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Falcons Youth Programme Has Taken Flight
By Guy Kersey, Chairman, Leicester Falcons AFC
Following on the success of the Leicester Falcons Senior Team being crowned BAFL Division 2 Champions, the Falcons have taken steps to not only build for the future, but also develop community and school activities.
In December the Falcons ran a series of taster sessions for 15 to 19 year olds to see what interest there was in American Football within the Leicestershire young people, and it was a resounding success with in excess of 30 players turning up each week. Following on from this success the Falcons Youth Team was formed and has been training regularly since, with its aims to be a member of the National League as an associate member first playing a series exhibition games before entering into the National Youth League in 2011.
“Our aims are to make our youth programme as accessible as possible to all communities and to do this we aim to not make cost a barrier, but we also want to aim our programme to the wider community and to be able to use our sport to make an impact with young people and be a tool in combating youth antisocial behaviour and crime,“ said Club President Guy Kersey.
The Falcons’ community programme has now extended into the schools’ system with two pilot upper schools taking part in our after school programme; Beauchamp College in Oadby and John Cleveland Community College in Hinckley. This is phase 1 in a 3 phase programme; Phase 1 is to display the popularity and positive impact of American Football in schools. The first taster sessions have taken place at Beauchamp with 35 young people attending and JCCC starting after Easter.
In order to fund this programme the Falcons have been successful in securing just under £6000 from Sport England’s Sports Unlimited fund to help deliver this programme of activities. These funds will go a long way to purchase the essential equipment needed to play this sport. And to remove the barrier of cost of playing this great team sport.
Following on the success of the Leicester Falcons Senior Team being crowned BAFL Division 2 Champions, the Falcons have taken steps to not only build for the future, but also develop community and school activities.
In December the Falcons ran a series of taster sessions for 15 to 19 year olds to see what interest there was in American Football within the Leicestershire young people, and it was a resounding success with in excess of 30 players turning up each week. Following on from this success the Falcons Youth Team was formed and has been training regularly since, with its aims to be a member of the National League as an associate member first playing a series exhibition games before entering into the National Youth League in 2011.
“Our aims are to make our youth programme as accessible as possible to all communities and to do this we aim to not make cost a barrier, but we also want to aim our programme to the wider community and to be able to use our sport to make an impact with young people and be a tool in combating youth antisocial behaviour and crime,“ said Club President Guy Kersey.
The Falcons’ community programme has now extended into the schools’ system with two pilot upper schools taking part in our after school programme; Beauchamp College in Oadby and John Cleveland Community College in Hinckley. This is phase 1 in a 3 phase programme; Phase 1 is to display the popularity and positive impact of American Football in schools. The first taster sessions have taken place at Beauchamp with 35 young people attending and JCCC starting after Easter.
In order to fund this programme the Falcons have been successful in securing just under £6000 from Sport England’s Sports Unlimited fund to help deliver this programme of activities. These funds will go a long way to purchase the essential equipment needed to play this sport. And to remove the barrier of cost of playing this great team sport.
Coventry Jets Youth Team
By Adam Etheridge, Secretary, Coventry Jets AFC
Photograph courtesy of Darren Carr of the Lancashire Wolverines.
Coventry Jets Youth team’s preparations continue apace as they look towards their debut performance away to the Sheffield Tomahawks in May. Head Coach Adam Biggs has used northern roots to line up a significant pre-season test in the shape of two time National Champions and 2009 runner up the Lancashire Wolverine Colts. Geoff Leigh, Head Coach of the Colts, has compiled an impressive CV including six years at the helm of Lancashire and spells with Great Britain.
After suffering a 16-0 defeat to the Farnham Knights in the title game at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium, Leigh revealed what he felt his squad learned from the experience, “we were well prepared going into the game but I think the occasion over-awed them somewhat, they won’t let that happen again. We’ve sent five players up to the Senior team but we’ve gained ten from our feeder Junior programmes as well as some other rookies that came through our two successful rookie camps funded by our £7000 lottery grant from Sport England.”
