East Kilbride Pirates

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East Kilbridge Pirates
Logo for the East Kilbride American Football Team.png
Founded1985;40 years ago (1985)
League BAFA National Leagues
Division Premier North
Location Glasgow, Scotland
Stadium Braidholm
ColoursBlack Helmet
Black and Red Jersey
Red Pants
Head coachMatthew Davies
General managerAmanda McDonald
League titles2 (2011, 2022)
Division titles12: (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022)
Playoff berths19: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022)
Websitewww.piratesfootball.co.uk

The East Kilbride Pirates are an American football team based in Glasgow, Scotland, who compete in the BAFA National Leagues Premier North, the highest level of British American football. The club although formed in East Kilbride currently operate in Glasgow and play their home games at Braidholm. [1] They are both the most successful and the oldest surviving American Football team in Scotland having been formed in 1985. [2] The club has won Division 1 National titles in 2011 and 2022 and are eleven-time Divisional champions.

Contents

History

The East Kilbride Pirates were formed in 1985, following a notice appearing in the local newspaper asking any interested parties to attend training. [3] For the 1986 season, the Pirates merged with the nearby Rutherglen Ironhogs, producing a suitably sized squad to take part in the British American Football League (Anglo Conference). [4] A 13–0 win was recorded over the Clydesdale Colts in the first kitted game. [5]

1987 saw a new head coach with the appointment of Bill Walsh, an American working in East Kilbride. East Kilbride went 4–4 to finish second in Division One of the new Budweiser American Football League. [5]

In 2013, the team announced plans for a Junior team, to compete in the 16–19 age range and bridge the gap between Youth and Senior. [6] In 2019, the team finished their regular season 6–0, and won a semi-final 13–9 against Birmingham Lions to qualify for their third appearance at the British U19 final in four years. [7] The game was streamed by BBC Sport. [8]

In September 2015 the East Kilbride Pirates launched their first women's team. The call for players met with a positive local response and the team competed in the British American Football Association's Opal Series flag competition for women. The Pirates women's team compete in the Opal flag and Sapphire kitted competitions. [9] In 2017 the women's section split into distinct contact and flag teams. In 2018 the club appointed Claire Cochrane as their first ever female head coach to lead the women's contact team. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Thomson, Paul (11 October 2011). "Pirates crown star performers of 2011". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "POTY – A Closer Look: East Kilbride Pirates". Double Coverage. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "East Kilbride Pirated American Football – Daily Record". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ↑ Neale McMaster (31 March 2014). "Merging two clubs – The Why, The Issues and the Question….Should You!?". Double Coverage. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 Thomson, Paul (30 March 2010). "Pirates look back on 25 years in the gridrion[sic] game". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Thomson, Paul (4 April 2017). "Gridiron: East Kilbride Pirates look to youth for new season". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Thomson, Paul (30 August 2019). "Gridiron: East Kilbride Pirates' junior team set sail for national final". dailyrecord. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  8. ↑ "'It's a combination of violence & intricacy' – EK Pirates prepare for Britbowl". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  9. ↑ Thomson, Paul (9 September 2015). "East Kilbride Pirates to launch women's team". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  10. ↑ Thomson, Paul (7 September 2018). "Gridiron: East Kilbride Pirates Women's team appoint first female head coach". dailyrecord. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
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