BAFA National Leagues
Encyclopedia
The BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL, formerly the BAFA Community Leagues) are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association
in 2010 to coordinate contact football
and flag football
across all age ranges. A total of 70 teams compete within the leagues.
, with the league divided into three divisions, "Premiership," "Division 1" and "Division 2".
British American Football Association
The British American Football Association is the national governing body for the sport of American football in the United Kingdom. It is affiliated to the European Federation of American Football...
in 2010 to coordinate contact football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and flag football
Flag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
across all age ranges. A total of 70 teams compete within the leagues.
Senior contact
Like most sports in Europe, but unlike most American football leagues, the BAFA senior league uses the system of promotion and relegationPromotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
, with the league divided into three divisions, "Premiership," "Division 1" and "Division 2".
Premier
The BAFA's Premier Division for the 2011 season comprises six teams, including the Tamworth team who won the previous year's Division One play-off final. Each team plays each other once at home and once away, with the top four teams qualifying for the post-season play-offs.- Bristol AztecsBristol AztecsThe Bristol Aztecs are a British American football team based inBristol, England, at the Filton WISE sports academy of Filton College, Bristol, which is also the base for a number of other sports teams such as Bristol Academy woman's soccer team.- Overview :...
- Coventry Cassidy Jets
- Farnham Fast Lane Knights
- London BlitzLondon Blitz (American football)London Blitz are a British American football team based in North London at Finsbury Park athletics stadium.- Overview :The Blitz field a senior team in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership as well as youth teams. The roster has included both local players as well as players from North America,...
- London Warriors
- Tamworth PhoenixTamworth PhoenixThe Tamworth Phoenix are an American football team playing in the United Kingdom. The Phoenix field a senior team in the Premiership of the BAFA Community Leagues...
Division 1
Division 1 comprises 18 teams split into three regional conferences. These include Sussex Thunder, who were relegated from the Premier Division, while three teams were promoted from Division Two; Edinburgh Wolves enter the North conference, Manchester Titans enter the Central conference, and London Olympians enter the South conference after winning the divisional play-off. Each team plays each other once at home and once away, with the top two teams in each conference qualifying for the play-offs together with the two best third-placed teams.| Division 1 North | Division 1 Central | Division 1 South |
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Birmingham Bulls (American football) Birmingham Bulls is a British American football team based in the West Midlands, England at the ground of Walsall Rugby Club.-Overview:The Bulls is one of the longer established American football teams playing in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1983... Cambridgeshire Cats The Cambridgeshire Cats are an American football team competing in Division 1 Central of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Coldhams Common in Cambridge. The club was first formed in 1984, entered senior competition in 1985 and won two divisional titles in the 1990s as... Leicester Falcons The Leicester Falcons are a British American football team based in Leicestershire, England. The Falcons play in Division 1 of the British American Football Association National Leagues.-History:... Nottingham Caesars The Nottingham Caesars are an American football team playing in the United Kingdom. The Caesars field a senior team in Division 1 Central of the BAFA Community Leagues . The team is affectionately known by its players and fans as "The Big C".... Peterborough Saxons The Peterborough Saxons are an American football team competing in Division 1 South East of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Stanground College in Peterborough. The senior team was first formed in 2001 and entered senior competition the following year... |
Colchester Gladiators The Colchester Gladiators are an American Football team competing in the South East Conference of British American Football League Division 2. They play their home games at the Broad Lane stadium in Wivenhoe, Essex and train at the Sir Charles Lucas Centre for Sport and Art in Colchester... East Kent Mavericks The East Kent Mavericks are an American Football team based in Canterbury, Kent. First formed in 2002 as a flag football team, they currently play in Division 1 South East of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:... London Olympians The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club... Sussex Thunder The Sussex Thunder are a Football team from the United Kingdom based in Horsham, Sussex. The team won promotion to the Premier Division of the British American Football League after winning the Division One Bowl on 20th September 2008.... |
Division 2
Division 2 comprises 27 teams split into four regional conferences. This includes the Bournemouth Bobcats, Bristol Apache and Carlisle Border Reivers who were accepted into the league as its newest members, plus the Dundee Hurricanes, Kent Exiles and South Wales Warriors who dropped down from Division 1. Each team plays each other once at home and once away. The top two teams in each conference qualify for the play-offs.| Division 2 North | Division 2 Central | Division 2 East | Division 2 West |
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Hull Hornets Hull Hornets were an American Football team based in Kingston upon Hull. In 2010 the Hornets ended their membership in BAFA and are not expected to return to play.-Background:... Lancashire Wolverines The Lancashire Wolverines are a British American football team based in Blackburn and from the 2007 season will be playing in Division Two of the British American Football League... Lincolnshire Bombers The Lincolnshire Bombers are a British American football team based in Lincolnshire, England The Bombers were given British American Football League status in 2006.-History:... Shropshire Revolution The Shropshire Revolution are a British American football team based in Telford, Shropshire, in the Midlands, England.The Team are currently members of the British American Football Association Community League.... |
