I asked the elderly woman behind the cash register at Montalin Pharmacy a simple question out of curiosity: “Have you heard of the Calanda Broncos?” She quickly flashed a soft smile and her eyes almost seemed to light up the way a small child’s would if you asked if they wanted ice cream. She replied, […]
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The Brussels Football Academy: Building Youth for the Future
“We cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future.” Stijn De Backer applied this philosophy to practical execution when he created the Brussels Football Academy in Belgium in 2016. De Backer’s story in American football began in 2001, when he was fresh out of […]
The Complete List of American Football Teams in Austria
Of Europe’s 50 countries, 41 have American football teams with an estimated 1,500 teams spread throughout these countries. Austria currently has over 30 men’s teams and approximately 10 women’s teams, and that number is growing every year. In an effort to facilitate the growth of American football in Europe, The Growth of a Game has […]
Women in Europe On a Mission in the American Football Community
Whether it be on the field or off of it, the women of Europe are working hard to fulfill their goals and aspirations in the American football community. Women are not only present in the American football environment – they are creating their own. With women becoming an increasing presence in management among men’s teams […]
The Mostar Eagles: A Lesson in Bridging Relationships Through American Football
In May 2017, Mostar served as the host for an American football game between the Sarajevo Spartans and the Dubrovnik Sharks. The game was a demonstration of the desire to combat any remaining tensions in the region, and attendance at this event allowed players to contribute directly to the increased unity between Balkan […]
Introducing American Football to English Schools
The roots of American football in England date all the way back to World War II. U.S. and Canadian troops stationed throughout Europe would meet in the United Kingdom regularly to compete in rivalry matches throughout the war. These contests were met with positive reception from the British locals. In the two largest events, pitting […]
Soaking Up the NFL International Series Experience
Dating back to the 2007 season, the National Football League has been playing at least one regular season game abroad each year. Beginning as an annual event, the NFL International Series expanded to multiple contests in 2013 and now features four regular season games every year. While the first 15 games were held exclusively at […]
American Football in Scandinavia Part 1: Finland
When it comes to American football in Scandinavia, one would be hard-pressed to find a country with a more successful, storied past than Finland. Dating back to the formation of the American Football Association of Finland (SAJL) in 1979, the sport has experienced significant growth year after year, especially in the last two decades. In […]
American Football in the Balkans Part 4: Serbia
The development of American football has uniquely progressed in the 41 European countries that currently have teams. The game organically appeared in each of these countries and the story of the sport in any one place is never quite the same as in any other. Even within this context, the development of the game […]
American Football in the Balkans Part 3: Croatia
It would be an understatement to say that the rest of Europe owes much of its cultural and historical traditions to the Balkans. In the 3rd Century A.C.E., long before the Enlightenment, the Renaissance, or the Reformation, the Roman Empire was teetering on the verge of collapse. In the midst of this tumultuous time, […]
