers 6-36 West Coast Trojans
Colchester Gladiators 12-0 Norwich Devils
Sussex Thunder 19-0 Plymouth Admirals
Redditch Arrows 50-12 Andover Thrashers
 

24th April 2005 - BAFL Week 4

Div 1 North
ASAP Yorkshire Rams
 6-7 East Kilbride Pirates 

Div 2 
South East
E
ssex Spartans 6-7 Kent Exiles
Norwich Devils 36-15 Colchester Gladiators

 
Div 2 South West
South Wales Warriors
 18-0 Plymouth Admirals

EFAF Cup
Carlstad Crusaders 34-10 NFA Avedere Monarchs
Eurobowl XIX
Tyrolean Raiders 42-14 Badalona Drags

17th April 2005 - PA Knights defeat French opposition in EFAF Cup

197 yards rushing from Ejiogu and a further 51 yards from Joe St Louis led the PA Knights to a 20-6 win over the Elancourt Templiers at Aldershot's Recreation Ground in the 1st leg of their EFAF Cup tie. In other EFAF action Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns qualified for the semi-finals with a 58-28 win over Danube Dragons.

17th April 2005 - GB Lions Seniors Statistics section added

A new statistics page has been created - click here to view

17th April 2005 - BAFL Week 3


Div 1 Inter Conference
MCP Ipswich Cardinals 6-0 Bristol Aztecs
Southern Sundevils 6-13 London Blitz

Div 1 North
Gateshead Senators 25-38 Birmingham Bulls
East Kilbride Pirates 18-14 ASAP Yorkshire Rams

Div 1 North 1A
Nottingham Caesars 0-18 Doncaster Mustangs

Div 2 Central
East Midland Saxons 0-57 Coventry Jets
Manchester Titans 32-12 Merseyside Nighthawks
 
Div 2 South West
Sussex Thunder
 0-8 South Wales Warriors

EFAF Cup results

PA Knights 20-6 Elancourt Templiers
Marburg Mercenaries 42-27 Hohenems Blue Devils

Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 58-28 Danube Dragons
10th April 2005 - BAFL Week 2

Division One

Birmingham Bulls 13-0 East Kilbride Pirates

Division One A

Cambridgeshire Cats 6-20 London Blitz

Division Two

Edinburgh Wolves 6-6 Glasgow Tigers
Dundee Hurricanes 6-12 West Coast Trojans


Friendly

Dublin Dragons 6-20 Essex Blades

12th April 2005 - Good things come in threes for the Saxons!!

Lucrative Shirt Sponsor!

A new look East Midland Saxons will take to the field for their first league game of the season thank to a lucrative sponsorship deal withwww.cowboyuk.com.

In the past six month the Saxons have recruited new players and coaches, gained considerable media coverage and also have a new home and now they formed a new alliance with one of the country’s leading American western clothing specialists.

www.cowboyuk.com supply only genuine Western clothing, hats, boots and accessories direct from the States, gathering the very best from every corner of America and as a result, they are big fans of anything American.

The deal will see the Saxons sporting new shirts for the forthcoming season featuring the www.cowboyuk.com logo. There will be links on the website and also publicity at all Saxons home games.

Andy Coleman, head of PR for the Saxons, said: "This is a fantastic moment for the Saxons. We are so proud to have a sponsor onside who is so keen on the sport of American football; we sincerely hope this will be a long-term marriage!"

Eddie Sibley, owner of www.cowboyuk.com, said: "I admire what the Saxons are about. They are a young team in terms of their achievements, and very much like Cowboy UK in that respect. The Saxons have exactly the attitude that my company is all about – achieving the very best and setting your sights on the top."

Awards For All Grant major Boost for the Saxons Development!!

In another blinding flash of success the Saxons recently heard that they had successfully applied for and gained National Lottery Sponsorship through the Awards for All scheme.

The Saxons can now use their £5,000 grant to develop the youth and senior American football squads based at Stanground Specialist Sports College in Peterborough by providing much needed player equipment to allow first timer to try the sport without the expenses of purchasing their own equipment.

Team vice chairman, Steve Rose said "This is the first time the club has applied for funding through the National Lottery and it’s a tribute to the hard work put in by head of PR Andy Coleman and Head Coach Chris Wallis that we’ve been successful."

The Saxons hope to be presented with the Awards For All Certificate within the next few weeks. If you wish to find out more about how your group or community activity can benefit from an Awards For All grant, then please contact Saxons PR Team Leader Andy Coleman on 07789 607906 for more details.

Sideline Equipment Sponsorship from Army Surplus Store!

Ironclad Surplus, a web-based outdoor equipment and survival gear retailer were very pleased to donate the much needed sideline markers and end zone pylons for the new Saxons playing field at Stanground Specialist Sports College.

A spokesman from www.ironclad-surplus.co.uk "We love football, and the great outdoors, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to help out the Saxons in any way we can."

PR Team Leader Andy Coleman said "It’s so good to have local business getting on side with us, providing us with the opportunity to bring quality American football to Peterborough.

"Any sponsorship is welcome, and we really want to stress that you don’t have to have millions to sponsor the Saxons!"

10th April 2005 - Rams sign on

The Rams have strengthened their squad with some key signings over the last few weeks and are now prepared for the 2005 Campaign.  Just a week before they start the season the Rams continue to make headway in strengthening the team. With talented, experienced players signing during the off season, including Leeds Cougars veterans the "Bruise Brother"  Paul Muscroft and Phil Keeling, to complement the returners that the club have retained from 2004 the ASAP Yorkshire Rams were looking good coming into the 2005 campaign.

Sunday saw a surprise addition to the already strong squad that the club had on their books. Mark Squire, formerly of EK Pirates, Team Europe 2002/3, GB Lions 2004 and Division 1 leading receiver in 2002, joined the receiving corps of the Rams to work with the team's other top receiver JJ Forder to give them another string to their offensive bow.


