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Review of 2007
Blitz win the big one
Knights
promoted back to the elite
Bristol take
their first College Bowl
BAFA launch
“Get Into Football”
The British American Football League expanded again with five new teams
joining in 2007 - the Cornish Sharks, Shropshire Revolution,
Lincolnshire Bombers and the Hull Hornets. The Lancashire Wolverines
also made a welcome return to a league which saw 42 competing teams
– the most since the 1996 season.
BAFL was restructured into 3 divisions, with the formation of an 8 team
elite National Premier Division. This division featured last years
Division One finalists, the London Olympians and the London Blitz.
Other Premier teams included the Southern Sundevils, the Birmingham
Bulls, the East Kilbride Pirates, the Gateshead Seantors, the Bristol
Aztecs and last season’s Division 1A champions the Coventry
Jets.
The Jets were promoted at the end of a successful 2006 season, and were
holding a 25 game unbeaten run against British opposition. As a result,
the Jets organization were as confident as any for the 2007 Premier
Division crown. Early season results were more than promising as they
blitzed their local rivals, the Birmingham Bulls 42-0 and then defeated
the 2006 champions, the London Olympians 27-20 in a thriller at
Coventry’s Ricoh Arena. London Blitz showed that they would be
real contenders when they shut out the Olympians 26-0, and a late
season 28-24 win over the Jets gave the Blitz no.1 ranking going into
the playoffs. The Blitz win over the Jets also snapped the Jets 32 game
winning run. Into the playoffs, and the Jets held off a determined
Bristol Aztecs challenge in the semi-finals with a 13-6 win, whilst
Blitz made it 3 wins out of 3 over the Olympians with a 23-10 win to
set up a final vs the Jets.
In a tight affair, the London Blitz triumphed with a 14-6 win due to 2
TD passes from Stuart Franklin to Marcin Lai and Rod Bradley.
In BAFL 1, 12 teams were separated into a North and South conference.
In the South, the Farnham Knights (relegated from the Premier in 2006)
swept all before them with Kingsley Ejigou's 23 rushing TDs setting a
club record as they made light work of their southern opponents in
going 10-0. Ipswich Cardinals finished 8-2 and also made the
semi-finals. In the North West Coast Trojans and Redditch Arrows were
the early pacesetters, and both teams pulled away. In the battle for
home field advantage, Redditch defeated the Trojans 16-8 early in the
season, but the Trojans 28-26 victory later in the season gave them
no.1 ranking in the North. Farnham destroyed the Arrows 49-14 in the
semi-finals, and Ipswich travelled up to Scotland and came away with a
28-13 win over the Trojans to set up an all southern final, which the
Knights won 47-7.
In an expanded Division Two, 22 sides took to the fields in highly
competitive football. The Norwich Devils were the only Div.2 side to go
unbeaten with a perfect 10-0 record. South Wales took the South West
Conference with a 9-1 record and Dundee Hurricanes also went 9-1 taking
the North. The final conference, the Central, was won by the Nottingham
Caesars with a 8-2 record. Manchester Titans continued to improve
posting a 7-2-1 record and snatching a playoff spot. Special mention to
Brian Smallworth's rookie Cornish Sharks were not only played their
first season in BAFL but also took a playoff spot with a 7-3 record. In
the playoffs, the Devils ousted the Sharks 26-18, and they were joined
in the semi-finals by the Titans, the Hurricanes and the South Wales
Warriors. In the semis, Norwich continued their winning run with a
43-28 win over the Warriors, and the Dundee Hurricanes defeated the
Titans 50-12. In the final, Norwich completed the perfect season with a
26-12 win over the Hurricanes.
