Dresden Monarchs

Dresden Monarchs
Founded	1992
League	German Football League
Stadium	Heinz-Steyer-Stadion
Based in	Dresden, Germany
Team colors	Gold and Navy
Manager	Jörg Dreßler
Championships	none
Division titles	none
Website	www.dresden-monarchs.de/

The Dresden Monarchs are an American football team from Dresden, Germany.

As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the German Football League on five occasions, and reached the semi finals of the national championship in 2004 and 2010.^[1]

History

The Dresden Monarchs were formed in January 1992 and entered in the Aufbauliga Ost the following year, the lowest possible league in the region.^[2]

The Monarchs, in the following years, gradually worked their way up through the league system, winning the league they played in in every season from 1996 to 1999. In 1999, a second title in the tier-three Regionalliga Nordost allowed the club promotion to the northern division of the 2nd Bundesliga, now the GFL 2.^[1]

After three seasons at this level, Dresden won its division in 2002, winning all ten games, and went on to defeat the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes in two games in the promotion round by a combined score of 100–0.^[1]

Promoted to the German Football League, the GFL, the club became an instant play-off contender, reaching the semifinals in 2004, where it lost to the Braunschweig Lions. After four consecutive play-off qualifications, the club had a difficult 2007 season. With only one win and eleven defeats in the regular season, the Monarchs had to enter the relegation round, but were able to overcome the Hamburg Eagles and thereby defended their place in the GFL.^[1]

The club returned to its better performances after 2007, reaching the play-offs once more every year. A second semifinal qualification, in 2010, ended in defeat to eventual German Bowl winners Kiel Baltic Hurricanes.^[1]

In 2011, the club narrowly missed out on play-off qualification, finishing fifth in the league.^[3]

Honours

• GFL
  • Play-off qualification : (7) 2003–2006, 2008–2010
  • League membership : (9) 2003–present

• GFL 2
  • Northern Division champions: 2002

Recent seasons

Recent seasons of the club:^{[1][4][5][6][3]}

Year	Division	Finish	Points	Pct.	Games	W	D	L	PF	PA	Postseason
2005	GFL (North)	3rd	14–10	0.583	12	7	0	5	306	290	Lost QF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (27–30)
2006		3rd	11–13	0.458	12	5	1	6	200	318	Lost QF: Stuttgart Scorpions (27–47)
2007		6th	2–22	0.083	12	1	0	11	169	440	Won RR: Hamburg Eagles (28–24 & 19–13)
2008		4th	12–12	0.500	12	6	0	6	192	272	Lost QF: Marburg Mercenaries (21–32)
2009		3rd	10–10	0.500	10	5	0	5	258	250	Lost QF: Marburg Mercenaries (63–64)
2010		3rd	12–12	0.500	12	6	0	6	248	253	Won QF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (56–45) Lost SF: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes (0–14)
2011		5th	12–16	0.429	14	6	0	8	405	237	—

• RR = Relegation round.
• QF = Quarter finals.
• SF = Semi finals.
• GB = German Bowl

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Football History (German) Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 18 January 2010
2. ^ History: 1993 (German) Dresden Monarchs website, accessed: 18 January 2011
3. ^ ^{a b} GFL 2011 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 18 September 2011
4. ^ GFL 2008 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 18 January 2011
5. ^ GFL 2009 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 18 January 2011
6. ^ GFL 2010 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 18 January 2011

External links

• (German) Official website
• (German) German Football League official website
• (German) Football History Historic American football tables from Germany