Hornets: Super Bowl can help us (video)
Indianapolis Colts take on the New Orleans Saints in the 44th Super Bowl in Miami tomorrow night, with the game kicking off just after 11pm UK time.
American football has something of a cult following in our country and the die-hard fans avidly watched as quarterbacks Peyton Manning (Colts) and Drew Brees (Saints) inspired their teams to the final showdown of the US season at the Sun Life Stadium.
However, each and every year thousands of people who know nothing about American football tune in to watch the spectacle that is the Super Bowl, with all its showbiz and glamour.
And those coming away thinking they would like to try the sport, but never thought they could, might be surprised to hear the sport is alive and kicking in our region.
During the 1980s there was the Kingston or Humberside Liberators, who disbanded in the 90s, and later on there was the Hull Rockets and the Kingston Barbarians.
However, from 2001 to 2005 there was no club side in our region until the Hull Hornets was set up by Graham McCoid and Chris Evers, who worked to build the team up so it could join Division Two of the British American Football League in 2007.
Despite only winning eight competitive games out of 19 in the three seasons that have followed, the club has steadily grown and had 50 players on their roster during the last campaign – many of whom came from the Hull University Sharks, who were formed in 1985.
The Hornets recently held a recruitment drive by marching in full kit through Hull and Beverley and are keen to add more numbers to their ranks – both on the playing side and behind the scenes.
Grant, a former Sharks player who joined the Hornets back in 2006 ahead of their first league season, is eager to raise the profile of the team and is hoping the Super Bowl can help attract more people to their club.
The Hornets player-coach told the Mail: “Anyone can come down to a training session with us. We are a friendly club who just wants to share our passion for the sport with other people.
“If someone has a passion for American football or watches the Super Bowl and wants to give it a go then we will do our best to integrate them.
“Everyone that comes down will get game time if they are willing to give it a go and show they are reliable.
“I would tell any new person, don’t be put off by the rules and not knowing about the sport as we will teach them everything they need to know.
“We don’t expect people to know the ins and outs when they come down, just that they enjoy it.
“We need players in all positions and can slot in anyone no matter how big or small they are and even if there are people who feel like they can’t play but want to be involved, we always need support behind the scenes.
“All are welcome and it is very much a sport for everybody.”
The Hornets play games across the country, including Scotland, during the season, which runs from May to September, and from this year their home games will be played at Hull Ionians’ ground in Elloughton.
For more details on the Hull Hornets or if you want to attend a training session, call head coach Ben Grant on 07966 660467 or Graham McCoid on 07704 434458.
See HotShots reporter Jon Mattos as he takes on the Hull Hornets in a training session.
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