Bristol footballer selected for NFL Europe

bbc ^ | 06 November 2003 | Phil Fear (What a name, eh?)

[Dead Dog]

Bristol Aztecs' Kenny Saro is to pursue his dream of playing professional American football at the highest level.

The 25-year-old accountant from Bristol is a stalwart of American football in Bristol since 1999.

Kenny Saro will travel to Germany to take part in the trials.

Kenny (full name Kehinde Abdul Ganui Saro) has played for both the Aztecs in the British Senior League, and for the city's university team, the Bristol Bullets.

He has already shattered several Aztec club records, gaining more career yards than any previous Aztec.

Kenny played a huge part in the Aztecs' successful 2003 campaign, which saw the local club winning their second BritBowl, when they defeated the Nottingham Caesars 32-15.

In that game, Kenny ran for 248 yards on 26 carries (100 yards is considered a good day's work for most players at the position). He also managed three touchdowns.

After the game Nigerian-born Kenny received an invite to the national player trials from Scottish Claymores coach Steve McCusker.

More than 90 players were invited to the trials in September, designed to identify the cream of the crop of British American footballers.

Kenny was named Most Valuable Player during the 2003 BritBowl final.

Shortly after the trials, Kenny received confirmation that he was one of only 10 players who had been selected to make their way to the next level.

He will now join the best players from around Europe to attend National Player Training Camp in Frankfurt, Germany.

The top prospects from the week-long camp will join the best athletes from Japan and Mexico at training camp in America in February 2004.

Almost 48 national players will then be assigned to the rosters of the six NFLE League teams.

If successful Kenny will achieved his dream of becoming a professional American footballer.

NFL Europe is the counterpart of the American National Football League (NFL), where the world's best grid-iron players ply their trade.

The NFLE has six teams that compete for the World Bowl, including the Scottish Claymores, who won the title in 1996.

Each NFLE team consists of 35 American players, as well as the eight non-American 'national' players.

The quality of football in NFLE is second only to the NFL itself, and many NFLE players have gone on to succesfully win places on the rosters of NFL teams.

As a national player, Kenny would be guaranteed playing time, giving him the chance to showcase his talents on the big stage.

The games are broadcast on satellite channels in the UK and Kenny's team mates are already looking forward to the prospect of watching his exploits in the big league.

[Dead Dog]

From the NFLE:

National Players get chance in Frankfurt

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 17, 2003 NFL Europe

Tony Allen casts his eye over the national player prospects in Frankfurt. photo: NFL Europe

Last week NFL Europe Director of Game Development Tony Allen cast his eye over roughly 100 prospects who form a part of NFL Europe's national player programme. With players gathering in Frankfurt from around Europe, and as far afield as Russia and Turkey, Coach Allen was given the opportunity to evaluate the cream of each country's crop.

Tony Allen said of the camp, "This was the most productive national player mini camp we have ever held in Europe. We got a look at more players than ever before and worked with veteran athletes who will be good national players in 2004 and younger prospects who will shine in our league in the years to come.

"The level of coaching the players received will make them all better and it was good for the six head coaches of our teams to be on hand in Frankfurt. The athletes got the very best level of coaching, while the coaches got an early look at the guys who will form their national player contingent in the coming season."

In addition to players being considered for the impending NFL Europe League season, a younger group of future hopefuls traveled to Frankfurt intent on impressing the coaches. These players will form the basis of a group who will take the national player programme to the next level and may provide NFL rosters with European talent. This posse of young European stars grabbed the attention of Allen,

"The players were exposed to the rigours of a professional football camp and will be more aware of what is required to perform at the highest level. This was a very good week and the future of the national player programme is very exciting."

Coach Allen was joined at the end of the week by all six NFL Europe head coaches, including recently appointed Cologne boss Peter Vaas, and his replacement in Berlin, Rick Lantz.

Several of the players on show had previous experience in the league, with veterans like Scott Couper, Werner Hippler and Robert Flickinger impressing with their experience and ability to teach the younger players.

Amsterdam Admirals head coach Bart Andrus said, "The National Player programme gets better every year. The players that I have seen in Frankfurt are bigger and faster than those from 2002"

"The national players that I have had in Amsterdam have been extremely coachable, and they have shown a vast improvement from the beginning of training camp onwards."

"Looking at this year's group, I would say that the future of the national player programme is very bright".

Jack Bicknell, who recently joined the Scottish Claymores as head coach from Barcelona, added, "We have some great players here. The challenge that I see is to develop the next generation of young European athletes to take on the mantle of Scott Couper and Rob Flickinger; and perhaps to take it the next step and get onto an NFL roster"

"The facilities and the time that we get to spend with the players increases each year. They all seem extremely coachable and therefore develop quickly".

"When I first arrived in this league 13 years ago there were no weight-training facilities in Spain, and so this had to make up a large part of getting the players ready to play. Now they turn up and their conditioning is at a good level already".

Tony Allen will now team up with the other coaches at the mini-camp in Frankfurt and determine which players impressed enough to be assigned to NFL Europe teams for the 2004 season. These successful athletes will then face a grueling training camp before the final pre-season cuts ensure them of safety and the fulfillment of their dreams: a place on an NFL Europe roster.

[Dead Dog]

I cut and pasted your screen names from the old CNN thread.

I think this is interesting stuff. England is supposed to be the least Football friendly nation in Europe, however, the amateur league (post college) support is better than the in the US. Sweden, Austria, and Germany are rapidly growing markets for the sport at all levels.

As noted on prior threads, football encapsulates a very American world view, one that seems to be a wedge between us and Europe. It will be interesting to see how or if this cultural export effects their society. I see it as a Trojan horse, or even a virus.

IMO, what makes soccer such a difficult sport are all the skinny people
you can't hit.

[Dead Dog]

Have you turned that Dell on this morning?

[cyborg]

They'll play it because it's American. I don't find NFL as appealing as rugby.

[E Rocc]

I think this is interesting stuff. England is supposed to be the least Football friendly nation in Europe, however, the amateur league (post college) support is better than the in the US. Sweden, Austria, and Germany are rapidly growing markets for the sport at all levels.

I would think France would be actually (perhaps because their is no provision for surrendering when one is being beaten badly).

Much of the English antipathy for football is because we renamed their big sport that they call by that name "soccer", and consider it a minor sport. Ironically, we combined soccer and rugby and innovated it into something that transcends both (unless one considers 0-0 ties to be captivating). There's also the fact that soccer is the big sport for the rest of the world, but it's not good enough for us...most American sports fans consider it boring.

Too bad. :)

-Eric

[Dead Dog]

Actually, I would have considerd being an American sport would slow it's acceptence in Europe.

[cyborg]

You may be right depending on the level of anti-americanism. It may well be a culture clash. I have relatives who are cricketers and they think baseball is uncivilized. The rugby mad South Africans I know think NFL is boring because of all that 'protective gear'. Oh well.

[Dead Dog]

Yah, most of the Euro's I know think American Football is has too many stops and starts, and is soft because of the pads. They obviously don't understand the game, much less played it. However, that is changing.

I think the critical point for the NFLE is when the European teams become stand alone entitys, not preseason training camps for the NFL.

Really, I would like to see Russia, Sweden (Scandinavia), Ireland, England, Holland, Germany ect form an NFL conference like the AFC and NFC...call it the EFC. Then roll the winner of the EFC into the superbowl playoffs.

[Dead Dog]

entitys=entities

[Dead Dog]

I've read that the NFLE has thoughts to expand into France. I guess my mind wants to blank that thought out.

What would their mascot be "De Gauls"?

[Dead Dog]

Corruption of British Youth (FOOTBALL!!) ping.