Ambitious plans for American Football Academy

Dubai If you're a fan of American Football and could hardly be bothered that the 2010 Fifa World Cup is over, you're going to love this.

A new organisation called the American Football Academy (AFA) has set up shop in the UAE with a strong pledge to take the game beyond the American expatriate community.

"The idea is to get everyone involved here," Rex Stevenson, the AFA head coach, told XPRESS. "We want locals, expats, everybody.

"We want them to learn the game of American Football and that's why we have opened the Academy."

The project is actually the brainchild of two Emiratis, Ahmad Anoohi and Sami Al Hashemi, who became American Football addicts while studying at the University of Arizona back in the 1980s. "They love American Football and since returning they wanted to do something like this. Twenty years later, they finally got me over here and we are making a dream come true," said Stevenson, who has worked as a coach for 35 years across several cities and states back in America.

Having been in Dubai for just six months, he has already realised he will have to start from scratch. "It will take a while because very few people know what American Football really is," said the 61-year-old Florida native. "We went to schools and I talked to the kids and parents trying to explain American Football to them. After five to 10 minutes, they still think we're talking about soccer."

However, Stevenson has come up with what he believes to be the perfect solution in educating the newcomers. He plans to form a UAE-based team which will take on a USA side comprising former college all-stars in an exhibition game on Thanksgiving Day in Dubai this year. "Seeing is believing, that's why I've decided to do the game," he said.

And to Stevenson, the less you know about the sport, the easier his job gets. "If you've never played football before in your life, to me that's a good thing. Because then you're like a child - you have an empty head. I get to teach you the proper way of doing it."

And he dropped more than a hint that Dubai could potentially stage an NFL game within the next couple of years. "The NFL are very interested in what we're doing here and in promoting American Football internationally. There was a mention that it's a possibility down the road we could have a game here just like they have over in England or Mexico. That would be super," he said.

AFA Agenda

Coaching clinic schedule

• Fall 2010 Semester October 2 to December 15
• Spring 2011 Semester February 15 to May 15

Session timings

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 3.30pm-5.30pm
• Saturday (noon to 4pm)

For further details, contact 04-343 1443
Email: info@afa-uae.com
Web: www.afa-uae.com

Got what it takes to be a UAE Stallion?

The AFA are looking out for the best 33 athletes in the UAE aged 20 to 35 to compete for starting roster positions on the UAE Stallions. Open try-outs are scheduled at the Little League Baseball field at Al Quoz Pond Park on July 17, July 31, August 14 and August 28 from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. If interested, call 04-343 1443.