Month: October 2012

Coaching Ireland Tutor Course – Applications open for 2013

The Irish American Football Association is currently looking for applicants to undertake the Coaching Ireland Tutor Development programme. This an intensive and very rewarding course which will show the successful applicant,  tutor and information delivery techniques and skills to which they will be able to deliver coaching programs for Irish coaches. The course will be run in the University of Limerick on the following dates in 2013:

Weekend 1 February 2nd & 3rd

Weekend 2 February 23rd & 24th

Weekend 3 March 23rd & 24th

Weekend 4 April 20th & 21st

Weekend 5 May 18th & 19th

Duration:

The courses comprises of 5 weekends (72 contact hours), structured distance learning tasks and tutor practice.

Entry requirements:

Entrance to the tutor course is based on nomination by NGBs.

There is only one tutor position available on the 2013 course and anyone considering applying sould be mindful that they must be available to attend the University of Limerick for all the scheduled dates. The successful applicants course fees, expenses for transport, lodgings and food will be covered by the IAFA for the duration of the course.

The successful applicant will have to agree to be part of the IAFA Coaching Department’s Tutor staff and make themselves available to deliver IAFA/Coaching Ireland courses to the IAFA membership periodically.

Closing Date: 5th November 2012

Further Details:

John Judge, IAFA Director of Coaching: 

086 8615689 or john@americanfootball.ie

Coaching Ireland:

http://www.coachingireland.com/node/354

 

Proposed new Constitution for IAFA.

On Saturday 20th October, the IAFA Board held a Quarterly Meeting which formally approved the text of a new Constitution to its membership. Over the past 2 years, the IAFA has been working on the introduction of a new national structure for the sport which takes into account the new corporate governance guidelines recommended by the Irish Sports Council to the NGB sector in Ireland. If passed, the new Constitution and structures will put the IAFA at the forefront of NGB’s in Ireland in terms of corporate governance.

The proposed Constitution will introduce the following changes:

– The league, officials, coaches and flag brought together in one ‘whole sport’ structure.

– A new central administration for the sport to be led by a Commissioner.

– Separation of Board and Administration

– Directors of Officiating and Development to be appointed by the elected Board. (Director of Coaching already in place).

– Clubs directly electing IAFA Board members.

– A 9 person IAFA Board which will include an external Board member and rotating 3 year terms for Board members.

If approved by the IAFA’s member organisations, the Constitution will be formally ratified in Q1 2013. Some transition arrangements will apply for the 2013 season, with the full structure expected to be in place by Q4 2013.

In addition to recommending the new Constitution and structure, the IAFA Board also held a ‘workshop’ style session to prepare its 2013 ISC Grant Application and discussed the arrangements for The Gathering 2013.

IAFA Draft New Constitution

Record number of new teams apply to join IAFL

The IAFL has received applications from seven (7) teams to play competitive football in 2013. This is the highest number of applications ever received in any year. The applicants are seeking to be included in the IAFL’s new second tier of competitive football – IAFL-1, where there are a minimum of 3 vacant spots due to the recent decision to expand the IAFL to a minimum of 16 teams for 2013. There are applications on hand from all 4 provinces. 5 of the teams are members clubs and 2 are University teams. One of the applicants, DCU Saints, is applying to return to the league after a 2 year absence. All of the other teams are newly formed or were formative members in 2012.

List of Applicants (in alphabetical order):

Dublin City University Saints

Galway Warriors

Mullingar Minotaurs

North Kildare Reapers

South Kildare Soldiers

University of Ulster Coleraine Elks

Waterford Wolves

New League Structure for 2013 – 3 levels of football.

Given the phenomenal growth of American Football in Ireland the IAFL have restructured their League Format.  The changes are designed not only to cope with the expanding number of teams, but also to reflect the increasing standard of IAFL Clubs on and off the field.

The IAFL from 2013 on will be played at 3 levels!!!

  1. IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference
  2. IAFL -1
  3. Youth DV8s

The IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference (SBC) will comprise of the top 10 kitted teams in Ireland. These teams were selected for the 2013 Season on the basis of their seeding in 2012.  The IAFL SBC will be divided into 2 divisions.

IAFL SHAMROCK BOWL CONFERENCE NORTH & SOUTH

2012 IAFL’s top ten teams are first divided on a regional basis.  Teams in the extreme North & South are placed in their respective divisions. The total seeding value of each division  is calculated.  Then the remaining, centrally located teams are divided into these divisions based on their seeding.  The object of this to ensure both divisions have identical or as close to identical seeding value total.

The 5 teams in each conference will play each other HOME & AWAY.

This gives each team 4 Home & 4 Away games.

The Division Champions at the end of the regular season go straight to the semi-finals.

3rd plays 2nd in each Divison’s wildcard game to determine who goes through to the Semi-Final.

The Wild Card winners play the Division champion in the other Division at the semi-final stage.

Semi-Finals will both be played at the same venue as part of Double Header Event.  This event will be run by the IAFL and contributions will be made towards the costs of all 4 teams.  It is envisaged that the semi-finals will become a second major event on the American Football calendar in Ireland.

