Saturday League
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| Norwich Devils American Football Club |
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Norwich Devils a team who interestingly happen to be one of the first and few surviving British American Football Clubs and a very successfull one at that.
Established in 1984, the Devils have just celebrated their first undefeated season and promotion to Division One, and as they prepare to start training for the seasons kick off, it seemed especially timely to catch up with the quarterback (thats the position most of us have heard of thanks to the number of Hollywood films set in American High Schools) to find out why, in a decade when Britain doesnt have many sporting achievements to celebrate, we should be getting behind this unusual and exciting sport.
The interest in American Football is definitely on a steady increase again, says Troy, who could not have a more suitably quarterback name, and whose gently rolling Norfolk American hybrid accent a result of 10 years living in the States as a kid makes him come across all the more authoritative on all things American Football. People are getting a lot more involved in Super Bowl parties and the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins game at Wembley last year was obviously a boost for the sport in the country.
Unfortunately, it has not captured the imagination of many Brits. Because of the transatlantic time difference, the National Football (NFL) games tend to appear on TV at ridiculous times in the morning, and the sport rarely gets much press coverage. So its not surprising that few people even know that there a number of thriving clubs in East Anglia. Troy admits he did not even realise Norwich had a team until 2004 when he came accross an advertisement for the Devils after a weights session in a Norwich gym.
Having spent time in the States, I had got a bug for it, he said. I lived in Chicago from when I was 10 to 17, an age when you are very influenced by sport. I was living there when the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl in the 1985/86 season and there was so much hype and publicity. I think anyone who was living in the city at the time would have been completely and utterly football mad.
Despite having a background in Olympic style wrestling, Troy was encouraged to train with the team and after two seasons with the Devils at a time when in Troys own words they were absolutely pants the coaches brought in new schemes, including making Troy the quarterback, and the club began its winning streak.
Whats nice about the quarterback position is that you are in charge of the destiny of the game. You and the centre are the only two people that will definitely touch the football on every offensive play. I think most people would love to play quarterback, because of the sheer fact that everybody looks up to you to get the job done.
The rules of American Football are pretty complicated, but the game is directly descended from rugby. The main objective is to score points by advancing the oval shaped ball into the opposing teams end zone. The ball can be advanced by carrying it (a running play) or by throwing it to a team mate (a passing play). Points can be scored in a variety of ways. The offence either want to complete a touchdown or a field goal. A touchdown is comparable to a try in rugby, but in American Football as long as you get yourself and the ball over the line in any way, you achieve six points. A field goal is kicked between the uprights and earns you three points.
The way you get the ball to the end zone is known as advancing the ball and resembles the six tackle rule in Rugby League. The team that has possession of the ball, called the offence, has four attempts to advance the ball 10 yards towards their opponents end zone. When the offence gains 10 yards, it gets a first down, which means the team has another set of four downs to gain yet another 10 yards. If the offence fails to gain a first down after four downs, the other team gets possession of the ball. To stop the offence from advancing the ball, the other teams defence must tackle the player in possession by knocking or pulling him down. The winner is naturally the team with the most points at the end of the four 15-minute quarters.
You need 22 players for a team, but only 11 will be on the field at any one time. Thats because one covers all the offensive moves and the other is purely for defence.
With American Football there is a position for just about everybody, said Troy. If you are a large fellow we can play you on the line if you are a fast player we can play you as a wide receiver, and if you are an all round strong player we can play you as a line backer or running back.
Having two teams enables you to hone the key skills of each player. It also gives a rest opportunity, because American Football each play lasts approximately seven to ten minutes, you have to go all out for that time.
This is where Troy is keen to challenge the wimpy misconceptions associated wih American Football because of the stop/start nature of the game and the generous use of padding.
People dont appreciate how big and how fast NFL players are. The see big guys running short distances and underestimate the training that has to go in to being both muscular and agile. Some of the best players weigh over 20 stone and will be running 40 metres in 4.2 seconds which is nearly fast enough to compete in the Olympics. Its absolutely incredible how athletic they really are.