WR Mark Squire

After his first practise session Squire commented "obviously I' m disappointed to have to leave the Pirates because of my further education, I've had four great years with them and have learned a lot. I still have many friends there and wish them all the best this season... except for the two games against the Rams! 
Keith Clarkson, Operations Director, said "I speak on behalf of the club in saying that the addition of Mark to the squad is a definite plus. A player of his calibre is sought after by many clubs and it is our good fortune that he's landed at the Rams." 
Squire added "I'm very excited to be joining the Rams as they have always struck me as a team with class and I'm very impressed with their backroom staff and organisation. There is also the added bonus of working with OC Jim Blinkhorn who has a vast knowledge and will know how to use me to the best advantage in the Ram's system. Playing alongside other skilled colleagues I will hopefully help do some damage to other teams this year. "Yorkshire's opening game is against Squire's former club, the Pirates, north of the border on Sunday 17th April with the return game the week after at (the renamed) Tetley's Stadium, Dewsbury ...Kick Off 3pm

3rd April 2005 - BAFL Week 1

Bristol Aztecs 7-47 PA Knights
Gateshead Senators 25-14 East Kilbride Pirates
Norwich Devils 6-32 Kent Exiles


1st April 2005 - The BAFL season commences this coming Sunday (03/04/2005 – Week One) 

The BAFL season commences this weekend with reigning Britbowl champions – Personal Assurance Knights – who will commence the defence of their title against last seasons Division 1A finalists – Bristol Aztecs. 

Further north, the senators will play host to the East Kilbride Pirates at the Gateshead International Stadium – and on the east coast, the Norwich Devils will kick-off Division 2 at home to the Kent Exiles.

The Fixtures

Division 1 North
Gateshead Senators v East Kilbride Pirates at the Gateshead International Stadium

Division 1 Inter Conference
Bristol Aztecs v Personal Assurance Knights at BAWA, Bristol

Division 2 South East
Norwich Devils v Kent Exiles at Powerleague, Norwich

All kick-offs are at 2:30pm unless otherwise stated.

29th March 2005 - BSL becomes British American Football League (BAFL)

Article from www.gridironuk.co.uk - the home of the BAFL

At a recent AGM, the members of the British Senior League (BSL) took the decision to re-brand under the new name, the British American Football League (BAFL). We are delighted to announce the publication of our new logo.



To arrive at our new logo, the board considered many options and the final solution is a combination of a number of key components – shield, abbreviated name (BAFL), sports icon (helmet), colour scheme and, of course, the Union Jack.

Our rationale was to chose a shape of that is complimentary to the NFL – the most powerful brand in our sport – and use of the helmet – the strongest iconic recognition of our sport in Great Britain (the ball so often being confused with Rugby). 

The new logo will support a national brand awareness programme that will promote the sport, the league and our clubs!

Sky Sports coverage

The re-brand comes at an exciting time for the sport in Great Britain as we are able to confirm that Sky Sports are to include a round-up of results and conference standings from the British American Football League in a new weekly two-hour programme dedicated solely to American Football.

The new programme, which goes on air on Monday, April 4th on Sky Sports 3, will be anchored by Nick Rothwell. Nick will be joined in the studio by either long-time NFL analyst, Nick Halling, or NFL Europe Senior Manager of International Player Development, Jeff Reinebold.

29th March 2005 - Jets lift-off with new logo

The Coventry Jets American football team are today unveiling their new logo for the forthcoming campaign. It replaces the Coventry Jaguars insignia, following the change of name earlier this year, and marks the symbolic end of the team’s first formative year.

Jets owner James Kilby said: "The Coventry Jaguars name and brand served us well in our first season. But we now have a team that has transformed from last year and it is appropriate that the new logo launches us into the second stage of our development. The image is sharp, dynamic and exudes speed".

In other news the club has clinched two new sponsorship deals with local companies that will allow the club to purchase much needed kit for its expanding roster, extend the flourishing youth academy and provide improved facilities for our cheerleading squads.

The Jets will be running an extensive summer time youth program for junior players at U12, U14 and U16 levels, in association with cheerleading opportunities for girls wishing to participate aged between 5-11 (Cool Kits), 11-16 (Kittens), 16+ (Pussycats). Contact details are on our junior website at: www.coventryjetsyouth.com or contact Peter Evans on 07855-957-924 (Football), Cally on 07962-306-021 (Kits and Kittens) or Hannah on 07917-331-822 (Pussycats).

29th March 2005 - Aztec season kicks off against National Champions

The British American Football season kicks off in Bristol on Sunday 3rd April, as the Bristol Aztecs play host to the Division 1 National Champion PA Knights. The Knights come into town off the back of their first ever Division 1 championship, along with a European cup final appearance in 2004. They are hotly tipped for further success in 2005.

The Aztecs are no strangers to success either, reaching their second successive bowl final in 2004, and third final in five years. The West Country outfit finished as runners up in 2004’s Division 1A title race, after winning Division 2 in 2003. The Aztecs face another fiercely competitive season in 2005, matching up with the top teams in Division 1 South, and crucial divisional clashes with close rivals the Cambridge Cats and London Blitz, along with the newly promoted Chiltern Cheetahs.

But all Aztec focus is on the visit of PA. The Surrey side has lost top player Jon Wyse to the Colchester Gladiators in the offseason, but have reloaded with fresh talent from across Europe. The squad is loaded with talent and experience.

The Aztecs, meanwhile, have seen the departure of all-time leading running back Kenny Saro, after he won a professional contract with Arena Football’s Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. However, the same offensive line that laid track for the traditionally strong Aztec running game returns, featuring 3 current Great Britain Lions. The beat goes on.

Inspirational defender John Hartley returns after suffering a season-ending injury in the corresponding fixture last year, while linebacker Steve Bennett joins the team on transfer from Cambridgeshire. Over a dozen graduates of the Aztecs Youth programme have stepped up to Senior, including several GB Lions Youth standouts.

Knights Head Coach Steve Rains knows what Bristol are about, the two teams having faced each other regularly since 1997. While the odds favour the Knights, Coach Rains himself recently tabbed the South West side as ‘perennial winners’ and will no doubt ensure his team do not take the Aztecs lightly.

