Berlin Adler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berlin Adler is an amateur American Football Club in Berlin, Germany. The team colors are black and gold. Adler is the German word for Eagle.
Contents |
[edit] Tradition
The Berlin Adler are unique in the history of German American Football. As a founding member, then named Berlin Bears, the Adler played for 19 years in Germany's Amateur Top Division (1. Bundesliga) from 1978 to 1997. During this time the Adler won four German Championships. In 1998 the Adler were demoted to the second league, but after only three years returned to the Top Division, that had been renamed to German Football League (GFL). After three years in the GFL they won the German Championship in 2004 against the Braunschweig Lions.
[edit] History
The Adler is one of the oldest still active clubs that play football in the GFL. The Adler started out playing their home games in the Radrennbahn Schöneberg. The current Home Stadium is the Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, that was also home to the Berlin Thunder of the NFL Europe in their inaugural season. In contrast to the professional Berlin Thunder team that consists mainly of Americans, the German amateur rules permit to field only two U.S. Americans in any game situation. Only ten Americans can be on the roster, therefore the team consists mostly of native Berliners. American Teammembers are usually residents of Berlin or recent College Graduates that like to experience the culture and history of Europe for one year.
[edit] Notable Players
One player among the native Berliners is Stefan Mücke, who is the player with the longest career. He has been part of every Championship-Team when his career started in 1987 with the men's team and he has played every single season. Currently he is still active, but he announced that 2007 will be his last year of playing Offensive Line
[edit] Championships
The Berlin Adler attempt to establish American Football in Germany as a mainstream sport with teams of different ages.
Men's Team: German Championships:
- 1987 under Head Coach Billy Brooks vs. the Baden Greifs
- 1989 under Head Coach Sean Blair vs. the Red Barons Cologne
- 1990 with a Coaching Group of Andreas Reichel and Mario Hanratty vs. the Cologne Crocodiles
- 1991 under Head Coach J.T. Lyday vs. the Cologne Crocodiles
- Defeated in the European Championship in 1991 by a score of 20 to 21 vs. the Amsterdam Crusaders
- in 1994 under Head Coach Bob Griffin, the Adler were defeated in the German Championship by the Düsseldorf Panther;
- 2004 under Head Coach Kent Anderson vs. the Braunschweig Lions
Ladie's Team: German Champion 1993, 1994, 1995, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001
Youth Team (16 to 19 years old): German Champions 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997
Tackleteam (12-16 years) Berlin Champion 1995, 1996
Flagteam (6-12 years) Berlin Champion 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001
[edit] External Links
]
