All photos ©Al Macphee/Miraclepr.com
Ahead of Super Bowl 2023, I covered a Torbay Trojans training session for my blog post on photographing American Football in the UK
Last weekend, I caught back up with the Trojans and took some training shots at the Foxhole Community Centre. The Paignton-based American Football side are on a rebuilding mission as an associate member of the BAFC Southern Football Conference and new players – of any gender – are welcome at the Centre every Sunday from 10am to 1pm.
“Everybody is welcome, whatever their experience, size or shape,” said team manager Simon Porter. “We need all types of players, and the beautiful thing about football in the UK is it doesn’t discriminate.
“My job as coach is to make sure anyone who takes the field can do so safely. So as long as they can protect themselves and be safe, pretty much anybody can get on that field. It’s just purely down to their ability to do the job. No other criteria is required.”
And for anybody concerned about the aggressive image of American football, Porter insists they have nothing to fear at Trojans.
“If you’ve ever watched any films that involve American football, there’s always at least one stereotypical coach who shouts and bawls at everybody,” he said. “Personally, that’s not how I coach. One of the reasons the Trojans exist is because of mental health. It was in getting together to remember one of our former players, a gentleman called Dave Brokenshire who took his own life, that the Trojans reformed. So we’ve always had mental health at the forefront of everything we do. We are very conscious of a team being a family, of coming together.
“As somebody who has played the game since the late eighties, if you’re not enjoying and having fun, what’s the point of playing? We have to remember the level we’re playing at, and I want people to come down and enjoy playing football.”
Once the Trojans have enough players to field a team, they intend to reapply to join the league.
“We have to organise a minimum number of games to prove to the league that we have the organisation and players to be able to travel to and host games successfully,” Porter explained. “We’ve just come back from several seasons of doing that, so we’re looking forward to being able to apply as soon as possible.
“A new team has also started up in Plymouth, so we’re looking forward to playing them and helping the south west become a strong corner of the country for American football; the more teams the better.
“If you’ve ever thought about it – or even if you’ve never thought about it – just come and give it a go. Perhaps you’re a rugby player that fancies keeping fit over the summer. You might turn out to enjoy it. Just give it a try.”
Who will win Super Bowl 2024?
Sunday’s Super Bowl 2024 final could be another close one according to Porter after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the higher seeded Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship play-offs to set up a clash against NFC champions the San Francisco 49ers.
The Chiefs are reigning champions after finishing last year’s final strongly following a close first half against the Philadelphia Eagles. With both of this year’s finalists putting out some unconvincing displays, Porter thinks this year’s final could be another tight battle.
“49ers have been a little bit hit and miss and almost lost their play-off against a young Packers side,” explained Porter, himself a Packers fan. “But I think this is the only chance that the NFC has got to win because the Chiefs are a little bit vulnerable to good coaching.”
So, you want to be an American Football Photographer?
Shooting American football is in many ways similar to shooting rugby and ‘soccer’, so the tips I provide in my book, So, You Want To Be A Sports Photographer? will still apply. Check it out on Amazon!