Norway American Football Federation
Encyclopedia
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...
league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
in Norway, consisting of eleven teams from Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
cities and universities. The league is divided into two levels of competition and four age categories: Senior, Under 19, Under 16, and Under 13. It was founded November 3, 1987 and is a member of the Norwegian Olympic Committee and European Federation of American Football
European Federation of American Football
The European Federation of American Football is the governing body of American football in Europe. It is recognized by the International Federation of American Football ....
(EFAF).
During the league's regular season, each team plays 6 games over a 10-week period generally from April to June. The league's teams are divided into an Eastern and Western Division
Division (sport)
In sports, a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.-League system:In sports using a league system , a division consists a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level...
, and at the end of each regular season, the two best teams from each division play in the NoAFF playoffs, a 4-team tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
that culminates with the NoAFF Final.
The early years of American Football in Norway
American Football in Norway began in 1957 when Marines stationed at the American Embassy in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and teachers from the American school in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
began coaching American 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...
to players from two high schools in Oslo, Ullern and Riis, who played their one game per season, on the field wore ice hockey and whatever other protection they could get their hands on to play the game.
During 1967, Henry L. Jones, USMC, arrived in the country and continued the long tradition of Marines coaching football to Norwegians. That same year, Edgar Williams of the Philadelphia Inquirer, in Oslo on vacation, wrote an article about the Norwegian schools’ rivalry and titled it: “Two Marines from Delaware Valley were rival coaches in Norway’s ‘One – Game Season’.” Months later, after the article written by Williams appeared in newspapers in America, football equipment began to arrive from states where mostly Scandinavians lived in USA.
Jones left Norway, lived in the United States before coming back to Norway in February 1975. During 1983, he coached the Trolls (the oldest team in Norway), who stayed undefeated throughout the 1980s. In addition the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
organized the Norwegian American Football Federation (NAFF) and became its first president and national head coach.
NAFF played its first international game in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and won 38-0. An article of the game appeared in the Norway’s second largest newspaper Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
, on January 28, 1985. In Stockholm, Sweden, again, for the first Scandinavian Cup in American football, to be played by Sweden, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Norway, NAFF became the champion. An article of the Cup appeared in SAGA
SAGA
SAGA or "Simple API for Grid Aapplications" is the name of a family of related standards specified by the Open Grid Forum to define an application programming interface , for common distributed computing functionality....
, Norway’s English language newspaper, on September 19, 1985.
Challenging the Coventry Bears American Football Club in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on May 9, 1986, NAFF became victorious.
The Norwegians tasted football defeat for the first time when St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
was invited to Oslo during 1986, and the final score was 65-0.
The football players from Norway traveled to Minnesota to play St. Olaf College again. NAFF lost again 65-0, the college boys intentionally decided not to run up the score on their visitors. An article of the game appeared in the local newspaper called The News, Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
, on July 21, 1988.
St. Olaf College arranged for NAFF players to visit the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
training camp and be able to socialize with the professional players of American football.
NoAFF
In 2002, the NoAFF elected Eigil Norén as the inaugural member of its Hall of Fame, and also named its 15th anniversary All-StarAll-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team.
Two years later, the NoAFF elected its first non-Norwegian president, American Blake Miller.
Also in 2004, Norway chose not to attend the Nordic Senior Championships of American Football, prompting the Swedish American Football Federation (SAFF) (representing the host country) to file a formal complaint with European Federation of American Football
European Federation of American Football
The European Federation of American Football is the governing body of American football in Europe. It is recognized by the International Federation of American Football ....
(EFAF). The complaint was later rescinded by SAFF President Tommy Wiking.
NoAFF Senior Division I Final Results
| Year | Winning Team | Losing Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Trolls | Vikings | ||
| 1987 | Trolls | Vikings | ||
| 1988 | Trolls | Vikings | ||
| 1989 | Trolls | Vikings | ||
| 1990 | Vikings | Trolls | ||
| 1991 | Vikings | Lynx | ||
| 1992 | Vikings | Trolls | ||
| 1993 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
62 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
19 |
| 1994 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
||
| 1995 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
||
| 1996 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
22 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
18 |
| 1997 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
||
| 1998 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
20 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
14 |
| 1999 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
28 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
14 |
| 2000 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
69 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
21 |
| 2001 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
24 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
7 |
| 2002 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
24 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
21 |
| 2003 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
41 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
31 |
| 2004 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
55 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
48 |
| 2005 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
21 | Trolls Vålerenga Trolls Vålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993.... |
7 |
| 2006 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
34 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
19 |
| 2007 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
30 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
27 |
| 2008 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
46 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
0 |
| 2009 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
60 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
40 |
| 2010 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
19 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
12 |
| 2011 | Vikings Oslo Vikings Oslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments.... |
48 | 1814s Eidsvoll 1814s The Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation... |
20 |
Current NoAFF Senior Affiliates
- AFC Show
- Bergen StormBergen StormThe Bergen Storm is an American football team based in Bergen, Norway. Bergen Storm is the 3rd oldest existing team in Norwegian American Football. They are members of the Norway American Football Federation...
