Oslo Vikings
Encyclopedia
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.
The club was founded in 1986 and prior to 1992, the team was known as the Westside Vikings. In 2010 the club moved to its current home ground Frogner Stadion
.
The Vikings have won 8 total national championship titles (trailing only the Vålerenga Trolls
, who have 10). The Vikings had the most players (9) on the NoAFF 15th Anniversary All-Star Team (named in 2002). The team also has fierce rivalries with the Vålerenga Trolls, which is the longest rivalry in the NoAFF and in recent years the Eidsvoll 1814s.
The Vikings' top international achievement is their 12-6 2000 EFAF EuroCup Championship Game appearance against the London O's in Brussels, a game the Vikings lost 12-6.
high school teams. The founding name of the club was the Westside Vikings, and they immediately entered competition in the new, three-team strong Norwegian American Football Federation league, joining the Vålerenga Trolls and the Kolbotn Kodiaks.
The Vikings senior team have made it to the championship game in all of its years of existence except in 2003 and 2004, when the team did not make the playoffs.
In 2011 Oslo Vikings again reclaimed the National Championship under head coach Marques Anderson
.
Reporting to the board, is a senior department led by the club's head coach and a junior department led by the Junior manager. The junior department consists of separate U13 (10-13), U16 (14-16) and U19 (17-19) teams.
Associated with the Vikings, but with a separate board and organization, is the Viqueens Cheerleading and Cheerdance club.
Head Coaches
Vikings' members inducted into the Vikings Hall of Fame for long-term and valuable service to the club:
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...
club located in Oslo
Oslo
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...
, Norway
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...
, that competes in the Norway American Football Federation
Norway American Football Federation
The Norway American Football Federation is the largest American football league in Norway, consisting of eleven teams from Norwegian cities and universities. The league is divided into two levels of competition and four age categories: Senior, Under 19, Under 16, and Under 13...
and the 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 ....
tournaments.
The club was founded in 1986 and prior to 1992, the team was known as the Westside Vikings. In 2010 the club moved to its current home ground Frogner Stadion
Frogner stadion
Frogner stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. It is located close to the Frogner Park, between the park and Majorstuen.-History:It opened in 1901, and was built by Kristiania Skøiteklub. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition...
.
The Vikings have won 8 total national championship titles (trailing only the Vålerenga 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....
, who have 10). The Vikings had the most players (9) on the NoAFF 15th Anniversary All-Star Team (named in 2002). The team also has fierce rivalries with the Vålerenga Trolls, which is the longest rivalry in the NoAFF and in recent years the Eidsvoll 1814s.
The Vikings' top international achievement is their 12-6 2000 EFAF EuroCup Championship Game appearance against the London O's in Brussels, a game the Vikings lost 12-6.
History
The Vikings was founded in Oslo in September 1986 by a group of friends who had previously played for the Ris, Ullern and Oslo Commerce SchoolOslo Commerce School
Oslo Commerce School is a public high school in Oslo, Norway, specialized to teach financial and business management....
high school teams. The founding name of the club was the Westside Vikings, and they immediately entered competition in the new, three-team strong Norwegian American Football Federation league, joining the Vålerenga Trolls and the Kolbotn Kodiaks.
Results
In 1990, 1991 and 1992 the Vikings won three consecutive National Championships under coach Mark Troop. They lost the National Championship game to the Trolls in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, before they reclaimed the National Championship in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.The Vikings senior team have made it to the championship game in all of its years of existence except in 2003 and 2004, when the team did not make the playoffs.
In 2011 Oslo Vikings again reclaimed the National Championship under head coach Marques Anderson
Marques Anderson
Marques Anderson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in from UCLA.Anderson also played for the Oakland Raiders,...
.
Organization
The Oslo Vikings are members of the Norwegian National Federation of Sports and the European Federation of American Football through their membership in the Norwegian American Football and Cheerleading Federation. The Vikings are also members of the Oslo City Sports Association. The highest body of the club is the annual members meeting, which elects a board for a one-year term. The board, led by a president, is responsible for the day-to-day administration and football operations of the club, the budget as well as the long-term planning. The organizational work is based entirely on volunteer efforts.Reporting to the board, is a senior department led by the club's head coach and a junior department led by the Junior manager. The junior department consists of separate U13 (10-13), U16 (14-16) and U19 (17-19) teams.
Associated with the Vikings, but with a separate board and organization, is the Viqueens Cheerleading and Cheerdance club.
Notable players, coaches and club members
Vikings' Members of the NoAFF 20th anniversary All-Time Allstar Team:- Erik Allum - DB
- Nicolay Aslaksen - RB
- Gaute Engebretsen - DB
- Henrik DahlHenrik DahlHenrik Dahl is a Swedish footballer. -Career:He formerly played for Grimeton IK, Varbergs BOIS FC, BK Häcken, GAIS, in Denmark for Silkeborg IF and in Norway for Bærum SK and FC Lyn Oslo.-Personal life:...
- TE/LB - Pär Kärn - OG
- Sten Kagnes - OT
- Finn-Jarle Mathisen - LB/WR
- Ole Petter Nyhaug - OG/LB
- Christian Paulsboe - DL
- David Rødsand - WR
Head Coaches
- Henrik DahlHenrik DahlHenrik Dahl is a Swedish footballer. -Career:He formerly played for Grimeton IK, Varbergs BOIS FC, BK Häcken, GAIS, in Denmark for Silkeborg IF and in Norway for Bærum SK and FC Lyn Oslo.-Personal life:...
- 1989 - Mark Troop - 1990-1992
- Joe Løkhaug - 1993-1994
- Henrik DahlHenrik DahlHenrik Dahl is a Swedish footballer. -Career:He formerly played for Grimeton IK, Varbergs BOIS FC, BK Häcken, GAIS, in Denmark for Silkeborg IF and in Norway for Bærum SK and FC Lyn Oslo.-Personal life:...
- 1995 - Joe Murawa - 1996
- Val Gunn - 1997-1998, 2006-2008
- Chris Gauvreau - 1999-2001
- Terry Kleinsmith - 2002
- Karl Lerum - 2003
- Blake Miller - 2004-2005
- Val Gunn - 2006-2008
- Brian Cain - 2009
- Chris Gauvreau - 2010
- Marques AndersonMarques AndersonMarques Anderson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in from UCLA.Anderson also played for the Oakland Raiders,...
- 2011 - current
Vikings' members inducted into the Vikings Hall of Fame for long-term and valuable service to the club:
- Henrik DahlHenrik DahlHenrik Dahl is a Swedish footballer. -Career:He formerly played for Grimeton IK, Varbergs BOIS FC, BK Häcken, GAIS, in Denmark for Silkeborg IF and in Norway for Bærum SK and FC Lyn Oslo.-Personal life:...
- Co-founder, early-years club president, coach and standout player - Ole Petter Nyhaug - President of the club for 9 consecutive years, player, Federation President and organizer, U14 coach
- Gaute Engebretsen - Founding member, veteran player, coach and club president for several years
- Vilhelm Lae - Founder of the junior program, coach, board member for over 10 years responsible for football operations, standout player
- Nicolay Aslaksen - Standout player, team captain and leader, board member for several years