In fact, it was the 1997 semi-finals that saw the heavily favoured Knights upset by Bristol, who defeated the odds to win 13-12, en route to the club’s first ever bowl victory. Can the Knights avoid a similar banana skin this time around?

Aztecs Head Coach Mark Hopkins is relishing the early challenge, commenting ‘In every arena, you need to test yourself against the best, and PA certainly deserve that accolade. We have worked hard, on and off the pitch, to prepare for the season, and games like these are what British American Football is all about.’

The game kicks off at 2.30pm, at Bristol’s BAWA sports ground, Southmead Road, Filton. Admission to Aztec home games is free and American-style refreshments are available for spectators. For more directions, check our website at www.aztecs.co.uk.
20th March 2005 - Senior Kitted Pre-season friendlies/scrimmages


Gateshead Senators 0-45 West Coast Trojans
Colchester Gladiators 7-6 East Midland Saxons
Sussex Thunder 6-54 PA Knights
Chiltern Cheetahs 27-7 Norwich Devils
Nottingham Caesars 0-14 Manchester Titans
Kent Exiles 24-0 Cambridgeshire Cats

6th March 2005 - Coventry Jets Sign Steve Coles and Tony Perkins

In a sensational development the Coventry Jets today announced the capture of Tony Perkins from the Redditch Arrows. Perkins is a current Great Britain Lions International and joins recent acquisition Steve Coles in a star-studded Jets backfield. The Jets have now signed two of the GB Lions running backs in the last fortnight.

Jets Head Coach Gerry McManus: "Tony is another superb athlete, who adds tremendous natural speed to our team. We believe that Tony and Steve will combine to give our ground game real potency and I look forward to working with two of the Country’s best running backs this season…"

Perkins joins the Jets at the height of his career. A standout back for the Arrows, compiling numerous points and yards, he twice ran all over the Coventry Jaguars in 2004. MVP in both games, scoring 4TD’s and amassing over 300 yards, he was the best back the Coventry team faced last year.

Tony Perkins said: "I owe the Arrows a great deal for my development but I felt I needed a new challenge. The Jets are showing signs of great ambition and I want to be a part of that. The chance to line up alongside Steve Coles was also too good a chance to pass up".

The Coventry Jets have also signed Running Back Steve Coles from the Ipswich Cardinals. Coles is a current Great Britain Lions International and his transfer from the Division 1 team represents a real coup for the 2nd year Jets.

Jets Head Coach Gerry McManus enthused: "We are absolutely delighted that Steve has agreed to join our club. He is a powerful, explosive running back who will not only upgrade us in that position but help the less experienced players improve. The Coventry supporters are in a for a real treat…"

Coles joins the Jets at the height of his career. Narrowly missing a trip to the NFLE’s camp in Florida last year Steve has the pedigree to upgrade the Jets offense considerably and joins the Jets 2005 offense already housing former WLAF star receiver Mark Cohen.

Steve Coles said: "I enjoyed my time with the Cardinals enormously and hope to continue to develop my career with the Jets, who are a new and equally dynamic organisation. I want to play my part in challenging for the championship in the year ahead…"

The Jets play their home games at Broadstreet Rugby Club and start their home season on May 22nd. For game tickets and more information please contact Peter Evans on 07855-957924 or email him at: peterevans1965@yahoo.co.uk

20th March 2005 - Colchester ready for action with new sponsors

The newly reformed Colchester Gladiators are delighted to announce the confirmation of two sponsors for the forthcoming season. They are Sportsafe UK Ltd and the Sir Charles Lucas Centre for Sport and Art.

Sportsafe UK are a locally based company with their offices in Stanway. They specialise in the supply, installation and maintenance of sports equipment to local councils, leisure centres, schools and other sporting establishments around the country. Sportsafe can offer the complete package of fixed and portable equipment required to equip or refurbish any sporting establishment.

Sportsafe have recently expanded their portfolio of services to include the provision of branded clothing, uniforms and other merchandise, particularly to schools, sports clubs, companies and any establishment looking for high quality leisure and workwear and a professional appearance. The sponsorship package negotiated with the Gladiators involves the supply of team merchandise for resale to the team and general public. Managing Director Jon Neil was delighted to be able to support the Gladiators in this way and was looking forward to a successful association with the team.

Sir Charles Lucas Centre for Sport and Art is a dual use centre providing high quality sport and art facilities for the local community and beyond. Attached to Greenstead’s Sir Charles Lucas Arts College, it is open for public use after 3.30pm Monday to Fridays and from 9am at the weekend. The Centre has a wide range of facilities such as a four badminton court sports hall, 16 station fitness suite, gymnasium, five football pitches, floodlit and enclosed all-weather surface, 108 seat Theatre, and a brand new digital recording studio.

The sponsorship package provides the Gladiators with a home base for all training requirements throughout the year including regular, weekly training on a rugby pitch, and use of the gymnasium, classrooms and the fitness suite.

The Gladiators are still looking for a main team sponsor for the rapidly approaching season to assist them meet the high set up and running costs of participating in a national league. Potential sponsors looking to benefit from regular exposure while being associated with a high profile local sports team should contact Nick Foxley at Sir Charles Lucas Centre on 01206 500917.

The Gladiators have been training regularly at the Centre for many weeks now, building up to their return to action after an absence of nine years. The first visitors to their new home at Wivenhoe Town Football Club’s Broad Lane Stadium will be the East Midland Saxons, who are based in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The Saxons have established themselves in the British Senior League as a tough, competitive team who will give you a hard game. Although results didn’t fall favourably for them last year, the Gladiators expect a close game as they introduce a large number of rookies to their first taste of competitive action. The action gets underway at Broad Lane at 2pm. Further information can be obtained by logging on to the Gladiators website at http://eteamz.active.com/sites/colchestergladiators.

15th March 2005 - Interview with Steve Rains

We recently conducted an interview with Steve Rains - Head Coach of the BSL Division One champions, the PA Knights. You can read the interview by clicking here.

