2019 Regionals Head to Capitals

State capitals are centers of government, commerce, and law.  Some are bustling metropolises; others are quaint towns augmented by stately architecture.

This summer, three capital cities will be turned into centers of Aussie Rules football, as the 2019 USAFL Regional Championships Series brings exciting, day-long carnivals featuring the best of the game in this country.

*      EASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Saturday, June 15 @ MAC Sports & Entertainment, Raleigh, North Carolina

*      CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Saturday, July 13 @ Westminster City Park, Westminster, Colorado

*      WESTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Saturday, July 27 @ Capitol FC Soccer Complex, Salem, Oregon

The area known as the Research Triangle will kick off the great midsummer road show, as the North Carolina Tigers host an Eastern Region that has become more balanced in the last two seasons.  Though perennial favorites New York Magpies still hold sway on the men’s and women’s sides, challenges from the Philadelphia Hawks (2018 ERC D1 Men’s Champions), Columbus (Philadelphia Hawks (2018 ERC D2 Men’s Champions), and the Baltimore-Washington women (Philadelphia Hawks (2018 ERC Women’s Champions) will hopefully set an exciting tone.

Four weeks later we’ll be back in Denver, as the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs entertain the best of the Midwest.  The men’s sides will all have to contend with the D1 National Champion Austin Crows, who have also won three of the last four regional crowns.  Challenges from the Houston Lonestars and Dallas Dingoes will be hot on both sides of the coin, as well that of the Nashville Kangaroos, Chicago Swans, Minnesota Freeze, and Des Moines Roosters.

The series, and the month of July, end in Salem, Oregon, where that capital city hosts Westerns for the first time since 2016.  The San Francisco Iron Maidens are the three-time defending Women’s D1 National Champions, but will they break on their four year regionals drought against the likes of the Portland Sockeyes, Seattle Grizzlies, and Sacramento Suns?  The Golden Gate Roos men, meanwhile, go for their fourth regional D1 title in a row, and will be joined by those teams as well as challengers from down south in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Arizona Hawks and Arizona Outlaws.

All Players must be registered on usafl.com and have paid membership dues to be eligible to participate in the tournament.  The USAFL, USAFL Women’s Association, and the USAFL Umpires Association plan to provide skills and training opportunities for new players and aspiring umpires during this year’s tournament.

Each of the tournaments will be free and open to the public – so get your family, your friends, and any of you fans of the great Australian game down to the grounds, as they are all invited.

Photo Credit: Tim Koen Photography