Roosters Kick-off 2013 with 9-a-side Competition
 |
From the first bounce on Saturday morning, May 18th, to the Championship game late in the afternoon, the inaugural USAFL 80/35 9-a-side tournament is guaranteed to be an action packed day for fans and players alike at the Des Moines Rugby Club, located at 120 39th St. in West Des Moines.
The Des Moines Roosters Australian Football club will be kicking off their 2013 season in a different format as teams from Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Tulsa will converge on the metro for a modified version of Australian Football.
“We were looking for something that would attract teams from across the country, and become an annual event,” said club president, Tyler Kamerman. “With the rise in popularity of Rugby 7s, we believe a faster-paced version of an already amazingly fast game, would help to draw a larger audience as well.”
Australian Football is typically played with 18 players from each team on the field. The 80/35 format, used by many clubs in their intersquad leagues will feature 9 players from each squad.
An added benefit to the day, will be a women’s match featuring women from the Minnesota, Milwaukee and Denver clubs. This will be an opportunity for any women interested in learning the game, to jump in and get involved. The club plans to start a women’s team within the next year.
The Roosters are coming off a successful 2012 campaign, marking their first winning season, and capturing the USAFL Division 4 National Championship in Mason, OH in October.
“This season we’re focusing heavily on picking up where we left off and not taking a step backwards,” said new head coach, Matt McDowall. “We are dedicated to improving our level of play, while also having opportunities for all skill levels to become part of the Roosters.”
The club continues to heavily recruit around the Des Moines area and is open to all levels of experience. The Roosters are focused on building an excellent club culture and invite the community and sponsors to join in as they continue their journey as a club.
Australian Rules Football has taken off rapidly in the USA, with nearly every major Metropolitan area having representation at the 2012 USAFL National Championship Tournament. In addition, in Australia the Australian Football League (AFL) continues to grow, bringing in more revenue and fan support than Rugby and Soccer leagues combined.
Source: www.desmoinesroosters.com
 |
 |