15th March 2005 - Mersey Centurions reforming

The Mersey Centurions have reformed after being out of the game for 12 years -  training on newsham park kensington. Tthe next session will be on Sunday 3rd April 2005 at 2-30pm  Veterans or Rookies  all welcome (Remember Pain hurts Scars fade Glory lasts forever ) and those that remember the centurions will know we had our share of glory we are looking to bring this back to liverpool again . i hope to see you there Jon Askew  Club General Manager/Running Back

14th March 2005 - London O's change name

Over 20 years ago the Streatham Olympians were born, named after the ‘Olympians Gym’ that the founders trained at, the name then changed to the London Olympians after a move to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, and entry into European competition meant a more prestigious name was needed, and along with the name change came the famous (in the British American Football community) Olympic Torch team decal. In the mid 1990’s due to legal complications, it was decided that the name would be changed to London O’s and the decal changed to an ecliptic ‘O’.

For 2005 we would like to, reintroduce you to the London Olympians (2005), and to mark the return, we would like to present our new team decal, a combination of the two previous decals, a coming together of two of the most famous names in the history of British American Football.



On the reasons for the change of name Head Coach and team owner, Coach Ayub explains, “The Return to the London Olympian name, has been something that has been discussed for a number of years, we felt for 2005 the time was right, we are back at Crystal Palace, London is bidding for the 2012 Olympic Games, and it was a great way for us to signify the start of a new era of football for the club, a time where the club is moving not one, but a number of steps forward, on and off the field.”

Explaining the redesign of the club logo, Sacha Conte, “This was a real team effort, with initial direction coming from the coaches”. “Ivo (De Greef), really set the ball rolling with his initial drawings, and Junior (Price) applied the finishing touches”, he continues, “We felt that the O’s logo had a great look and I personally didn’t want to stray too far from it, it was felt that this should be more of an evolution, than a complete redesign as it would allow us to continue to take advantage of many of the marketing aspects of the ‘O’.” So why back to the Flames? “The many emotions that fire brings to mind; Passion, Rage, Desire, Fear, Rebirth, Fire has so many associations with our sport and especially our club, it just seemed natural to bond the two elements of the logos.”

This is one of many changes for 2005 so far:

New Home Ground – Crystal Palace
New Coaches – Leroy Innis, Victor Mohamed, Tim Baptiste
New Name – London Olympians
New Logo – Flaming O

8th March 2005 - The ASAP Yorkshire Rams are ready for 2005!!

Following a hectic off season where the club has undergone a major overhaul, we are ready for the new campaign.

The ‘Front Office’ has been streamlined with directors of the organisation having specific roles to play to ensure its smooth running.

Keith Clarkson, Ram’s Operations Director, said "We have also acquired many superb new signings, including experienced players from bygone clubs coming out of retirement and joining the team after seeing the improvements. This coupled with our returning players is seeing loyalty and enthusiasm being generated from all concerned."

The continued partnership with the newly named Tetley’s Stadium in Dewsbury has been agreed and the club now have a firm base at this prestigious stadium from which to progress. A re-brand of the organisation including new logo and re-launched website at www.yorkshirerams.com will help us raise our profile in the surrounding localities and will also hopefully get the sport noticed more and attract more spectators to our games from the more widespread areas..

Other good news is that the team’s major sponsor, ASAP Calibration Services Ltd are to remain with the club. With their directors having enjoyed our games in 2004 we are hopeful that we will give them something to cheer about in 2005.

We have also set up a Marketing and Media Group who’s purpose is to concentrate on all aspects of promoting the Club, from merchandise to media relations. Features on TV and articles in local papers have worked wonders on the initial promotion early in the year and are now preparing to build on that. Chris Brogden, group manager, commented "The group are also working on making the Ram’s home games special events for their supporters and spectators. Using the stadium facilities the games will have commentaries, scoreboard and presentations and are putting together extras such as pre game special effects and half time shows. The aim is to attract people to our games not just to watch football but to be entertained."

Keith Clarkson added "On the actual football side, the team are looking to improve on what was a very frustrating 2004 season. With the addition of new coaching staff and a firm direction in where they are working the players are now sure that the team will improve on the league table standing of last year."

The Black Tide is ready to roll.

4th March 2005 - BSL players selected for NFL Europe

The following BSL players have been selected to play in NFL Europe for the 2005 season. Congratulations to them all.

BERLIN THUNDER 
DE Daniel Watts (UK); RB Neil Baxter (UK). 

FRANKFURT GALAXY 
CB Jeff Brown (UK); WR Marvin Allen (UK). 

HAMBURG SEA DEVILS 
LB Aden Durde (UK); WR Scott McCready (England). 

RHEIN FIRE 
S Onoh Ozongwu (UK); LB Shaun Smith (UK)

27th February - Kent overturn Saxons

They may have failed to christen their new home with a victory, going down 20 - 0 but the East Midland Saxons did enough to suggest that a first victory in more than a year of competitive football could be just around the corner.


EastMidland Saxons in action against Kent Exiles
Photo courtesy of Paul Young at 
www.nenedigital.co.uk

Months of training and planning were finally put into practice for the Peterborough based outfit as they took on a Kent Exiles side which just missed out on the playoffs last season despite recording six wins.

It was obvious from the kick-off that both teams were struggling with early season rust but the Saxons came close to scoring the opening touchdown after running back Darren Cockayne rumbled 34 yards before being tackled just two yards short of the Exiles goal line.

Unfortunately, after a run up the middle failed to get the first score, the Saxons fumbled on the next play and it was recovered by the Exiles.

This proved to be the turning point as the Exiles marched 98 yards up the field to score the go ahead touchdown.

The Saxons failed to muster much offence for the next two quarters, thanks to a very tough Exiles defense, with several drives ending in either punts, fumbles or interceptions.

Meanwhile the Exiles put together two more scoring drives with a virtually unstoppable rushing attack which gained more than 300 yards on the day.

The Saxons did fight back in the fourth quarter but by then the Exiles had stretched their lead to 20 points and despite some nifty running from quarterback Charlie Paul and running back Gareth Evans the Saxons never got close to getting that elusive first score.