Other notable Britball facts and figures for 2007:
-
Coventry Jets run of 32 consecutive victories was ended, and their
run placed them 3rd in the alltime list for consecutive wins
- Nick Copley ran for 384 yards for the Plymouth Admirals vs Andover
Thrashers putting him third on the alltime list
- Kingsley Ejiogu (PA Knigths) became the first player in 4 years to
run for more than 20 TDs in a season. His 23 TD’s placed him
14th
on the alltime list
- Coventry Jets Marc Cohen’s 240 receiving yards vs East Kilbride placed
him 9th on the alltime list
- Shropshire's Chris Howe’s 95 yard catch placed him 2nd on the alltime
list
The Coventry Jets were also BAFA’s representatives in the
EFAF
Cup. In the opening game of the year they defeated the Madrid Bears
39-8 at home, setting themselves up for a knockout group match against
the Austrians, Hohenems Blue Devils in Austria. In a hard fought
encounter, the Blue Devils prevailed 34-19.
The Blue Devils made it in
the EFAF Cup Final in the end where they lost 28-26 to fellow
Austrians, the Graz Giants.
In the Eurobowl, Austria continued their recent domination of European
competitions with the Vienna Vikings winning a record fourth straight
Eurobowl with a 70-19 clubbing of the Marburg Mercenaries from Germany.
In Ireland, the league expanded again despite the North Dublin Marshals
not taking part in 2007. The Belfast Trojans joined the league enabling
a Northern conference to be established together with the Belfast Bulls
and the Carrickfergus Knights. The Tallaght Outlaws were the other new
team and took their place in the southern conference with UL Vikings
and the Cork Admirals. The Central Conference was made up the 3 Dublin
sides – the Rebels, the Dragons and the Saints. After a
highly
competitive regular season, the Bulls edged the North with a 4-3-1
record, the Rebels went 7-1 to win the Central and the Vikings went 7-1
to win the South. Onto the playoffs, and the wild card Cork Admirals
defeated the Belfast Trojans 30-0 before they pulled off a sensational
8-6 in Dublin to dethrone the champion Rebels in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile in western Ireland, the Limerick Vikings made short work of
the Belfast Bulls with a 44-2 victory in the other semi-final. Onto
Shamrock Bowl XXI in Limerick, and the Vikings won the bowl with a
22-14 win, only sealed in the 4th quarter when Seamus Hogan scored on a
5 yard run to put them clear.
2007 was also the year that the Irish national side were to take part
in the 2007 European Championship Pool C in Austria. Alas, the national
side pulled out of the competition that was won by Austria with a 41-8
win over Norway in the final. Austria, therefore, have been promoted to
Pool B that will take place in 2008 in Italy.
With the eyes of Europe on Pool C, the GB Lions senior kitted side did
not play in 2007 as their next scheduled tournament will be the 2009
European Pool A Championship in Finland. That said preparations for
that tournament are well underway with a series of announcements in
2007. Steve “Duck” Collins was announced
as the GB
Lions defensive co-ordinator, a new GB Lions logo was released, Steve
McCusker was announced as offensive line coach and Birmingham Bulls HC
Brendan Cunnane joined the Lions defensive staff.
At the end of 2007, the GB management also announced an exciting
friendly against Sweden away from home in April 2008 as part of their
build up to the 2009 tournament.
The World Cup was held in Japan, following a series of continental
qualifying tournaments. As hosts Japan qualified and they were joined
by Korea, Sweden, France, Germany and USA. USA made it through as
expected to the final where they edged Japan 23-20 in overtime.
In youth football, the year started with the traditional Under 19 youth
kitted international between Scotland and England. In 2007, the
encounter took place in Edinburgh which saw England run out 20-8
winners.
BYAFA Bowl XIX was won by the London Warriors for a second straight
year with a 33-2 win over the Farnham Knights. Sussex Junior Thunder
won the BYAFA Junior Kitted title again for the second straight year
with a 52-34 win over in the Inverness Wildcats. The BYAFA Cadet flag
champions were the London Lions, the Junior Champions were the Woodham
Warriors who defeated the Sussex Thunder 48-18 and the Youth Flag
champions were the Sussex Thunder who defeated the South Wales
Rebellion 25-19 in OT.
The Woodham Warriors A won the NFL English Schools Flag championship
with a 33-0 win over their ‘B’ team, and the Royal
Buccaneers won 18-14 against St Johns Eagles in the Scottish final.