The Shamrock Bowl will be played at Tallaght Stadium.

The Divisions listed below show what the SBC line-up would look like based on the final 2012 standings. The final line-up will be announced when the 2013 season application/audit process has been completed.

IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference

[standings league_id=33 season=2013 group=North mode=extend]
[standings league_id=33 season=2013 group=South mode=extend]

IAFL-1

The IAFL-1 will initially be comprised of 6 teams, drawn from IAFL’s existing but lowest ranked teams, Dv-8’s teams & new clubs.  Like the Shamrock Bowl Conference, it will be 11-a-side football using EFAF/NCAA rules. The IAFL Board has assessed the situation and limited the number of spots in the IAFL-1 to 6 Teams.  This ensures the resources of the IAFL are not over stretched while coping with a huge growth in the number of teams playing 11 aside football.  This measure also sets a minimal standard on entry into the IAFL for new clubs.   While the number of new clubs playing competitive football is limited this year, it is perceived that IAFL-1 may be expanded in future years to accommodate reasonable growth and development of new teams. New applicants who do not make IAFL-1 this season can be given Formative status to allow them to avail of the IAFA’s development resources.

The inclusion of the 3 named teams listed below is indicative based on the final 2012 standings. The final line-up will be announced when the 2013 season application/audit process has been completed. To date, the IAFL has been contacted by 5 teams who are interested in applying for the vacant spots.

IAFL-1

[standings league_id=34 season=2013 mode=extend]

The Teams in IAFL-1 will be seeded and placed into the following grid.

  1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 2@1 3@1 4@1 5@1  
2 1@2   3@2 4@2   6@2
3 1@3 2@3     5@3 6@3
4 1@4   3@4   5@4 6@4
5   2@5 3@5 4@5   6@5
6 1@6 2@6   4@6 5@6  

This format ensures that each team plays 8 games – 4 home & 4 away.  Each teams plays every other team at least once.  But you only play 3 opponents home AND away.

In games involving a New Team Kicking (special teams/FG’s/PAT’s & Punts) have been removed from the game (like Dv-8’s).  All other IAFL Rules apply.  In games between existing teams all IAFL playing rules apply.

PROMOTION – RELEGATION

At the end of every season the teams in IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference will be seeded on single league table, using IAFL Tie Breakers where required. The 10th placed team at the end of season will be relegated to IAFL-1.  While the IAFL-1 champions will be promoted to the Shamrock Bowl Conference and seeded 10th for the purpose of team placements in the following year.

NOTE: Teams in the SBC will be expected to exceed the requirements for a home venue & team appearance as set out in the IAFL By-Laws.  While the IAFL-1 champions will earn the right to be promoted, promotion will only be completed upon inspection of facilities etc.

In the first year of this format teams placed in the SBC will be expected to provide facilities that exceed that minimal standards as laid down in the By-Laws.  This measure is to ensure fair competition at all venues and raise further the level of athlete our sport attracts & the standard of football being played every week.

Tie Breakers

The IAFL Board has reviewed the Tie Breakers as set down in the By-Laws – an announcement in this regard was made yesterday.

IAFL YOUTH DV8s (Under 18s)

The most exciting development in football in Ireland ever will be the launch of competitive youth kitted football using the DV8s format. The introduction of Youth DV8s will increase the participation in sport and provide another step on the Athletes pathway, bridging the gap between the IAFA’s highly successful School’s Flag program and our senior Leagues.

This age group is open to players of 16 17 & 18 years of age.

New Tiebreaker System Proposed for IAFL.

The IAFL Board has decided to recommend a new tiebreaker system for 2013. The major change is that points conceded will be replaced by points difference. As forfeits are uncommon, head to head points difference and points difference in all games will be the main tiebreakers after head to head won/loss record. The Board has also decided to recommend a new tiebreaker – number of touchdowns scored, to be used ahead of previous season’s standings. The Board’s view is that points difference is a fairer way of separating teams in the event that the finish with identical head to head and/or regular season records. This revised system will be recommended to the members’ for ratification at Decembers AGM.

As reported earlier this week, a major announcement on the league structure for 2013 will be made tomorrow at noon.

Proposed New Tie-Breaker System.

1. Least number of forfeits given.

2. Head to Head least number of forfeits given.

3. Head to Head won/loss %.

4. Head to Head points difference.

5. Points difference in all games.

(forfeits count as 30-0 or 30-30).

6. Number of touchdowns scored.

7. Seeding based on­ position in previous season’s standings. For clarification, seedings will be based on the teams’ regular season record from the previous season(s).

8. Drawn out of hat.

2013 League Structure to be announced on Thursday. New applications being accepted.

The IAFL Board met over the past weekend to discuss the 2013 IAFL season. There will be some very exciting news re: the proposed 2013 league structure announced on this website at Noon on Thursday 11th October.

In the meantime, all teams have been asked to submit their 2013 application/audit forms before 21st October. Audit meetings for all new teams and some existing teams will take place in early November.

Any new team wishing to join in any category of membership will need to submit an application/audit by 21st October – copies of the audit form can be downloaded on the Resources part of this site.

College & High School teams – Invitation to The Gathering Dublin.