“For the first time ever we have a quarterback who spent a season on the bench and have installed a 'pro-style' system, as a Head Coach that's great for me to see” continued Leigh “Loz (Lawrence Quinn) has been able to spend a year learning the ropes from the coaching staff and the starting quarterback putting him in good stead to step up to start himself.” The trip to Coventry will give Leigh and his team a chance to see how successful their off-season work has been.
”We’re viewing this scrimmage as a chance to improve player development, playbook execution, teamwork and gain experience of what is, for some, their first away trip.” Whilst the majority of the Colts have been there and done it before, the experience will be a different ballgame for the Jets. “As a new team both the players and coaches will gain valuable experience that they can draw upon in future seasons. It’s a long; hard season but I know Adam (Biggs) well, he’s without doubt one of the toughest defensive backs I’ve ever worked with and he won’t allow his players to give anything less than 100%. I wish him every success in his new role leading the Jets.”
Biggs was equally complementary about his opposite number, "I think the Wolverines are in great hands with Geoff, he has a great work ethic and he will push his players hard, mentally and physically. I speak from experience having played under Geoff back in 2003 we made it to the national final but were unfortunate to lose out.”
“I remember starting out playing 5 aside with the Wolverines in 2001” reminisced Biggs “from playing Rugby to being invited down through a friend. I remember getting my beaten black and blue in my first practice and I realised the difference in terms of contact and team work required in American football. I fell in love with the sport and over time we developed from 5 aside to 11 aside and made 2 national finals. I was lucky to represent GB and England before I moved up to the senior team in 2004.”
“Youth football helped prepare me mentally for the senior game since I was already able to read plays and make a significant impact within the senior team. From there I received a call up to the GB senior team where I was part of a European championship winning team, I owe a lot of my early success to the Wolverines Colts.”
“I know how the Colt players feel in losing in the national final last year, I lost in both the national finals that we made, so I expect them to be hungry and pushing for the national final once more. This scrimmage is perfect to see how far we have come as a rookie team and to be tested against a national finalist can only serve to show us how far we need to develop further. Our goal is trying to become national finalist ourselves and I’m a big believer that to become the best you need to play the best and at the moment the Wolverines are one of the best teams in the country. The Jets’ youth players and coaches are looking forward to the challenge that we have ahead of us.”
Photograph courtesy of Darren Carr of the Lancashire Wolverines.
Coventry Jets Youth team’s preparations continue apace as they look towards their debut performance away to the Sheffield Tomahawks in May. Head Coach Adam Biggs has used northern roots to line up a significant pre-season test in the shape of two time National Champions and 2009 runner up the Lancashire Wolverine Colts. Geoff Leigh, Head Coach of the Colts, has compiled an impressive CV including six years at the helm of Lancashire and spells with Great Britain.
After suffering a 16-0 defeat to the Farnham Knights in the title game at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium, Leigh revealed what he felt his squad learned from the experience, “we were well prepared going into the game but I think the occasion over-awed them somewhat, they won’t let that happen again. We’ve sent five players up to the Senior team but we’ve gained ten from our feeder Junior programmes as well as some other rookies that came through our two successful rookie camps funded by our £7000 lottery grant from Sport England.”
“For the first time ever we have a quarterback who spent a season on the bench and have installed a 'pro-style' system, as a Head Coach that's great for me to see” continued Leigh “Loz (Lawrence Quinn) has been able to spend a year learning the ropes from the coaching staff and the starting quarterback putting him in good stead to step up to start himself.” The trip to Coventry will give Leigh and his team a chance to see how successful their off-season work has been.
”We’re viewing this scrimmage as a chance to improve player development, playbook execution, teamwork and gain experience of what is, for some, their first away trip.” Whilst the majority of the Colts have been there and done it before, the experience will be a different ballgame for the Jets. “As a new team both the players and coaches will gain valuable experience that they can draw upon in future seasons. It’s a long; hard season but I know Adam (Biggs) well, he’s without doubt one of the toughest defensive backs I’ve ever worked with and he won’t allow his players to give anything less than 100%. I wish him every success in his new role leading the Jets.”
Biggs was equally complementary about his opposite number, "I think the Wolverines are in great hands with Geoff, he has a great work ethic and he will push his players hard, mentally and physically. I speak from experience having played under Geoff back in 2003 we made it to the national final but were unfortunate to lose out.”