Both Royal Academy Buccaneers and St Johns High Eagles travelled down
to Woodham together for the UK finals, which saw the Warriors emerge as
British champions with a 42-6 over the Buccaneers.
Woodham Warriors thus qualified for the European Schools finals in
Germany where they finished third with group wins over Italy, Holland
and Finland. Their third place finish earnt them a first trip for a
British side to the NFL Flag Football World Championships that were
held in New Orleans in August. They finished a credible 7th place in a
tournament won by Canada.
The IFAF launched a new tournament - the World Junior Championships in
the age category of Under 15. Played in September and hosted by the
Netherlands, the USA won the final 46-40 against Japan. GB did not
enter a side.
At the end of the BYAFA season, a joint BYAFA-BAFA statement was
released which announced that BAFL would going forward manage the youth
contact and non contact football in Great Britain.
“The BYAFA are delighted to confirm at an EGM at Don Valley
Stadium, Sheffield the members present voted twenty-five for, none
against and with three abstentions to a proposal recommended by the
incumbent committee for the BAFL to manage operations for youth contact
and non-contact football in Great Britain for the 2008 season and
beyond.
The resulting vote will mean we now move into a transition period where
the incumbent committee and the BAFL Board of Directors will work to
amalgamate both contact and non-contact versions of the sport in Great
Britain under the BAFL brand for all age groups.
On the topic of this amalgamation, BYAFA Chairman, Wendy Bamford,
commented, “BYAFA recognise that this is a positive step
forward
in taking Youth Football to the next level, calling on a wide variety
of different resources and skill sets that the BAFL have at their
disposal. The move can be seen as a significant benchmark towards the
BAFA Whole Sports Plan and the BYAFA look forward to a smooth and well
ordered transition".
BAFL Chairman, Glen Schild, Added “The BAFL Board are
delighted
to have such a strong vote of confidence from the BYAFA membership
– we look forward with anticipation to working with all the
clubs
in the future”.
At the closure of the EGM, the BYAFA membership thanked the current
committee, Phil Cottier, Alan Wilson, Julia Chatwood, Dave Bamford and
Wendy Bamford for their hard work and years of service.”
The Scottish Flag Football League held their finals day in September
with the Inverness Buccaneers lifting the Cadet Championship, while the
Glagow Tigers lifted both the Junior and
Youth Championships.
39 teams took part in the 2006/2007 BCAFL season with the Essex Blades
being the sole side to have an undfeeated regular season. The Blades
were dumped out of the playoffs by eventual winners, the Bristol
Bullets by an emphatic 43-6 scoreline. The Bristol Bullets won College
Bowl XXI by a 31-14 scoreline over the Loughborough Aces.
Away from the college football, a very public dispute between the
British American Football Association (BAFA) and the British Students
American Football Association (BSAFA) emerged as BAFA announced that it
was owed approximately £19,000 by the BSAFA. A statement from
BAFA commented,
“In June, BSAFA made a proposal concerning debt repayments,
but BAFA found that proposal to be grossly inadequate.
On legal advice, BAFA now regards the BSAFA organisation as financially
insolvent, as it does not have a robust policy to trade out of its
predicament. Consequently, BAFA has instructed its legal team to
commence action to recover the outstanding debt against the BSAFA
directors who racked up the debt and those who are failing to repay it.
Commenting on the subject, BAFA Chairman Gary Marshall stated, "It is
with regret that this action must be taken. BAFA have exhausted all
timely avenues of resolution in this matter with BSAFA". He added, "The
BAFA Board of Directors must now reflect and decide whether there is a
place for the BSAFA organisation, in its present form and structure,
within the NGB in light of the information they have provided to us".
A subsequent statement suspended BSAFA, and the British American
Football Association (BAFA) announced the launch of a new organising
body for all university football. The British Universities American
Football League (BUAFL) commenced its inaugural season in October 2007.
The GB Bulldogs did not play in 2007 due to the dispute between BSAFA
and BAFA, though a “UK College Bulldogs” side did
form and
played the Oslo Vikings in Norway winning 42-8.
