Maidstone Pumas
Encyclopedia
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
(BAFACL).
the following year in 1998. They struggled to adapt and finished bottom of the South East conference, losing all ten of their regular season games and failing to score in six.
They were realigned into the Southern conference for their second season and on their third matchday they won their first senior game, a 27–0 win over the Chiltern Cheetahs
. This was followed by a mixture of wins and narrow defeats, which included them completing a double over their local rivals, the Kent Exiles. They eventually finished fifth out of seven teams with a 4-5 record.
They were realigned once again for the 2000 into the five-team Eastern conference along with the Exiles and the Southend Sabres and eventually finished fourth with a 2-6 record. 2001 also saw the Pumas struggle, ending the season with a 1-7 record and only avoiding finishing bottom of their group by virtue of having conceded less points than the Kent Exiles.
It was decided that a period of rebuilding was needed, and so the club took a year out from senior competition in 2002. However, they continued to struggle upon their return to the BSL. In 2003, they finished bottom of the South East conference with a 1-9 record, and failed to win a single match in 2004, losing nine games and drawing one. The Pumas ended both the 2005 and 2006 seasons with a 2-8 record, whilst 2007 saw them lose every one of their ten games. In all, the Pumas lost 17 consecutive games, a streak which was ended on their first matchday of 2008 with a 13–12 victory over the Essex Spartans
.
The 2009 season was marred by the death of offensive lineman Alan 'Minty' Newcombe, who collapsed on the sideline during the home match against the East Kent Mavericks
on 16 August. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including his team-mates who wore their team colours at the request of his family.
The 2011 season was a season of rebuilding, the Pumas won one game and had another awarded when the Norwich Devils pulled out of the league. 2012 should bring continued growth.
Though based in Maidstone, the Pumas have forged links in the Medway Towns
. They have formed a Youth section of the club to capture some of the interest in the surrounding area. This has begun with teaching the basics of flag football
to secondary school pupils with the ambition of creating an inter-school league.
The Pumas held their first youth team try outs in July 2007 at Astor of Heaver School in Maidstone. Injured Pumas safety Bjorn Haynes took charge of the practice and put the prospective players though a series of drills covering footwork, ball handling, stances and reactions. There was then a short flag scrimmage to give the boys their first taste of competition. The club has since formed a Youth team which has played a number of flag football matches against local clubs, with the aim of registering 30 players by the end of 2008 to enable them to play kitted youth football. They achieved this aim and were entered into the Southern Conference of the BAFL's
youth league in 2009.
The Pumas have engaged in many charitable activities. At the 'Relay for Life' event, organised by Cancer Research UK
, they gave a demonstration of American football and entered a team in the tug of war
competition. The team also marshalled at the Breast Cancer Awareness 'Race for Life'.
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...
team based in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. 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
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National 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...
(BAFACL).
History
The Maidstone Pumas were first formed as a youth team that was active between 1988 and 1990, finishing as conference champions twice and losing to the Tiptree Titans in the BYAFA playoff final in 1990 the youth team continued for 7 more seasons in the youth league and entered Division Two the British Senior LeagueBritish American Football League
The British American Football League was the United Kingdom's primary American Football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee....
the following year in 1998. They struggled to adapt and finished bottom of the South East conference, losing all ten of their regular season games and failing to score in six.
They were realigned into the Southern conference for their second season and on their third matchday they won their first senior game, a 27–0 win over the Chiltern Cheetahs
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...
. This was followed by a mixture of wins and narrow defeats, which included them completing a double over their local rivals, the Kent Exiles. They eventually finished fifth out of seven teams with a 4-5 record.
They were realigned once again for the 2000 into the five-team Eastern conference along with the Exiles and the Southend Sabres and eventually finished fourth with a 2-6 record. 2001 also saw the Pumas struggle, ending the season with a 1-7 record and only avoiding finishing bottom of their group by virtue of having conceded less points than the Kent Exiles.