In Britain, if people are looking for contact sport they tend to go with rugby, and because rugby players dont wear pads theres the mentality that American Football is for wimps, but its just a complete misunderstanding. American Football is a collision sport. The pads arent just there to stop the players from being injured, they become weapons. The aim of the defence is to stop the offence by hitting them as hard as you can with your body. Because youve got to make 10 yards, you do not want that person to run any further from the moment he receives the play thats where the collision comes in. Essentially, you are using your pads as weapons to take out the next person whos going to get the ball.
Kit wise each player wears seven pads on their legs alone, including two knee pads, two thigh pads, two hip pads and one tail pad. A box is optional, but most people on the defensive and offensive lines will wear one. Then you have got shoulder pads, helmet and gum shield.
Despite what sounds like a violent sport, injuries are rare. Those that due occur are rarely more serious than twisted ankles, hamstring problems and the occasional broken finger nothing that you would not be at risk from in any other team sport. And the benfits seriously outweigh any hesitancy you might have about getting bruised.
What the hell else are you going to do on a Sunday! Troy said. Theres nothing better than practising in the fresh air at 10:30am. What you get from American Football is the opportunity to think a lot about tactics and, although you are playing as a team, your success largely comes down to you playing against your opposite man and if you can beat him at the game, then alls well.
On the social side, we have got all sorts from age 18 to 50. Theres a really good team atmosphere and we try to meet up for beers in the off season. And always go to the Branford Arms to watch the Super Bowl. Its the best Super Bowl experience you can have in Norwich.
With the Super Bowl just weeks away and the new season in a matter of months, the Devils are getting in to the spirit of things with their Sunday morning practices, where they go through stretches, warm ups and set play training to hone their skills.
The season will last for 10 games and if they get into the playoffs there will be an additional two games and then one final Bowl game in September. The Devils won the Division Two Bowl in 2007, regulary trouncing the likes of Essex, Cambridge, Maidstone, East Kent and Chiltern, and now face much tougher competition in Division One. However, they are quietly optimistic about their chances of yet another play off victory at Sheffields Don Valley Stadium. Part of their game plan is to recruit more players and enthusiasts to support the team.
We would love more people to get involved, said Troy. Anybody looking for a reason to get away from the missus on a Sunday morning is welcome to play! And people should come and support the Devils because they will absolutely enjoy watching it for the sheer fact that a game can spin on its head in a matter of seconds. When we were playing Cambridge at home at the Hewett School last year we were down by four points with literally 10 seconds to go. We managed to get a kick off which was returned for a touchdown and we won the game as a result. The fact that this can happen is incredible. There are games where if you even blink you can miss a serious play.
A brief guide to the positions:
OFFENCE
There are five players in the offensive line whos job is to protect whoever is passing the ball and clear the way for them by blocking the other teams defensive players.
The QUATERBACK is the leader of the offence and calls the plays, which are signalled to him by the coaches. He receives the ball from the centre on most plays and will then either pass it to a running back or receiver or run with it himself.
RUNNING BACKS Will stand behind or beside the quarterback. Their job is to run with the ball, pass it to other players and block the receiver. Most teams have two running backs, a halfback (or tailback) who generally runs with the ball and a fullback, who will do the blocking.
The WIDE RECEIVERS play on the sidelines. Their role is to catch passes and help block the opposition.
TIGHT ENDS Line up outside the offensive line. Like wide receivers their job is to catch passes, protect the quarterback and make space for runners.
DEFENCE
There are typically three to six players in the defensive line whose goal is to tackle the quarterback before he can pass the ball and tackle the running backs before they can gain any yardage.
The LINEBACKERS stand behind the defensive line. Their job is to cover the middle of the field by rushing the quarterback and tackling any potential receivers.
The last line of defence is made up of at least three players who play defensive backs. They will either be CORNERBACKS or SAFETIES and their role is to cover the receivers and stop passes.
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