Nashville Kangaroos to Host Winter Footy Invitational

USAFL Teams, Players, Coaches, and Spectators; do you miss having your FOOTY fix in the long dreary winter months? Your wait is over. Some exciting mid-winter footy is yours for the asking! Come one, come all to the 2015 Winter Classic Footy Invitational in Chattanooga, Tennessee on January 10, 2015.

The Winter Classic vision began as a Nashville Kangaroos v. Atlanta Kookaburras match in the winter to keep the boys interested and the blood pumping. That vision matured into a concept where we would ALSO invite footy players from all the area USAFL teams to come play and take part in the winter activities. The plan is to create and draft, on the spot, multiple squads from all the teams and players that show up.  Individual player are strongly encouraged to show up and get in on the action, along with teams who can only muster a handful of guys.

Depending on numbers, this could end up a three or four team tournament of 14s up to 18s, or it could end up being more squads of lower numbers. Point is to create a tournament event for the day, with obvious emphasis on keeping guys together who travel together.

The event will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is about two hours Southeast of Nashville, and roughly the same distance North of Atlanta. Field to be announced once some team and player confirmations have been received.

Nashville is picking up the tab for the ground and incidentals, so there is no cost to any players beyond just getting to the location.

The vision is to have a roughly noon start (Chattanooga, TN is on Eastern Time), with action continuing through until probably 4pm, depending on what our numbers and playing structures are.

Possible Scenarios:
1.     Roos v. Kookas in a traditional 4 quarter match of footy. Adding to both squads any guys who show up from other teams looking to play.
2.     Roos, Kookas, and all comers blend in together for an instant draft for a traditional 4 quarter match of footy.
3.     Roos, Kookas, and all comers blend in together for an instant draft for a 3 or 4 team tournament match of 2 quarter footy.
4.     Roos, Kookas, and assembled squads of invitees (either integrated or not) engage in 2 quarter tournament play.
5.     Any variation we see fit. Obviously we can get all this sorted out well before the date if interest is high and communication is fluid. If it isn’t sorted out before the date, there will be an ad hoc council at the ground before the match(es) begin to figure it out.

Because we’re locked into a January 10, 2014 date, I’d need to hear about your interest ASAP. RSVP’s are requested so we can have a rough vision of what the team/draft landscape will look like. We hope LOTS of you guys will come and get some WINTER FOOTY under your belt!! We (Nashville) will have 2 or perhaps 3 sets of jumpers that can be used by all comer squads if need be.

Bottom line: this is going to be great fun. Depending on the RSVPs that we get about attendance, we will marshal the team/draft landscape thereafter. Questions and/or RSVP to president@NashvilleKangaroos.org

Precise field location to be announced in the coming weeks.