This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN SOUTH DEVON


conducted here. The ball started


Since being an active member of


the Trojans back in the day, playing at both junior and senior level, I’ve witnessed over the last few years a quiet sporting revolution has been taking place in the west country. This revolution has not only seen the growth of American football at junior and senior level but has seen the South West attract the attention of the sports’ governing body BAFA for the diversity and innovative work that is being


rolling from the work of Coach Smallworth, a highly respected Coach with some 40 years of experience in the UK and America and a display case of awards and trophies! He has been developing a number of youth teams throughout Cornwall along with his own senior team The Cornish Sharks and has also been behind a new university team - the Falmouth Tridents. Other Coaches have followed suit and there has been a re-organisation of the Plymouth teams (Pirates, Spirit and University Blitz). The Exeter Demons university team has recently appointed a new Head Coach and also in Exeter there has been the establishment of a new senior team the Exeter Tornadoes. At Exmouth Community College


teacher turned Coach Rob Rooksby has set-up the fi rst American Football programme solely based within a school. Torbay could and should be making a contribution to this signifi cant sporting movement that the South West can be very proud of! Just how signifi cant this movement is can be illustrated by the fact


Action from a recent youth exhibition games between Exmouth Raptors (in red) playing against the Cornish Sharks


that Coach Rooksby’s efforts were recognised by BAFA with an invite to the launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group on American Football at Westminster in Oct 2011. This was just before the annual NFL league fi xture in London, which last year saw the Chicago Bears battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley. Not only were many signifi cant BAFA Directors from the various associations present and representatives from the UK’s top teams but also NFL senior executives, owners, ex-players, cheerleaders and a continued on next page... ➜


Could Torbay see another team like the mighty (unbeaten) 1988 Torbay Trojans? (pictured below) ...only time will tell.


or email: sales@SportSouthDevon.co.uk


www.SportSouthDevon.co.uk | FEBRUARY / MARCH 2012 |


South Devon


25


SPECIAL FEATURE


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48