FLYING THE FLAG IN TAYSIDE
Words and Pics C/O Bruce Foster

Dundee Hurricanes are continuing to develop their school flag football program across the city.

The Hurricanes have already assisted three high schools in the Dundee area with St Johns High, Dundee High and Monifieth High already practicing and playing flag football regularly, the Hurricanes have now added another school to their growing program.

Over the past 4 weeks, Hurricanes coaches Alex Brannan, Mahamadou Niakate and program Co-ordinator Bruce Foster have been delivering flag football sessions to S2 pupils of Braeview Academy in Dundee. School Program Co-ordinator Bruce Foster commented

" When we were approached to deliver flag football, we jumped at the opportunity to come into the school and deliver sessions of our unique sport to pupils as an alternative to their more traditional PE lessons."

" We have only have them for 4 sessions and they have come a long way in that short time. They are really looking forward to the World Championships and the Dundee School League we are starting".

As a result of coaching over 40 kids each week at Braeview, they will now be entering a number of their own teams in the forthcoming NFL World Flag Football Championship qualifier in May.

All the existing program schools will all be entered into Dundee's own qualifying stages at Dawson Park in Dundee on the 5th May.

Monifieth High would have been favourites to win the Dundee qualifier, but the majority of their participating pupils are too old for the world Championships tournament. The upcoming tournament requires all teams to have a maximum of 6 players and one chaperone (co-ed teams will be allowed to bring seven (7) players and one male and one female chaperone) and all players are born between September 1st 1992 and December 31st 1995.

The Inverness Blitz will also host another scottish qualifying stage on the 5th May at Bught Park in Inverness.

The competing scottish teams are as follows:

Inverness Qualifer
Charleston Academy Rockets
Inverness Royal Academy Buccaneers
Culloden Academy Dragons
Inverness Royal Academy Pirates
Culloden Academy Panthers
Inverness Royal Academy Outlaws

Dundee Qualifer
Braeview Academy A
Dundee High A
Harris Academy
Braeview Academy B
Dundee High B
Braeview Academy C
St Johns High Eagles

The winners from each qualifier will compete against each other on the 12th May at Dawson Park in Dundee. Once the Scottish winner has been determined, they will travel down to Woodham in England and take on their english counterparts for the right to be crowned UK champions.

The UK champions will then progress on to the European championships in Frankfurt in June and battle for the 3 available european spots for the World Championships.