 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Established | 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Based in | Helsinki, Finland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home stadium | Helsinki Velodrome | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach |  Jason Thomas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General manager |  Jukka Rantala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Vaahteraliiga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current uniform | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Helsinki 69ers are an American football club from Helsinki, Finland. The club was formed in 1991, and its men's first team is currently playing in the third highest level league of American football in Finland.
The Helsinki 69ers were formed in 1991. The team started in the lower divisions of Finnish American football and slowly made its way up to 1st Division. The 69ers played 10 seasons in the division, and in 2012, the 69ers won the 1st Division championship, the Spaghettibowl. 69ers won the final against Kouvola Indians with a score of 43–10. For the first time the 69ers had a chance to play in the Vaahteraliiga, the highest level in Finland. The team played its first Vaahteraliiga game in 2013 season against TAFT, losing 41–14. [1] [2] [3]
The club shares their stadium, the Helsinki Velodrome, with two other football teams from Helsinki: the Helsinki Roosters and the Helsinki Wolverines.
The 69ers men's first team played in Vaahteraliiga in the 2014 season and placed sixth after the regular season, missing the playoffs. [4]
The youth section of the club was founded in 2005. 69ers have five boys' youth teams: U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19. [5]
The Vaahteraliiga founded in 1980 is the highest level of American football in Finland played under American Football Association of Finland. The winner of the Vaahteraliiga is the Finnish champion. The Vaahteraliiga season is played in summer, with a schedule usually from May to September.
American Football Association of Finland is the national governing body of American football in Finland. It was founded in 1979 and it is a founding member of the European Federation of American Football, EFAF and International Federation of American Football, IFAF. Since 2000, American football has grown steadily. In 2006 there were 27 clubs playing the sport with over 100 teams and over 1400 players. In 2012, the association's competitions fielded over 150 teams with more than 2200 licensed players.
Brett Dietz is American football coach and former quarterback. He is the head football coach at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, a position he has held since 2020. Dietz played college football at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana and professionally with several teams including the Turku Trojans in Finland Vaahteraliiga and in Arena Football League (AFL), Af2, and the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) for the Cincinnati Marshals, Louisville Fire, Tampa Bay Storm and California Redwoods.
Seinäjoki Crocodiles are an American football team from Seinäjoki, Finland. The team plays in the Finnish Maple League and it has also played in the European Football League. The Crocodiles are one of the top teams in Finland and Europe.
Iiro Luoto is a Finnish gridiron football tight end for the Helsinki Roosters. Luoto was a international practice squad player for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He originally played for the Helsinki Roosters at the Vaahteraliiga. He then played two seasons in NFL Europa before being assigned to the Jets in 2007. Luoto was transferred from Calanda Broncos to Helsinki Wolverines in February 2013. He has again played for the Roosters since 2014.
Helsinki Roosters is an American football team based in Helsinki, Finland established in 1979. The team plays in the Vaahteraliiga Maple League in Finland and their home field is the Helsinki Velodrome.
Tampere Saints is an American football club in the city of Tampere, Finland. Its men's senior team currently play in SAJL second highest league 1st division.
Helsinki Velodrome is an outdoor velodrome, American football and field hockey stadium in Helsinki, Finland. The protected functionalist concrete building was designed by Hilding Ekelund.
Helsinki Wolverines is a Finnish American football club based in Helsinki and was founded in 1995. The clubs Top Men's Team plays in the Vaahteraliiga of the American Football Association of Finland which is the highest ranking level of American football in all of Finland. The league in Finland was established in 1980.
The Finnish 1st Division(Finnish: I-divisioona) is the second highest level of American football in Finland played under American Football Association of Finland. The title game of the 1st division is called Spagettimalja.
The 2013 Vaahteraliiga season was the 34th season of the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between May 19 and August 18, 2013. The Finnish champion was determined in the playoffs and at the championship game Vaahteramalja XXXIV the Helsinki Roosters won the Helsinki Wolverines.
The 2012 Vaahteraliiga season was the 33rd season of the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between May 26 and August 13, 2012. The Finnish champion was determined in the playoffs and at the championship game Vaahteramalja XXXIII the Helsinki Roosters won the Helsinki Wolverines.
The 2000 Vaahteraliiga season was the 21st season of the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between May 20 and July 9, 2000 and the qualification round took place between July 22 and August 27, 2000. The two best teams of the round met at the championship game Vaahteramalja XXI, in which the Helsinki Roosters won the Seinäjoki Crocodiles.
Robert Johnson is an American football player, notable for his professional career in the Finnish league Vaahteraliiga. Johnson played his college career at Texas Tech and he signed overseas Finland in 2007 as he wasn't drafted to NFL. He is currently an assistant coach for the United Newland Crusaders in Finland. Johnson has also played in the Italian Football League.
Andrew "Scooter" Molander is a former American football quarterback who played three seasons in the Vaahteraliiga in Finland for the Helsinki Roosters and Espoo Colts. Molander played four seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Charlotte Rage, Las Vegas Sting and Anaheim Piranhas. He first enrolled at Phoenix College before transferring to Colorado State University. He attended Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona. Molander was also an off season and practice squad member of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, and New York/New Jersey Knights.
The 2018 Vaahteraliiga season was the 39th season of the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between May 10 and September 9, 2018. The Finnish champion was determined in the playoffs, and at the championship game Vaahteramalja XXXIX the Helsinki Roosters won a league record seventh consecutive championship, this time against the Kuopio Steelers.
The 2019 Vaahteraliiga season was the 40th season of the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between May 23 and August 31, 2019. Like in the last two seasons, the Helsinki Roosters finished the regular season as top ranked team. In the play-offs, the Roosters and the Kuopio Steelers qualified for the championship game Vaahteramalja LX. Contrary to the regular season, where the Steelers defeated the Roosters in both matches, the Roosters won the final quite clearly. It was the 8th consecutive championship and the 22nd total championship for the Roosters.
The 2020 Vaahteraliiga season was the 41st season of the Vaahteraliiga, the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between July 30 and August 29, 2020. The Finnish Champion was determined in the playoffs, and at the championship game Vaahteramalja XLI the Kuopio Steelers defeated the Helsinki Wolverines. It was the Steelers' first championship title.
The 2021 Vaahteraliiga season was the 42nd season of the Vaahteraliiga, the highest level of American football in Finland. The regular season took place between July 26 and September 4, 2021. The Finnish Champion was determined in the playoffs, and at the championship game Vaahteramalja XLII the Kuopio Steelers defeated the Helsinki Roosters. It was the Steelers' second straight championship title.
Kuopio Steelers are an American football team originally from Varkaus, Finland in years 1991-2005, and since 2006 from Kuopio, Finland. The team plays in the Finnish Maple League and it has also played in the European Football League. The club's home field is Väinölänniemi Stadium in the Väinölänniemi district.