It was decided that a period of rebuilding was needed, and so the club took a year out from senior competition in 2002. However, they continued to struggle upon their return to the BSL. In 2003, they finished bottom of the South East conference with a 1-9 record, and failed to win a single match in 2004, losing nine games and drawing one. The Pumas ended both the 2005 and 2006 seasons with a 2-8 record, whilst 2007 saw them lose every one of their ten games. In all, the Pumas lost 17 consecutive games, a streak which was ended on their first matchday of 2008 with a 13–12 victory over the Essex Spartans
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....
.
The 2009 season was marred by the death of offensive lineman Alan 'Minty' Newcombe, who collapsed on the sideline during the home match against the East Kent Mavericks
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:...
on 16 August. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including his team-mates who wore their team colours at the request of his family.
The 2011 season was a season of rebuilding, the Pumas won one game and had another awarded when the Norwich Devils pulled out of the league. 2012 should bring continued growth.
Senior team season records
| Season | Division | W | L | T | PF | PA | Final Position | Playoff Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | BSL Division Two South East | 0 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 367 | 5 / 7 | — | — |
| 1999 | BSL Division Two South | 4 | 5 | 0 | 92 | 96 | 5 / 7 | — | — |
| 2000 | BSL Division Two East | 2 | 6 | 0 | 58 | 193 | 4 / 5 | — | — |
| 2001 | BSL Division Two South | 1 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 135 | 8 / 9 | — | — |
| 2002 | DID NOT COMPETE | ||||||||
| 2003 | BSL Division Two South East | 1 | 9 | 0 | 55 | 195 | 8 / 8 | — | — |
| 2004 | BSL Division Two South East | 0 | 9 | 1 | 32 | 289 | 6 / 6 | — | — |
| 2005 | BAFL Division Two South East | 2 | 8 | 0 | 46 | 300 | 5 / 5 | — | — |
| 2006 | BAFL Division Two South | 2 | 8 | 0 | 64 | 260 | 3 / 4 | — | — |
| 2007 | BAFL Division Two South East | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 301 | 6 / 6 | — | — |
| 2008 | BAFL Division Two South East | 1 | 9 | 0 | 109 | 395 | 5 / 5 | — | — |
| 2009 | BAFL Division Two South East | 0 | 9 | 1 | 44 | 441 | 4 / 4 | — | — |
| 2010 | BAFACL Division Two East | 2 | 7 | 0 | 51 | 304 | 5 / 6 | — | — |
| 2011 | BAFL Division Two East | 2 | 8 | 0 | 72 | 476 | 6 / 7 | — | — |
Other teams and activities
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
. They have formed a Youth section of the club to capture some of the interest in the surrounding area. This has begun with teaching the basics of 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...
to secondary school pupils with the ambition of creating an inter-school league.
The Pumas held their first youth team try outs in July 2007 at Astor of Heaver School in Maidstone. Injured Pumas safety Bjorn Haynes took charge of the practice and put the prospective players though a series of drills covering footwork, ball handling, stances and reactions. There was then a short flag scrimmage to give the boys their first taste of competition. The club has since formed a Youth team which has played a number of flag football matches against local clubs, with the aim of registering 30 players by the end of 2008 to enable them to play kitted youth football. They achieved this aim and were entered into the Southern Conference of the BAFL's
British American Football League
The British American Football League was the United Kingdom's primary American Football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee....
youth league in 2009.
The Pumas have engaged in many charitable activities. At the 'Relay for Life' event, organised by Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
, they gave a demonstration of American football and entered a team in the tug of war
Tug of war
Tug of war, also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war or rope pulling, is a sport that directly pits two teams against each other in a test of strength. The term may also be used as a metaphor to describe a demonstration of brute strength by two opposing groups, such as a rivalry between two...
competition. The team also marshalled at the Breast Cancer Awareness 'Race for Life'.