This Sunday will see the first ever women’s flag American Football match to be staged in the UK take place at the University of Warwick. Last month saw the birth of the UK’s first women’s teams, the Warwick Wolverines and Coventry University Jets Ladies, and now they are set to go head-to-head.
The two pioneering teams will battle it out on Sunday at 12.30pm on the Tarkett sports pitch on the Westwood campus at Warwick. Coventry Jets Flag Academy and Plymouth Pirates have thrown their weight behind the event and will be fielding mixed and men’s teams in a round-robin of unofficial matches against the women’s teams.
Andrew Gambrill, who helped organise and coaches both the Warwick and Coventry sides, said: “I'm immensely proud of the job my coaching staff have done. Taking complete novices and turning them into teams that will put on excellent games. But the real praise has to go to the girls who have embraced the challenge and worked so very hard."
The match is being officially recognised by the British Universities American Football League (BUFAL), with all participants receiving a commemorative medal at the end of play. Andy Fuller, head of BUAFL commented: "This will be a landmark game in British university football and the launch pad for the further development of our sport across the education sector. The British American Football Association has been impressed with the efforts which have gone into reaching this milestone and would like to thank all the players and coaches involved."
Sports fans are encouraged to go along and watch the action for free on Sunday. Anyone interested in the competition should park in Car Park 12, off Kirby Corner Road. For more details on the Coventry Jets and to find out how you can be part of their 2011 campaign, please visit their website www.covjets.com or follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/CoventryJets.