Berlin Adler
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The Berlin Adler is an American football club in Berlin, Germany. The team colors are black and gold. Adler is the German word for eagle.
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[edit] Tradition
The Berlin Adler are unique in the history of American football in Germany. As a founding member (then known as 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, which had been renamed to German Football League (GFL). After three years in the GFL, they won the German Championship in 2004, defeating 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 Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Sportpark, that was also home to the Berlin Thunder of the NFL Europa in their inaugural season. In contrast to the professional Berlin Thunder team that consisted 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 players are usually residents of Berlin or recent college graduates that like to experience the culture and history of Europe for one or two years.
[edit] Notable Players
One outstanding player among the native Berliners is Stefan Mücke, who holds the record for the longest career. He has been part of every championship team. His career with the men's team started started at the age of 18 in 1987, where he played defensive tackle. In 1991 he became an offensive guard. 2007 has been Stefan's 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
Ladies' 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
