Sheffield American football team needs more players after talented youngsters graduate to London’s NFL Academy

A ‘remarkable year’ for the Sheffield Giants has seen nine players from their Under-19 and Under-16 teams called up to play for Great Britain, with a further two – 17-year-old Ben Lax and 16-year-old Daniel Akinkunmi – snapped up by the NFL Academy in London.

The pair have joined up with another former Giant, 18-year-old Beveridge Ekpolomo, who is now in his second year on the programme.

The NFL Academy offers student athletes aged 16 to 19 the opportunity to continue their education alongside playing American football with a view to earning a place at a US university, which would allow them to play college football at the top level.

Sheffield Giants Under-19 head coach Ted Faulkner said: “We’ve had a pretty phenomenally successful season and we just want to carry on that success.

"Ben and Daniel have already had the pleasure of playing in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before one of the NFL games. Now they are training with some of the best NFL coaches in the world.”

Around 90 youngsters from the Sheffield area are currently registered with the Sheffield Giants, with mixed teams from ages seven to 11 and 11 to 14, as well as Under-16s and 19s.

Ted wants to see more young people get involved ahead of the 2022 season - training for which will begin in February.

He said: “Sheffield has got a long history of football and if you struggle with the normal sport of football then you can struggle with sport.

"Sometimes, some people who don’t have that figure can get left out. We think that’s what we provide.

“We are trying to get big lads and lasses at the minute, they are the type of people we want. But there’s a role for everybody.”

Ted added: “We are like a family.

"There’s kids from literally every background that come here, all parts of Sheffield. It’s been great to see all these kids from all over the city come together.”

Anyone interested in trying American football can contact the Sheffield Giants Academy via their social media pages or email [email protected].