“I remember starting out playing 5 aside with the Wolverines in 2001” reminisced Biggs “from playing Rugby to being invited down through a friend. I remember getting my beaten black and blue in my first practice and I realised the difference in terms of contact and team work required in American football. I fell in love with the sport and over time we developed from 5 aside to 11 aside and made 2 national finals. I was lucky to represent GB and England before I moved up to the senior team in 2004.”
“Youth football helped prepare me mentally for the senior game since I was already able to read plays and make a significant impact within the senior team. From there I received a call up to the GB senior team where I was part of a European championship winning team, I owe a lot of my early success to the Wolverines Colts.”
“I know how the Colt players feel in losing in the national final last year, I lost in both the national finals that we made, so I expect them to be hungry and pushing for the national final once more. This scrimmage is perfect to see how far we have come as a rookie team and to be tested against a national finalist can only serve to show us how far we need to develop further. Our goal is trying to become national finalist ourselves and I’m a big believer that to become the best you need to play the best and at the moment the Wolverines are one of the best teams in the country. The Jets’ youth players and coaches are looking forward to the challenge that we have ahead of us.”
Head Coach Geoff Leigh
Baptism of the Lanarkshire Longhorns
By Colin Macmillan
Photograph courtesy of Colin Macmillan
The newest youth football team in Scotland took a giant step forward at the weekend when they played the Inverclyde Phoenix at the Beltane playing fields in Wishaw.
The weather was if anything too hot and the players were also at boiling point waiting to release some of the pent up frustration they had from only training and not playing. They took to the field and after giving up some big plays stopped the Phoenix offence. The defence led by Steven Munro stopped the hard hitting runs of #21 Fabio. The Offence then took over and led by Alistair Ferguson at QB, soon marched the ball up the field with outstanding receptions from Craig Samuel and Matthew Kennedy. Samuel finally ran the ball in after a great catch to give the Longhorns the lead.
The Phoenix who were out-sized then started to gain in confidence and again threatened to score before the ball was fumbled and recovered by Steven Munro. Again with solid ground work from Frame and Steen with the running game this opened up the defence for Kennedy to give another score to the Longhorns.
The coaches had seen enough and halted the match at that point.
Coach Orr said, "The defence gave in places but didn't break altogether to allow a score for the Phoenix. This showed us alot where we can improve, but these boys and this team will learn quickly."
Coach Clee added, "I was impressed with alot of what I saw on the pitch and after a few more sessions I am sure we will have sorted most of the small imperfections out and will be ready for the season."
If you would like to play for the Longhorns and are between the ages of 16 to 19 then call Colin Macmillan on 07787785262 or check the web site www.lanarkshirelonghorns.com
Photograph courtesy of Colin Macmillan
The newest youth football team in Scotland took a giant step forward at the weekend when they played the Inverclyde Phoenix at the Beltane playing fields in Wishaw.
The weather was if anything too hot and the players were also at boiling point waiting to release some of the pent up frustration they had from only training and not playing. They took to the field and after giving up some big plays stopped the Phoenix offence. The defence led by Steven Munro stopped the hard hitting runs of #21 Fabio. The Offence then took over and led by Alistair Ferguson at QB, soon marched the ball up the field with outstanding receptions from Craig Samuel and Matthew Kennedy. Samuel finally ran the ball in after a great catch to give the Longhorns the lead.
The Phoenix who were out-sized then started to gain in confidence and again threatened to score before the ball was fumbled and recovered by Steven Munro. Again with solid ground work from Frame and Steen with the running game this opened up the defence for Kennedy to give another score to the Longhorns.
The coaches had seen enough and halted the match at that point.
Coach Orr said, "The defence gave in places but didn't break altogether to allow a score for the Phoenix. This showed us alot where we can improve, but these boys and this team will learn quickly."
Coach Clee added, "I was impressed with alot of what I saw on the pitch and after a few more sessions I am sure we will have sorted most of the small imperfections out and will be ready for the season."
If you would like to play for the Longhorns and are between the ages of 16 to 19 then call Colin Macmillan on 07787785262 or check the web site www.lanarkshirelonghorns.com
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