Bedfordshire Blue Raiders The Bedfordshire Blue Raiders are an American Football team competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They entered the league in 2008 as one of five expansion teams, and play their home games at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium.-History:The Blue Raiders were formed in... Essex Spartans The Essex Spartans are an American Football team based in Billericay, Essex, England. The team has played under the Spartans name since 1998 following a merger between two local teams and currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues, Division 2 East.... Maidstone Pumas The Maidstone Pumas are an American Football team based in Maidstone, Kent. The team were formed in 1997 as a continuation of the former youth team of the same name, and currently play in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:... Milton Keynes City Pathfinders The Milton Keynes City Pathfinders are an American Football team based in Milton Keynes, England, competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Emerson Valley Sports Pavillion in Milton Keynes, which they share with Milton Keynes Rugby Club... Norwich Devils The Norwich Devils are a British American Football team based in Norwich, Norfolk.-Overview:The Devils currently field a senior team in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues... Watford Cheetahs The Watford Cheetahs are an American football team, based in Watford competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Fullerians Rugby Club... |
Bournemouth Bobcats The Bournemouth Bobcats is an English American football team based in Bournemouth, Dorset competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues. The team's home ground is at Chapel Gate, Bournemouth.... Cornish Sharks The Cornish Sharks are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Newquay Sports Centre, in Newquay, Cornwall... South Wales Warriors The South Wales Warriors are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA National Leagues . The team was formed after the Tiger Bay Warriors had disbanded due to the departure of head coach Rob Mota, along with key staff and players, by the remaining players and... |
Junior contact
The junior contact league (competed by players between the ages of 16 and 19) comprises 26 teams divided into four regional divisions.| North | Central | East | South |
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Birmingham Bulls The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being... Coventry Jets The Coventry Jets are an American football team based in Coventry, England and were the 2008 National Champions. They currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues Premier division. The Jets have played their home games at a number of venues in Coventry, including the Butts Park Arena, which is home... Nottingham Caesars The Nottingham Caesars are an American football team playing in the United Kingdom. The Caesars field a senior team in Division 1 Central of the BAFA Community Leagues . The team is affectionately known by its players and fans as "The Big C".... Leicester Falcons The Leicester Falcons are a British American football team based in Leicestershire, England. The Falcons play in Division 1 of the British American Football Association National Leagues.-History:... |
Cambridgeshire Cats The Cambridgeshire Cats are an American football team competing in Division 1 Central of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Coldhams Common in Cambridge. The club was first formed in 1984, entered senior competition in 1985 and won two divisional titles in the 1990s as... Colchester Gladiators The Colchester Gladiators are an American Football team competing in the South East Conference of British American Football League Division 2. They play their home games at the Broad Lane stadium in Wivenhoe, Essex and train at the Sir Charles Lucas Centre for Sport and Art in Colchester... East Kent Mavericks The East Kent Mavericks are an American Football team based in Canterbury, Kent. First formed in 2002 as a flag football team, they currently play in Division 1 South East of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:... Maidstone Pumas The Maidstone Pumas are an American Football team based in Maidstone, Kent. The team were formed in 1997 as a continuation of the former youth team of the same name, and currently play in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:... Peterborough Saxons The Peterborough Saxons are an American football team competing in Division 1 South East of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Stanground College in Peterborough. The senior team was first formed in 2001 and entered senior competition the following year... |
Bristol Aztecs The Bristol Aztecs are a British American football team based inBristol, England, at the Filton WISE sports academy of Filton College, Bristol, which is also the base for a number of other sports teams such as Bristol Academy woman's soccer team.- Overview :... London Blitz (American football) London Blitz are a British American football team based in North London at Finsbury Park athletics stadium.- Overview :The Blitz field a senior team in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership as well as youth teams. The roster has included both local players as well as players from North America,... Sussex Thunder The Sussex Thunder are a Football team from the United Kingdom based in Horsham, Sussex. The team won promotion to the Premier Division of the British American Football League after winning the Division One Bowl on 20th September 2008.... |
Youth contact
The youth contact league (competed by players between the ages of 14 and 17) comprises 16 teams divided into three regional divisions.| North | Scotland | South |
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Edinburgh Wolves The Edinburgh Wolves are a Scottish American football team based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Their home ground is Meadowbank Stadium. They play in Division Two North of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:... Highland Wildcats The Highland Wildcats are an American Football team based in Inverness, Scotland. The Highland Wildcats are the performance level teams of the Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football. Currently there are currently 4 Wildcat teams in Inverness, 2 Junior Flag Football teams, a Junior kitted... |
Coventry Jets The Coventry Jets are an American football team based in Coventry, England and were the 2008 National Champions. They currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues Premier division. The Jets have played their home games at a number of venues in Coventry, including the Butts Park Arena, which is home... London Blitz (American football) London Blitz are a British American football team based in North London at Finsbury Park athletics stadium.- Overview :The Blitz field a senior team in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership as well as youth teams. The roster has included both local players as well as players from North America,... |