Despite the loss their were plenty of positives from the new look Saxons with defender Ian Sturgess recording eight tackles and cornerback Mark Ayres snaring an interception.

While he was obviously disappointed with the loss, new head coach Chris Wallis was still confident that the Saxons would continue to improve, he said: "It was a disappointing result, especially as we failed to score.

"But plenty of positives came out of the game and we have an opportunity to correct the errors we made before the season starts."

This week, on the 6th March, the Saxons are in another pre-season friendly away to Norwich. Kick off 1.30pm.

19th February 2005 - Kenny Saro picked by Oklahoma in AFL draft

Bristol Aztec all-time leading rusher Kenny Saro joined the professional footballing ranks on 17th February, as he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of Arena Football 2. One of just nine international prospects selected, Saro flies out to the US at the end of February, in time to join his new team for the coming season.

This is not Saro’s first taste of the big leagues, having been selected for the latter stages of NFLe National Player trials in 2003. Kenny did not make the breakthrough on that occasion, but is relishing the prospect of Arena Football.

‘I’m looking forward to the challenge over in the States. The Arena game is a bit different to what we play here, but running and hitting doesn’t change from one league to another. I’ve just got to get over there and prove what I can do.’

Arena Football is a unique variation of more traditional American football, featuring a 50-yard pitch, 8 players per side and rebound nets at the back of each end zone, which keep the ball in play. Under the Arena format, players go both ways, playing both offense and defense. When not carrying the ball for the offense, Saro will return to the linebacking spot where he starred for BCAFL’s Bristol Bullets, before moving to the running back position.

It was as a running back that Kenny cemented his reputation as one of the BSL’s most feared scoring threats, leading the Aztecs to back to back Bowl finals in 2003 and 2004, shattering several club records in the process. His value to the club was nowhere more evident than in the club’s 2003 championship win over Nottingham Caesars, as he ran for 248 yards on 26 carries, scoring three touchdowns. 100 yards is considered a good day’s work for most players at the position.

Saro is not the only Aztec making waves at the higher levels, as Linebacker Tom Proctor has this week been invited to Arena Football 2 trials. The former GB Youth captain flew out on Sunday, ready to take his chance at joining the professional ranks.

Aztec Head Coach Hopkins commented ‘This is fantastic news for Kenny, and hopefully Tom will get a chance to show his stuff on the big stage as well. I’m incredibly proud of both of them, they exemplify the sort of things you can achieve with hard work and commitment. It’s a great day for our programme.’


13th February 2005 - Steve James retires

The oldest player to have played in the BCAFL has retired. Steve "Fluff" JamesI officially retired last Sunday playing his last match against Bristol. His new record reads:

Steve "Fluff" James (Cardiff Cobras) - born 13/10/63. Played vs Bristol Bullets on 6th February 2005 at DT

13th February 2005 - East Midland Saxons news

A major plus for the East Midland Saxons American Football Team based in Peterborough has appeared in the form of The Posh Allstars. The Cheerleading troop based at Peterborough United Football Club, have agreed to cheer for the Saxons at their home games on the Stanground Field. "All of the Saxons are delighted to have a cheerleading troop of the standard of the Allstars onside with us." Andy Coleman went on to say, "and we want to encourage everyone in Peterborough to come out and enjoy the spectacle of American Football, and the skill of extremely talented Cheerleaders – we’re really looking forward to having them there with us in 2005".

Elly Crawt, of the Posh Allstars said "We spotted the Saxons in a newspaper article, and they had been in touch with us previously from the Cheerleading UK website – this is a wonderful opportunity for the girls in the All-stars, and we hope we can make the Saxons proud."

the Saxons/Allstars debut will be from 2.00pm the 27th February at Stanground College, where the Saxons run out to their first pre-season game against the Kent Exiles. The Saxons will welcome anyone with an interest in American Football to come along and watch, to cheer and to soak up a little piece of America!

As part of the Saxons ongoing recruitment campaign, The Saxon Gathering, they are actively looking for Sideline staff, Chain Crew, Youth Team Players, Senior Team Players and Supporters. You do not have to be a player to contribute to the spectacle of American Football! For more details contact the Saxons Team Manager, Mark Kerr on 07930 543745.

For more information on sponsoring the East Midland Saxons and sharing the glory of the 2005 Season, then please contact Andy Coleman on 07789 607906 for more details or check out www.thesaxons.co.uk

THE East Midland Saxons are pleased to announce that they will be doing battle at a new home for the 2005 season.

Stanground Specialist Sports College, in Peterborough, has stepped forward to provide the Saxons with the facilities they need in order to make a challenge for the British Senior League’s Division 2 Championship.

After three years of playing their home games in Spalding and Boston the American football club have relocated to the city to take advantage of a strong local playing base and also excellent sponsorship opportunities.

General manager Mark Kerr said: "After a pretty extensive search of the Peterborough area the sports college was identified as being head and shoulders above the rest when it came to providing us with the facilities we need.

"The Saxons have undergone some very positive changes since the end of last year’s unsuccessful campaign and the move to Stanground is the final piece in what will be a very professional East Midland Saxons outfit in 2005."

The move to Stanground will enable the specialist sports college to add another option to its impressive range of sports on offer.

Emma Walker, from Stanground Specialist Sports College said: "We were happy to come to the Saxons aid and provide a base for American football in the city.

"It is a very unique game and shows once again the Stanground is a forward thinking college which is happy to cater for not only the popular sports but those which are still in the minority."

The Saxons begin training at their new base on February 20 from 11am. They will play their first pre-season game against the Kent Exiles a week later, kicking off at 2.30pm.

13th February 2005 - Inverness twins with Freeport, Maine, USA.

Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football announced this week ambitious plans to form links with the town of Freeport, Maine, USA. The links between these two communities would initially revolve around American Football, a spokesman for the Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football said "We decided that a link with the USA would be a great way to help develop the sport in this country and Freeport was chosen as they have in the last few years developed their own high school football teams and are therefore in a similar situation to ourselves, their climate is also quite similar to Scotland’s." Amongst the aims of the Declaration of Twindependence are: -

  1. Sharing knowledge and experience of American Football.
  2. Opportunity for visiting each other’s community.
  3. Games of American Football between the two communities.
  4. Working towards a student exchange policy, where players can complete a year of school and be part of the football team.
  5. Coach exchange.
  6. To broaden the knowledge of all about each other’s country.

