American Football in Portlaoise

TITAN #1

Is there any interest in American Football in the Portlaoise area or would anyone be interested in starting a team?

runningman

Reckon it'll all depend on the standard of cheerleaders involved!

TITAN #1

Set your face for disappointment there Runningman as Cheerleaders is a missing facet of the game in Ireland....maybe you could start a cheerleading squad?

runningman

Haven't got any boobs never mind good ones and aint shaving my legs for nobody!!!

Reckon we could start an exchange program with the Dallas Cowboys? ( http://www.dallascowboyscheerleaders.com/gallery/calendar.cfm )We could sent them something we have lots of....... rain water for example and they send us a cheer leader each?

TITAN #1

I have forwarded your request though I am not hopeful.

.......yeah, don't shave your legs as some of these guys will get the wrong message.

runningman

I'm not playing if only some of the guys get the wrong message - its all or nothing!!!

TITAN #1

OK, I'll ask but I can't make any promises.

Publicdiservice

I'd be interested in playing if there were a team in portlaoise. I assume we'd be talking 2009 season at this stage.

TITAN #1

The Irish season runs from March to August although there are a few events in the "off season"
There are some players from Portlaoise who are with Dublin teams but nothing in Portlaoise.....at the minute.
I am looking at an event like the one in Newry to spark a bit of interest.

kmart6

Need a good few people and a lot of finance for equipment and stuff, prob be a registration fee as well to join the Irish league!!

TITAN #1

You could start with Flag Football, like a lot of the new college teams did last year, which is cheap and easy.
There is also the development league that is 8 a side. you could run a team with 14-18 guys.
It would be a very big step to jump straight into a full 11 a side squad, that is why we have the other 2 levels.

There are a number of sources of funding to help start your team but you would have to put your hand in your pocket eventually.

A benevolent sponsor would also be a great help.

With the steady growth of our sport and our increased participation at European and World levels, it should get easier to get a team going.

We also have a development officer to help out.

kmart6

Your saying 'we' a lot....who is 'we'!?

TITAN #1

Sorry, I mean the Irish Association and League boards.

I am the Chairperson.

kmart6

Do you have and links or info that people could check out!?

TITAN #1

Our www.iafs.co.uk forum has links to all the teams and organisations.