In senior flag football, 8 sides competed in the English Senior Flag
League, which resulted in Team Voodoo from Andover winning the regular
season league table. On a thrilling finals day, Chichester Sharks
stunned the Leicester Eagles with a 33-25 semi-final win, and then
defeated Team Voodoo in the final 31-29 to win their second English
title.
The Scottish champs were the Kirkcaldy Bulls who won their league title
for a fifth straight year with a 33-12 final victory over the Carluke
Cobras.
BAFA had previously announced late in 2006 that they were setting in
motion a series of steps that will lead to the formation of a single
National Association for adult flag football. No further announcements
were forthcoming until late into 2007, when the BAFL confirmed that a
meeting with BAFL Directors and key stakeholders (including the
President of the SFFA, Mark Fletcher and the Chairman of the ESFL Dr
Neil Henderson) in the non-contact version of the sport (Flag Football)
took place in Bristol to scope out the future of the sport for adults
in Great Britain. In an ambitious statement, BAFL flag was was
confirmed to the stakeholders as the BAFA appointed representative body
to deliver the non-contact version of the sport (Flag Football) for
adults and would consist of twelve conferences for a season that would
commence in April 2008 and conclude in August 2008 with a finals in
September 2008.
“The meeting was a great success” commented BAFL
Chairman,
Glen Schild “The BAFL would like to thank Dr Neil Henderson
and
Mark Fletcher for their positive contribution at the meeting
– we
look forward to an exciting inaugural season and National Championships
in 2008”.
The England Senior Flag side played it’s British neighbours
and
came away with a perfect season beating Ireland, Scotland (26-25 and
26-20), Ireland (52-0) and Wales (19-18).
Italy hosted the European Senior Flag championships, and France again
defended it’s title. Great Britain defeated Germany in the
group
stages 20-0, but fell to both Italy and Denmark. A 39-6 win over Spain
gave them a 7th place finish.
In other British American Football news, the weekly newspaper "First
Down" closed its doors with Issue No.1099 being the last ever which
went on sale on Thursday July 5th. Editor Keith Webster wrote,
“Obviously, it has been a traumatic week in our office. I was
on
the team in May 1986 when we produced issue No.1 and will be turning
out the lights when I leave next week after a 21-year run that has had
highs and lows but has been a delight from start to finish. Issue
No.1099 will be a thank you and goodbye issue and I hope you enjoy it
but in the meantime, I simply wanted to write to say thank you for all
the years you have been buying and contributing to First Down. I know
some of you have been with us throughout those 21 years. You have my
gratitude and respect, which makes it even harder to have to write
this.”
Also in July, in further BAFA announcements, the BAFA removed the
Scottish Gridiron Association from BAFA as part of their Corporate
Governance Modernisation Programme. BAFA Chairman, Gary Marshall,
commented, “The BAFA would like to thank the SGA and
it’s
members for its valuable support recent years”.
The NFL announced the sudden closure of NFL Europa with World Bowl XV
being the last World Bowl to be held.
The NFL announced in early 2007 that a NFL regular season game would be
held later in 2007 at Wembley Stadium. A first American Football game
at the stadium since 19.. The two teams that would play in this
historic game would be two of the more popular teams in the UK
–
the NY Giants and the Miami Dolphins. A crowd of almost 90,000 packed
into the stadium, which saw the Giants run out 13-10 winners in
typically english rainy conditions.
After the great success of the Dolphins/Giants NFL regular season game,
the BAFL formally announced it plans to investigate the potential of
professional or semi-professional competition here in Great Britain.
BAFL Chairman. Glen Schild, stated “This topic has been
discussed
informally by many within our sport over recent years. After the
success of the recent game at Wembley, the BAFL are delighted to
confirm that they will be formalising a working group to investigate
the viability of a semi-professional/professional competition here in
Great Britain”. Glen continued, “The working group
will
consist of BAFL Directors as well as invitees from British spectator
sports, and key personnel from the British sporting
landscape”.
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