Article and Photos by James Brewerton
Shortly after I wrote the last article we had
the first training of the Cheshire Cavaliers 6 keen players pulled on tag belts
for the first time and had a great session. I took some pictures during the
training and put my next plan in place. During the winter I am to be found
pitch side of various hockey and rugby games in Crewe & Nantwich and many
of these images are used by my local paper the Chronicle, I contacted the
sports editor and wrote a short introduction to flag football and the cavaliers
and attached some pictures. The following Wednesday the article ran with our
contact details and we had an immediate response with a young man asking if he
could attend training that evening.
Training numbers have grown each week and last session saw 13
players pulling on flag belts. Training is slowly becoming more structured as
our Club Captain Matt Ambrose slowly adds more details to each week the latest
was a set of basic offensive plays. The team is gaining strength with a few
players who have played flag joining plus ex -contact players mixed in with
total novice’s and rugby players.
This last weekend saw 6 of the Cavaliers head up to a sunny
Salford to a joint training session and a friendly game with the Manchester
Crows Flag Football team, the response from the flag community and the wider
football community has been mostly positive with just a few not seeing the
positives of bring in new blood to the game. The Crows have opened their
training up to us and started what will be a long friendship between the two
teams. The day was a huge success with Matt having this to say about the
friendly game.
”I think the game finished 34-26 in favour of Manchester but they
were made to work for it.We picked them off twice, had four turnovers on downs
scored from passes and from runs (including Sergio practically running the
whole length of the field to score)All in all, a great day.”
Next up for the Cavaliers will be to arrange a training session
and friendly game with the Surge Academy and beyond that we have taken up a
place at The Summer Shield hosted by Nuola Custom Clothing. It was by finding
this competition that the Cavaliers also found their colours, the teams kit has
been designed and produced by this fine company.
So already the Cavaliers are feeling strong and secure they have
an identity and goals both long and short. We even have a fantastic venue to
host our home games with the Crewe & Nantwich RUFC agreeing to let us set
out our pitches on their ground.
We will not be resting on our laurels each chance we get we spread
the details of our training on social media platforms we will continue to try
and get coverage in our local paper and as always will use the word of mouth by
always making our training fun and constructive because players will always
spread the word to friends and family when they are having a blast and can see
a team that is going places.
So if you are keen to get a flag team started in your area then I
can only offer this advice. Do it make it fun and make full use of social media
(which means get pictures taken or sessions filmed). But most of all do not be
afraid to as the Flag community for help or advice these guys and girls rock
they love the game and will want you to succeed.
Peace James
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