The Mayor of South Dublin has issued formal invitations to a number of college, high school and semi-pro teams from North America asking them to compete in The Gathering Dublin in 2013.

South Dublin will be hosting a minimum of two regular season games involving visiting North American teams in August/September 2013.  The games will be played in Tallaght Stadium and have been called ‘The Gathering Classics’. The Gathering Dublin is seeking to hear from more teams who are be interested in playing in this unique event. Teams will be matched with teams of a similar status/standard to ensure that all the games are competitive. Any interested North American teams should read the information below and contact IAFA The Gathering Event Manager, Russell Kerley at thegathering@americanfootball.ie

The Gathering Classic – Your team could play in Ireland in 2013!

Your High School, College (NCAA Division 2 or 3 or JUCO) or Semi-Pro football team can avail of the unique opportunity to be part of a special event taking place in Ireland in 2013. In addition to having your team play a competitive fixture against similar opposition as part of a spectacular American football game which is the centrepiece of a major civic celebration, your team members, staff and supporters can enjoy the world famous Irish hospitality and avail of a wide range of cultural and educational tours and experiences.

The Gathering Dublin:

The Gathering Dublin (www.thegatheringdublin.com) was launched by Michael Ring TD, Irish Minister for Tourism & Sport and Cllr. Cathal King, Mayor of South Dublin on 3rd October 2012. This initiative is part of the wider The Gathering Ireland 2013 initiative announced by the Irish Government at the Global Irish Economic Forum.

South Dublin is home to the three main American sports organisations in Ireland – the Irish American Football Association (IAFA), Basketball Ireland and Baseball Ireland. Due to this unique association with North American sports, the Mayor of South Dublin wants to invite four teams to play in two American football games at Tallaght Stadium in August or September 2013. Similar events are also being arranged in basketball and baseball. These will be the showcase events of The Gathering Dublin.

The various partners in The Gathering Dublin, including South Dublin Tourism, will put together an exciting itinerary of educational tours and social events for the visiting teams and their supporters, including a civic reception hosted by the Mayor. Due to the community nature of the events, these packages will be better priced that those available commercially and can be tailored to your particular teams needs.

The Gathering Dublin is unique in that local government, the tourism industry, major sporting facilities and the National Governing Bodies in each sport are working in cooperation. This complete package cannot be found anywhere else.

An invitation from the Mayor to any teams interested in playing in The Gathering Classic games is attached below for download (#1).

A copy of an invitation letter from IAFA President Greg Loughran is attached below for download (#2) as is a copy of a leaflet re: The Gathering Dublin (#3).

The Games – The Gathering Classics:

The format of the football tournament for The Gathering Dublin is that two games will take place in Tallaght Stadium. Both will be competitive games matching up visiting teams who play a similar level of football at either High School or small college level. We envisage that these will be early season games – taking place in August or early September – possibly your teams first fixture of the season. Your team can be matched up against an opponent of your suggestion or against a similar standard team sourced by the event organisers.

The IAFA wants these games to be special – similar to the ‘kick-off classic’ type games you see in college and professional football. The winning team in each game will be awarded a ‘The Gathering’ themed trophy. We want to recreate the unique atmosphere of a North American college or high school football game, but with an Irish twist. Irish sports fans are renowned the world over for their warmth and enthusiasm, so I have no doubt that visiting teams and their supporters will enjoy a big Irish welcome and be made feel at home.

Travel Packages:

The Joe O’Reilly Travel Group in partnership with South Dublin Tourism will put together the travel packages for each team and their supporters. Packages can be tailor made to the visitors’ requirements and budget in terms of duration and itinerary. They can include visits, including overnight stays, in any part of Ireland as required. The County can provide Irish cultural classes covering dance, history, language and drama which are not available to commercial operators. With their links to the third level institutions in the County, they have a panel of guest lecturers covering a broad range of subjects that can offer a bespoke experience. Arrangements are in place to provide airline transport from any major airport in North American at prices cheaper than those available to the general public. A sample itinerary and price is attached below (#4).

Gameday, Practice Facilities and other Supports:

The games will be played in Tallaght Stadium, a newly constructed ‘bijou’ stadium with capacity for 8,000 spectators. The stadium is the only one in Ireland permanently equipped to host games up to NCAA Division 1 standard. It is a UEFA Category 4 stadium that is used to hosting major sporting events across a variety of sports. The IAFA and staff at Tallaght Stadium will work in tandem to ensure that everything is perfect for the football games.

Each visiting team will also be provided with practice facilities which include a marked football field with a good surface and goal posts. All practice facilities will have good quality locker rooms and meeting rooms. The IAFA will set up the practice facilities to each visiting teams individual requirements.

A brochure on the football facilities at Tallaght Stadium and practice supports is attached in below (#5).

Further Information & Downloads:

If you are interested in visiting Ireland for these events or require any further information, please email: thegathering@americanfootball.ie

IAFA The Gathering Event Manager: Russell Kerley.

Information for Download:

1. Invitation from the Mayor

2. Letter from IAFA President

3. The Gathering Ireland – Dublin

4. The Gathering Travel Packages

5. Information on Tallaght Stadium