2017 USAFL Season Preview Week!

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” – William Shakespeare

20 years is a long time.  It’s a generation.  A time of growth, and a time of change, a time of maturity.

20 years ago, this country had a handful of teams playing our great game.  Who would have thought that both the game and the league would have blossomed the way it did, just like the blooms of April?

In any event, here we are.  The snows have melted (at least in the part of the country that does get snow), the chill of the air hath evaporated, and USAFL season 2017 looms upon us like a massive blooming tree.  The teams will navigate their regular season schedule and regional tournaments en route to Nationals, held in beautiful San Diego come October.

This year, 35 men’s teams and 14 women’s sides take to the pitch

As with any season, questions hang over how things will play out.  Will the Austin Crows three peat, extending their win streak in the process?  Can the Iron Maidens defend their first women’s National title?  Can Golden Gate and New York continue their regional domination?  How will the new clubs fare?

Besides the 20th anniversary celebrations taking place, there is also the specter of the 2017 International Cup, which will include many players from the clubs you’ll be reading about during the next week.  Those two weeks in August will feature some amazing footy, and hopefully some hardware for the guys and gals wearing the red, white, and blue.

There is one USAFL game already in the books, but a full slate of matches kicks the season off this Saturday, April 22nd.  Starting tomorrow, lead USAFL commentator Brian Barrish will guide you through a look at every men’s and women’s team in the competition.  Also included is his projections for which division and seeding he think they’ll fall under to contest Nationals at the San Diego Surf Cup grounds.

Here is the schedule of releases, and links:

Men’s East – Saturday, April 15th

Men’s North – Sunday, April 16th

Men’s South – Monday, April 17th

Men’s West – Tuesday, April 18th

Women’s East / Central – Thursday, April 20th

Women’s West – Friday, April 21st