- United States Australian Football League
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United States Australian Football League Current season or competition:
April–OctoberSport Australian rules football Founded 1996 Inaugural season 1997 No. of teams 37 Country(ies) USA Official website Official website The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) is the governing body for Australian rules football in the United States. It was conceived in 1996 and organized in 1997.
Since co-ordinating the first National Championships, the organisation has functioned as a national amateur Australian rules football representative league. By 2006, the league had grown to 40 affiliated clubs, making up 60 teams and 2,000 players[1]. 1,048 were registered USAFL players and 340 USAFL sanctioned matches were played. Of the 709 players who competed at the USAFL National Championships, 77.4% were non-Australian, and over 60% were American.
The USAFL has Junior Development, Coaching Development and Umpire Development programs.
Contents
History
Main article: Australian rules football in the United StatesThe first match between two local US clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[2] In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed. Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN. Although the local game grew, ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches, and in response the lobby group, AFANA was formed.
In 1997, the first club national championships were held in Cincinnati. Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year. The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country.
Ambassadors
The involvement of many well-known Australians has helped boost the relations between the USAFL and AFL. In the early days, Paul Roos was a key figure. More recently, Robert DiPierdomenico, Colin Carter, Ian Dicker, Wayne Clarke, Leigh Matthews and Michael Voss have become official USAFL ambassadors.
Metro & Rec Footy
The USAFL has embraced Metro Footy – a scaled down version of footy (as the sport is sometimes called) for American-sized fields with fewer players. Many USAFL clubs are fed by several Metro Footy or Rec Footy sides and selected players represent at the Nationals. Metro Footy has also enabled the USAFL to stage exhibition matches at Arena Football League games. Rec (or Recreational) Footy is generally a co-ed, non-tackle version of the game which has been adopted by many clubs across the US in order to introduce women into the game and men at a more introductory level.
National Teams
USAFL is responsible for the co-ordination of the National Teams, the USA Revolution men's team and the USA Freedom women's team. The team plays in international tournaments and exhibition matches against other countries. National team players are selected from the best US-born players from the club teams across the country.
With close proximity to Canada, the Revolution & Freedom participate in the annual 49th Parallel Cup against Canada each year except for years of the International Cup in Australia.
The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup, finishing 5th out of 11 countries and in the 2005 Australian Football International Cup finishing 3rd out of 10 countries. They competed in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup where the Revolution finished 7th out of 16 countries.
Domestic Tournaments & Competitions
Funding and revenue
The Australian Football League provides around A$80,000 annually in funding for the USAFL, primarily for league development. The USAFL also generates revenue through club and player membership and merchandising activities.
USAFL Footy Kids
US Footy Kids is the USAFL's equivalent of the successful AFL Auskick program and part of the USAFL's junior development program.
USAFL Clubs and representative sides
Club City Colours Metro League Founded Official website Arizona Hawks Phoenix, Arizona Arizona Australian Football League 1999 Official Site Atlanta Kookaburras Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta Metro Footy League 1998 Official Site Austin Crows Austin, Texas 2002 Official Site Baltimore Washington Eagles Baltimore, Maryland, Fairfax, Virginia & Washington, D.C. Baltimore Washington Eagles Metro Competition 1998 Official Site Baton Rouge Tigers Baton Rouge, Louisiana 
2004 Official Site Boston Demons Boston, Massachusetts New England Metropolitan Australian Rules Football League 1997 Official Site Cincinnati Dockers Cincinnati, Ohio 1996 Official Site Chicago United Chicago, Illinois Chicago Australian Football Association 1998 Official Site Columbus Jackaroos Columbus, Ohio Columbus Metro Footy League 2008 Official Site Dallas Magpies Dallas, Texas 1998 Official Site Denver Bulldogs Denver, Colorado 1998 Official Site Des Moines Roosters Des Moines, Iowa 2010 Official Site Florida Redbacks Tampa Bay, Florida Florida Metro Footy League 2003 Official Site Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids Fort Lauderdale, Florida 2005 Official Site Golden Gate Roos San Francisco, California 1998 Official Site Houston Lonestars Houston, Texas 2005 Official Site Kansas City Power Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City Metro Footy League 1998 Official Site Las Vegas Gamblers Las Vegas, Nevada 2005 Official Site Louisville Kings Louisville, Kentucky 1996 Official Site Milwaukee Bombers Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee Metro Cheddar Cup 1998 Official Site Minnesota Freeze Minneapolis, Minnesota 
2005 Official Site Nashville Kangaroos Nashville, Tennessee 1997 Official Site New York Magpies New York City New York Metro Footy League 1998 Official Site North Carolina Tigers Raleigh, North Carolina North Carolina Metro Footy League 1997 Official Site Orange County Bombers Orange County, California Southern California Australian Football League 1998 Official Site Philadelphia Hawks Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1998 Official Site Portland Steelheads Portland, Oregon Portland Metro Footy League 1998 Official Site San Diego Lions San Diego, California San Diego Metro Footy League 1997 Official Site Sacramento Screamers Sacramento, California Sac Footy Rec League 2009 Official Site Seattle Grizzlies Seattle, Washington Seattle Metro Footy League 1998 Official Site St. Louis Blues St. Louis, Missouri 1998 Official Site Former Clubs
Club City Founded Official website Detroit Overdrive Detroit, Michigan Illinois Ironmen Naperville, Illinois Inland Empire Eagles/Fire Riverside, California Lehigh Valley Crocs Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Los Angeles Crows Pasadena, California Mojave Greens Fort Irwin, California Phoenix Scorpions Phoenix, Arizona Pittsburgh Wallabies Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania South Carolina Hawks Charleston, South Carolina Tri-Cities Saints Bristol, Tennessee Tucson Javelinas Tucson, Arizona Affiliated Leagues
- Mid American Australian Football League
- Eastern Australian Football League
- North West Pacific Australian Football League
- Californian Australian Football League
See also
- Australian rules football
- Australian rules football in the United States
- Metro Footy
- Women's Australian Football Association
References
External links
- Official USAFL website
- USAFL Facebook Fan Page
- US Footy News
- Fox Sports World Video
- World Footy News
- ESPN aired this segment for Australian TV
- Stateside Footy TV Cable Access program produced at WCTV in Wilmington, Massachusetts, featuring Australian Rules Football played in the United States
Clubs in the United States Australian Football League Arizona | Atlanta | Austin | Baltimore Washington | Bakersfield | Baton Rouge | Boston | Buffalo | Cincinnati | Chicago | Colorado Springs | Dallas | Denver | Detroit | Florida | Fort Lauderdale | Golden Gate | Green Mountain | Illinois | Inland Empire | Kansas City | Las Vegas | Lehigh Valley | Louisville | Los Angeles | Milwaukee | Minnesota | Mojave | Nashville | New York | North Carolina | Orange County | Philadelphia | Pheonix | Pittsburgh | Portland | Rocky Mountain | Salt Lake City | San Diego | Santa Cruz | Seattle | South Carolina | St. Louis | Tucson | Vermont
Australian rules football in the United States Governing body US FootyPromotional body National team Representative competitions Major leagues Women's leagues Categories:- Australian football leagues in the United States
- Australian rules football governing bodies outside Australia
- Sports governing bodies of the United States
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