- Eidsvoll 1814sEidsvoll 1814sThe Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation...
- Hamar RuinsHamar RuinsHamar Ruins is the name of an American football team located in Hamar, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. They have no rivalry with Bergen Storm at all.-External links:**...
- Kvernbit Knights
- Moss Pirates
- Nidaros DomersNidaros DomersThe NTNUI Nidaros Domers are an American football team based in Trondheim, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation ....
- Oslo VikingsOslo VikingsOslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments....
- Os Wolverines
- Vålerenga TrollsVålerenga TrollsVålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993....
- Åsane SeahawksÅsane SeahawksÅsane Seahawks is the name of an American football and cheerleading team located in Åsane, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. The team borrowed its name and logo from the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League....
- Kristiansand GladiatorsKristiansand GladiatorsKristiansand Gladiators is the name of an American football team located in Kristiansand, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. The team plays its home games at Karuss Colosseum in Vågsbygd, Kristiansand. They also have a reputation for having some of the loudest fans in...
- Nordstrand Bandits
- Flint Raiders
Current NoAFF Junior Affiliates
- AFC Show
- Hamar RuinsHamar RuinsHamar Ruins is the name of an American football team located in Hamar, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. They have no rivalry with Bergen Storm at all.-External links:**...
- Kristiansand GladiatorsKristiansand GladiatorsKristiansand Gladiators is the name of an American football team located in Kristiansand, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. The team plays its home games at Karuss Colosseum in Vågsbygd, Kristiansand. They also have a reputation for having some of the loudest fans in...
- Bergen StormBergen StormThe Bergen Storm is an American football team based in Bergen, Norway. Bergen Storm is the 3rd oldest existing team in Norwegian American Football. They are members of the Norway American Football Federation...
- Nidaros DragonsNidaros DomersThe NTNUI Nidaros Domers are an American football team based in Trondheim, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation ....
- Vålerenga TrollsVålerenga TrollsVålerenga Trolls is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1983 as the Oslo Trolls and changed to its current name in 1993....
- Nordstrand Bandits
- Oslo VikingsOslo VikingsOslo Vikings is the name of an American football club located in Oslo, Norway, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation and the European Federation of American Football tournaments....
- Eidsvoll 1814sEidsvoll 1814sThe Eidsvoll 1814s are an American football team based in Eidsvoll, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation...
- Åsane SeahawksÅsane SeahawksÅsane Seahawks is the name of an American football and cheerleading team located in Åsane, Norway that competes in the Norway American Football Federation. The team borrowed its name and logo from the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League....
Former NoAFF Affiliates
- Arendal WildcatsArendal WildcatsArendal Wildcats was an American football team based in Arendal, Norway, founded in 1993.They were members of the Southside Football League and former members of the Norway American Football Federation . The team played its home games at Stuenes Stadium in Arendal. The team played their last...
- Asker Lynx
- Bærum Blue DevilsBærum Blue DevilsThe Bærum Blue Devils is an American football club based in Bærum, Norway. They are former members of the Norway American Football Federation ....
- Christiania RebelsChristiania RebelsChristiania Rebels is an American football team located in Oslo, Norway. It competes in the Norway American Football Federation....
- Fredrikstad EaglesFredrikstad EaglesThe Fredrikstad Eagles is an American football team based in Fredrikstad, Norway. They are former members of the Norway American Football Federation .-First season:...
- Furuset Panthers
- Kolbotn KodiaksKolbotn KodiaksKolbotn Kodiaks is the name of an American football team located in Kolbotn, Norway and former affiliate of the NoAFF now NAIF, One of 3 teams to form the Norwegian American Football Federation ....
- Kristiansand RaidersKristiansand RaidersThe Kristiansand Gladiators are an American football team based in Kristiansand, Norway. They are members of the Norway American Football Federation ....
- Larvik LionsLarvik LionsLarvik Lions is the name of an American football team located in Larvik, Norway and a former affiliate of the Norway American Football Federation....
- Lillehammer WolfpackLillehammer WolfpackThe Lillehammer Wolfpack are an American football team based in Lillehammer, Norway. They are former members of the Norway American Football Federation , having entered the league in 1998....
- Otra RaidersOtra RaidersThe Otra Raiders was an American football team based in Sørlandet, Norway. They are former members of the Norway American Football Federation and the Southside Football League . The Kristiansand Gladiators is in many ways a continuation of the Raiders....
- Romerike Romans
- Sandnes OilersSandnes OilersThe Sandnes Oilers are an American football team based in Sandnes, Norway. They are currently members of the Norway American Football Federation . The team was founded in 1991 and was based in Stavanger before moving to Sandnes in 1992. The team played its first season in 1993, winning all games in...
- SK Hellerud Panthers