Coach Steven Lechner of Freeport, Maine who is the head coach of the Junior Freeport Falcons said, "I am very interested in working toward forming a real relationship between the programs. Players on both sides of the Pond could benefit greatly from this effort, and in ways that go far beyond athletics" Coach Lechner who has worked in the front office of the then-Los Angeles Raiders, in a public/media relations and scouting capacity and has coached at the Division II level for an American college will be the first to take advantage of this declaration when he visits Inverness in the coming months. The twinning ceremony was completed with a "virtual handshake" between Coach Lechner and Stuart Harrison from the Inverness Blitz team the Highland Wildcats. Anyone interested should contact the Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football on 01463 242431.

13th February 2005 - Hereford Chargers are back

After a decade of Hereford of being without American Football, the Hereford Chargers are back. They train at the Hereford City Sports Club on Sundays from 12 to 3. Both Senior and youth players are welcome to join us.

The Hereford Chargers are looking to fill these positions.

  • Defensive Co-ordinator
  • Offensive Co-ordinator
  • Specialist Coaches (Wide Recievers, Secondary,etc)
  • Special Teams Coach
  • Fundraising Officer
  • Gameday Staff (Contact for more details)
  • Child Protection Officer

If you want to join us as a player, coach or staff, you can email us on contact@herefordchargers.com or you can call Colin Headland on 07817 021543

6th February 2005 - Dwain Chambers signs for the PA Knights

The Personal Assurance Knights are pleased to announce that sprinter Dwain Chambers has signed to play for them this season.

"I am so pleased to have been accepted as a player for the PA Knights. I’m looking forward to getting to know the rest of the team and playing my first game in April" said Dwain after his first training session with the PA Knights last week.

Dwain is currently trying out for a number of positions and, with his natural talent as an athlete, has the potential to excel in them all. "Dwain’s sheer ability as a sportsman will be a great bonus for our squad. The PA Knights have some challenges ahead this year. Retaining our title as the British Senior League National Champions is our main goal but we also have high hopes for our European games. Dwain will play a key role in our continued success both domestic and in Europe" said Steve Rains, Head Coach of the Personal Assurance Knights.

Last year the PA Knights won the BSL National Championship and nearly matched their domestic success with success in Europe, reaching the final of the EFAF (European Association of American Football) Cup in Austria. This year the PA Knights are the only UK team to be playing in the EFAF Cup and intend to carry the flag for the UK and make the fans proud.

2nd February 2005 - Southern Sundevils relaunch website

The Southern Sundevils American Fooball Team re-launch their new website on Friday 28th January 2005. The new site boasts a full history of all the 105 games that the Sundevils have entered, as well as all the resent Sundevil developments and News.

http://www.southernsundevils.org.uk/

And this will be supported, not only with the regular roster & statistics sections, but we have taken the time to add the All-time Sundevil Roster & All-time stats.

The new site boasts the full history of the first 10 years of SHOWTIME FOOTBALL on the South Coast. The content of the site will include the popular UK Links page, and Team Message boards facility, that has been a remarkable recruiting tool.

But we have added plenty of new sections too.

-          A brand new, rotating News section on the home page, that will receive regular updates
-          All-Time Roster, which lists almost 200 past & present player, coaches and staff.
-          All-Time Record, by Team and by Head coach
-          All-Time Stats, Offensive categories (with Defensive, Special teams & Scoring to be released on 5th Feb)
 
We have also included a download facility, so ensure everyone can obtain our very own ‘SHOWTIME’ Font.

The development of our website over the last 2 years has been remarkable, especially considering the whole process started as a part-time project, by our first real webmaster, Mike Shaw Paul Brady has joined Mike to develop a new Media team, with the soul purpose of raising our image & awareness within our local Community.

GM Russ Hewitt said, "We wanted to ensure that we celebrated the senior teams 10th Anniversary in style. After last season’s championship run, all expectations within and around the club have been given a real boast. And we all relish the opportunity of returning back into Division One”

“…Over the last three months, we have been nominated for Team of the Year, by Portsmouth Evening News and invited to assist the University of Portsmouth, develop their very own American Football team.”

We hope you enjoy the new site, and please come back, to keep up with all the SOUTHERN news

1st February 2005 - American Dream beckons for Exiles

The Kent Exiles already flourishing pre-season preparations took another huge boost this week as the club announced a landmark sponsorship deal with top European sports equipment supplier American Dream.

The Italian based American Dream primarily sell American football equipment, and are already the supplier of choice to the Italian league, as well as several other high profile clubs around Europe. Thanks to the efforts of Exiles sponsorship co-ordinator Martin Jefkins, who has also been appointed as the official UK representative for American Dream, the Exiles will benefit from discounted football equipment, as well as receiving a percentage from any UK based orders.

Jefkins is acting as the UK rep so that more teams and players can benefit from American Dream’s excellent prices, and top quality equipment. The company are focused on delivering the best possible service to the whole of Europe, and as such Jefkins was in a buoyant mood when he commented, "we are delighted to form this partnership which offers so much to both parties, it makes such a difference to be able to rely on a top quality supplier who is dedicated to giving it’s best to a sport which it loves".

American Dream are positive this deal will see a huge benefit to clubs in the UK, company founder Alessio e Silvia Infidi commented "we are extremely happy to welcome the Kent Exiles into American Dream’s family, they are a progressive club with a proud tradition, these are values we regard highly as a company. We pride ourselves on having the widest range of football equipment in Europe, as well guaranteeing fast delivery from our warehouses in Italy and America". All of American Dreams stock is sourced in the USA, and they are able to offer bulk discounts on team orders.

The Exiles have already benefited from this exciting new tie up, and are keen for other clubs around the UK to also benefit from access to this established supplier, in a market that is dominated by so few currently.

