American beauties

The under-16 American football team finished top of the English league after a seesaw season that saw them clinch top spot on the final weekend.

But that's not the end of it.

The dedicated squad are back on the training ground sweating it out in preparation to play the game of their lives in the National Championship Finals, at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster on Sunday.

As English champions they take on Scotland's finest, The Highland Wildcats, with the winners facing either Sussex Thunder or Glasgow Tigers in the final.

Managed by Dorothy Ledger, a Chicago-born American football fanatic, and with her husband Paul as head coach, the Sheffield lads are going places.

Founded just three years ago with only six players the Tomahawks, like the lads in the squad, grew quickly.

Now they have 40 registered players aged 11 to 19, and many of those are being tipped to reach the very top.

Paul, aged 48, a firefighter at Low Edges station, got into the game when his son Robert, then eight, told his dad he didn't want to play 'cissy' soccer.

So the die-hard Blade was dragged along to a try-out session at a now defunct Sheffield American football team. The lad got in - and so did his old man.

Because Paul was the only dad who stuck around to watch practice sessions he was roped in to help with coaching.

And he took to it like an American to burgers.

Ten years on Dorothy - a Chicago Bears fan - set up the Tomahawks and had no hesitation in choosing her husband as head coach.

Paul is confident the lads can win the finals.

"If the lads play to the best of our ability it would take a very good team to beat us," he said.

"We work hard in training. We train Wednesday evenings during the summer and every Saturday morning throughout the year.

"But I do give them two weeks off at Christmas.

"We travel all over England competing against top teams in London, Birmingham and Sussex just to name a few.

"It's tough but it's fun - and I reckon we have a big chance of winning."

The Tomahawks, set up with the help of a grant from the South Yorkshire Foundation, has four teams competing in national competitions.

They are already on the lookout for new players aged 11 to 19 for the coming season and would like to hear from firms who can help out with sponsorship.

Call Dorothy or Paul on 0114 220 7165.