NEWS
June 22 Scrimmage report
As the school year came to its end for the ‘21-’22 session, we gathered 42 of our young players and coaches at both age levels from all 3 squads for our last scrimmage event.
In a very competitive series of drives, all 6 squads produced exciting and entertaining football, with defence often dominating, and hard-fought offensive gains all too often overturned by fumble recoveries and interceptions. Yet there were 1st TD runs and passes for several players, including many who had only been practising for a few weeks, and no matter how well the defences were playing, there was always the threat of a break away score.
With our scoring regimen awarding points from all squads to their overall team totals, every fumble recovery, interception, and great play counted towards the winning total. Also, up for grabs were the CDO’s ‘wild card’ points given for big plays or things that just made him smile.
Starting with an interception returned for a touchdown by a Panthers rookie and ending with a trick play that went all the way for another touchdown by a former Bomber veteran helping out due to a shortage of numbers on the day, one of the biggest audience of families and friends to attend were thoroughly entertained.
When all the scores were totalled, the result saw the Lothian Storm once again claim the win with 35 points, with the Edinburgh Panthers 2 nd with 30 points and the Ferry Bombers 3rd with 25 points.
MVPS
Junior: Storm – Will Sutherland
Panthers – Harry Wilson
Bombers – Charlie Sweet
Senior: Storm – Chloe Ramsey
Panthers – Alan Skotnicki
Bombers – Morris Jeffries
Scrimmage at Kirkliston Leisure Centre on Saturday 25th June.
Just 4 more weeks left in our 21-22 year! It seems to have flown by after being shut down for so long!
Our year ends where it began with an all team Scrimmage at Kirkliston Leisure Centre on Saturday 25th June. All are welcome to come along and watch our kids finish the season string! 1st play is at 10.15!
ISF Coaching Clinic Portugal
In Feb 2020, our CDO made the long trip to Houston, Texas to finalize plans for TD-UK to host ISF and East Texas Baptist University Tigers in a series of events that Summer in Lothian….we all know what happened next!
In other conversations during that trip, it was suggested that TD-UK could also become a partner in an annual series of ISF coaching clinics in Portugal, with the possibility of developing opportunities to do the same in Scotland in the following years.
In July 2022, we are proud to announce that our CDO will be travelling to Lisbon (Easy Jet permitting!) for a 4 day American Football camp with Portuguese adult players, in support of local ISF church partners and US coaches. Tom has been asked to take the Offensive Line sessions, and is currently reminding himself of all the drills and concepts he used a decade ago with Edinburgh Napier Knights University.
Tom, pictured above with ISF Director of Global Engagement Bryan Doyle and Director of Sports Projects John Kelso, is looking forward to the camp, and hopes it will be as helpful for the players participating as it will be challenging for himself!
Ssarien Liddell’s Final Game as a Bomber
Ssarien Liddell joined the Bombers as a short but very enthusiastic S1 in 2012, at a time when the bulk of the squad was much older, bigger, and more experienced. The Head Coach at that time was Scottish Gridiron Legend, Andy Brown, a man renowned for his focus on being properly prepared and the possessor of a loud voice that was often heard when the young Ssarien failed to follow the instructions provided in the huddle…In a very short space if time, the young player quickly demonstrated his desire, no little skill and shared a supporter’s passion for the Miami Dolphins (which had him in our CDO’s good books!)
When the team was placed in hiatus due to a fall in numbers, Ssarien, now a veteran of 3 years, followed the CDO to Dunfermline based West Fife Saints to continue his playing career. He very quickly became a team leader and a key player in that team’s domination of the TD-UK Communities league. He became one of that team’s 1 st generation of BAFA
league players as he joined up with the East Kilbride Pirates and started a playing career which continues to this day.
On the relaunch of the Bombers in 2018, Ssarien was quick to take up the opportunity to help his old team, and soon began to step into a Coaching role, which he retained for the
following 4 years. Even when numbers were low during the return from COVID, Ssarien was a constant presence, encouraging, leading, laughing, and supporting a gradually expanding group of players, as well as helping the CDO in the development of the next generation of young coaches.
A genuine student of the sport, it was, perhaps, inevitable that he would attract the interest of local league-based teams, and it was early in 2022 that Ssarien announced he had been offered the chance to work as an Offensive Assistant with the Edinburgh Napier Knights u-16 team – ironically enough under the leadership of fellow TD-UK alumni and former teammate
John Kohl.
It has been a decade, and, although a sad day for us all at TD-UK, Ssarien embodies everything that the charity sets out to do. He has grown (literally as well as figuratively) into a well-mannered, disciplined, and charismatic leader, with a strong work ethic, but has never lost sight that the sport is to be played with a smile on the face and that team always matters more than the individual in achieving group goals.
We will miss him but wish him every success in his new role.
TD-UK is excited to announce our 1st Summer camp event on August 1st and 2nd at Queensferry High School.
In partnership with Edinburgh Active Schools, Queensferry High School and Athletic Evolution, the 2 days will be open to any interested young person in the P5-S6 age group, of any experience, fitness or ability.
The event will be a skills focused afternoon, working on catching, throwing and other American Football skills, a chance to try on kit and listen to our volunteers and coaches experiences and an opportunity to measure themselves against an NFL style ‘combine’ set of tests. All participants will receive a free gift for attendance.
1st of August is open to all, whilst we welcome all girls and young women to attend on the 2nd in the 1st ever American Football camp open solely to them.
Cost is £5 per day, and more information and registration forms can be accessed from info@touchdownuk.org