If you, or your team, are in the hunt for any new kit for the upcoming season then why not take a look at American Dream to see what they can offer, the company can be accessed via the Exiles website, www.kentexiles.co.uk, and a UK order form is also available to download. Or Martin can be contacted directly on Americandream@kentexiles.co.uk for an order form and quotes on any equipment needed.

The Exiles senior and youth teams are both back in training for the upcoming season, and are still welcoming any new additions to the teams, the club can also be contacted in confidence via their website www.kentexiles.co.uk, or by calling Martin on 07944 730634.

25th January 2005 - Kent Exiles awards

The Kent Exiles held their annual awards dinner recently to honour the club members who have excelled during the past season.

In all Head Coach Phil Wood had twelve trophies to award in seven categories, the first being Rookie of the year. This was a particularly hard award to decide as the Exiles squad had been bolstered by a massive 13 rookies last season, defensive lineman Steve Garwood was the runner-up, but the award went to offensive standout Grahame Warby. Warby joined from the London O's and GB youth programme, and in his first senior season formed a formidable partnership with quarterback Matt Duncan. He finished the season as the division 2 leading wide receiver, with 46 receptions for 826 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lineman of the year went to an Exiles stalwart, Carl Alexis. From his Defensive tackle position Alexis led all Exiles linemen with 36 tackles, and also finished second in the sack table. Runner-up was Offensive Lineman Dave Pester..

One of the major areas the Exiles improved on during the year was special teams, Alex Campbell was runner-up in this category after great performances in all areas, but the overwhelming winner was Roy Hall. Hall excelled in kick-off and Punt coverage, whilst also leading the team and proving a constant threat to the opposition when returning punts and kick-offs, finishing the season with over 600 yards.

Defensively the award was an easy choice, linebacker Mark Vickers led the team on the pitch recording 73 tackles, Vickers also made many big plays during the season. Runner-up was Carl Alexis, who picked up his second award of the night.

The Exiles exploded offensively in 2004, which made this one of the toughest categories to judge. Receiver Grahame Warby picked up his second gong as he was awarded the runners-up position, but overall the award went to Matt Duncan. Duncan once again proved to be the catalyst of the Exiles as his 1600 yards of passing shows, but his overall marshaling of the team was again second to none.

The Exiles then presented the Coaches award for outstanding contribution to the team. And for the first time it went to a non-plying member as Kieron Hyams was asked to step forward. Hyams was the driving force behind the Exiles new website which was launched before the season, not only by designing the site, but also by becoming the teams 'webmaster'. His dedication to the job saw a boost to the clubs communication with a new forum section, and the new site was also a step up as a recruiting tool, with nearly 100 new contacts for the club already made via the site.

The evening then culminated with the Players Player of the year award. This went to another new member, Norman Navarro. Navarro joined the team on the eve of the season, but his enthusiasm shone through for all to see, as well as his talent gained by playing several years in semi-pro leagues in New York. The entire Exiles line benefited from his coaching, and he was a revelation in his efforts to help the club, and now publishes a regular team newsletter.

Also on the night Youth Team Head Coach James McCartney presented his awards to Sean Starwind, Joe Rinaldi, Ian Hills and Pat Turner, all of whom had made significant contributions on the teams return to the BYAFA fold.

The evening was then concluded by Wood, who also paid tribute to retiring statistician Simon Clarke  for his work on the Exiles sideline over many years, before reminding the team that preparations for the 2005 season had already started, and that constant improvement was needed to maintain and improve the level of play we had achieved in the last two seasons.

The Exiles would welcome any new or experienced players to any of their teams (youth or senior) and the club can be contacted in confidence via their websitewww.kentexiles.co.uk

19th January 2005 - RAMS READY TO RAMPAGE?

Since their AGM at the end of last year the backroom staff of the ASAP Yorkshire Rams have made significant changes within the club to improve them after a frustrating season. ASAP Calibration Services are to continue their sponsorship of the team which helps, not only financially but will also give benefit through advice from their links with other organisations.

They have again secured the prestigious Ram Stadium at Dewsbury, a great facility which will be used to its full potential in the coming season. Lots of ideas that have been discussed are to be put into practise which will hopefully attract the spectators back through the turnstyles that the game used to see a few years ago.

The club have also set up a Marketing & Media group that will concentrate on the promotion and advertisement of the team. This has already lead to spots on TV, including the high profile advert for SKY Sports shown over Christmas and the New Year and also in the soon to be televised Sunday morning programme Heaven and Earth. After a lot of work that has been done on their ‘new and improved’ website (www.yorkshirerams.com) and logo, they should also be going live this weekend to go hand in hand with the revamped Ram’s organisation.

Training started before Christmas with many new recruits coming along leading from the TV slots and what they have seen of the team in 2004, losing season or not. The first practise of 2005 on Sunday saw ex Wolverines players joining the team as they see the Rams as a club that will be going places.

Youth is also a high priority within the club and the start of the year has seen many new faces appearing at training wanting to start up in the game. Youth Director, Dave Pawson, is hopeful that if he can get extra coaching help he will be able to field teams throughout the various age groups from flag to youth kitted. Dave can be contacted on 01924 437715 or 07801 697852.

Following on from this busy period the club furthered their preparation for 2005 with an important addition to their coaching staff this weekend. Jim Blinkhorn shook hands with team management and went straight to work as offensive co-ordinator and started putting into place a system which will hopefully help the team get some 1’s in the win column. Ram’s spokesman, Operations Director, Keith Clarkson said, "This is the start of filling in the pieces that we need. Our Head Coach, Rich Handby, sees Jim as a vital boost to what we have already and the rest of our management and coaching staff are delighted to welcome him on board."

The Rams train on Sundays 11am at Thornes Park, Wakefield. Further information can be got from Keith on 07900 564450 or Phill on 01484 310636

23rd January 2005 - Exiles announce new defensive supremo

The Kent Exiles this week announced their most important signing in preparation for the 2005 season, by confirming that Nigel Hadley will be joining the club.

The Ex-Norwich Devils defensive maestro joins the club to co-ordinate the Exiles defence, a position the club has been keen to fill since last season when the unit struggled to keep it’s early season from in the face of mounting injuries. Hadley has a proven track record in his seven years of coaching experience, having led the Devils league leading defence in their 2001 bowl appearance season and 2002 Bowl Championship season, he also won the title as a player in 1990 with the Ipswich Cardinals. "I’m delighted to be joining such a well organised and focussed club", commented Hadley. "The Exiles have impressed me for years as an opponent with their fierce determination to keep going against all odds, couple this with the talent they have recruited over the last few years, and the potential is there for all to see. I aim to harness this and give them the tools they need to dominate opponents on both sides of the ball".

Exiles Head Coach Phil Wood added "We’re delighted to have recruited Nigel, he has a winning mentality, and experience at all levels of coaching which stood him out amongst the other candidates for the job. Our defence will surely be improved from last season with him on board".

With this enhanced coaching line up, which has some more additions yet to be announced, the emphasis is clearly on more improvement for the club as it moves into the new season. And in line with this the Exiles are now also training on a Thursday night, and running a gym session on Tuesday evenings, as well as having three pre-season match up’s already confirmed.

The club has worked hard in the off season to secure the services of additional coaches for 2005, as well as restructuring their training regime to not only include more sessions, but to more accurately follow the elite player program. In depth positional drills are also included to enable the Youth section to benefit from experienced coaching on the basics of the game.

The full Exiles organisation, from Youth to Senior, are also now back in training every Sunday from 10-1 at their Orpington home on the Kent/South London borders, the club can be contacted in confidence via their website www.kentexiles.co.uk for further details.

18th January 2005 - Coach John Gurga passes away

John Frank Gurga played his football at University of Maine. He went from No.8 QB to No.1 during one training session. The teams football coaches requested a QB for their fierce defence to hammer. The coaches asked for volunteers and as John always did, he stepped up and took the chance to demonstrate his ability under intense pressure. By the end of the session he was asked to show up for extra coaching so he could start in the next game! He was said to have had one of the strongest arms in football at collage level. He backed the reputation up when he threw to his main receiver, unfortunately breaking two of the guys fingers in the process!

When John left University, he joined the Navy, spending time in Korea where he won Golden Gloves in Boxing. John really knew what it took to win. After leaving the Navy John ventured over to England in 1974 joining McDermot Oil Company as Chief Welding Engineer. It was here John met and married his wife Carol, with whom they have a son, John Jnr.

John first tasted British American Football in 1886 when he started coaching the Lincoln Bombers. The Bombers proceeded to make the semi-finals or the finals in every season John was in charge. In 1990 he left to coach the Scunthorpe Steelers, helping them to a second Conference Championship. In 1993 he returned to Lincoln to coach the Saints to the BNGL First Division Bowl beating Redbridge Fire, whom had not been beaten all season. The Saints scored more touchdowns against the Fire in that game than Redbridge had conceded all season. At end of the 93 season John was awarded Coach of the Year.

Between 1993-98 John went on to coach the Leeds Cougars, Leicester Panthers and Nottingham Hoods. In 1998 took the Position of Head Coach at Sheffield, leading the Saxons to the Quarter finals. That year he was awarded Allstars Coach of the Year after a very respectful first season against very tough opposition.

John's final port of call was in 2004 with the Doncaster Mustangs. Joining after only their first season, John installed his infamous Wing-T Offence and lead the Mustangs to an undefeated regular season. The Mustangs took Conference title and defeated 2 strong Scottish teams, Glasgow and Dundee in the Quarter and Semi-finals respectively, leading the team to the BSL Division 2 Bowl. The Chiltern Cheetahs were their opponents after also finishing their season undefeated. The game was fast and furious, with the Mustangs and Johns Wing-T offence rolling out convincing 32-16 victors, lifting Doncaster,s first piece of silverware in only their second season.

John made many friends and admirers through football, never failing to talk passionately about the game. One on John's close long time friends, Giovanni Viscomi summed John up by saying “If I had to summarize what this great man was about, it would be that he could take a bunch of average guys and turn them into winners.

British American Football has lost one of its finest ambassadors.

8th January 2005 - Coach George Aguado passes away

George Aguado, the former coach of the Manchester Spartans, Wirral Wolves and Prestatyn Panthers has sadly died. George contributed so much to the Britball game in the 1980's and early 90's and he gave so much passion to the game we all love.



TRIBUTE TO 'COACH' GEORGE AGUADO (1932 - 2005) I would like to pay my respects to my 'Sporting Mentor', George Aguado, known to all as 'The Coach' who died last week in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 72. George was born and raised in Chicago and spent an eventful working life as a Sergeant in the Chicago Police, surviving several shoot-outs and receiving a medal for rescuing a man trapped under an oil tanker which was in danger of catching fire. At 50 he retired, with his British wife Sheila and three children, to the Liverpool area and dedicated himself to promoting the sport he had been involved in all his life, American Football. He was a founder of the Wirral Wolves, the club I joined at the age of 16 and took them to a Steel Bowl final. He also coached Manchester Spartans, and helped out with many other British teams - from youth squads up to international level, gaining a reputation as one of the few coaches in the country who could assemble an explosive passing game. He even spent a season in Spain at the invitation of the 'Valencia Firebats'. Ill health saw him return with his family to the USA, this time to the warmer weather of Arizona and he continued his involvement in the game he loved right to the last, winning a 'Coach of the Year' award in the semi-professional AzFL in his late 60s. He even once fixed it for me, a Brit (!) to commentate on a playoff game in Phoenix, so persuasive and charismatic a character was George. Without him, I'm sure I would never have got involved in sport, or indeed the Demons. An inspirational coach, whose Chicago background meant he had no fear recruiting gifted young players from every walk of life - from the Police to the sometimes wild but highly talented men of Toxteth, he will be sadly missed as a force for developing sport and as a true friend. Rest in Peace, Coach! SIMON DAVIES, Vice President, Cardiff Demons RLFC.

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