Brief in english

PLAYERS AND COACHES INTERESTED IN PLAYING/COACHING IN FINLAND Since federation itself runs only national teams players interested in playing and coaches interested coachnig Finland should contact clubs directly for employment. Players are required to transfer through IFAF Transfer system before eligible to participate in games. Club contacts are here. For transfer information please contact office.

GENERAL INFORMATION American Football Association of Finland – SAJL is the government approved non-profit organization governing both American football and flag football activities in Finland. Established in 1979 the Association has grown to 38 member clubs and over 2,500 licensed players. In 35 years SAJL National teams have taken 5 senior and 3 under-19 European Championships and one ladies flag football title in Euro Champs. SAJL the only national federation in Europe to participate in all 10 Senior European Championships. As a member federation for IFAF (International Federation of American Football) the SAJL is actively participating in international football development latest hosting the IFAF Womens World Championships in 2013.

MENS LEAGUES First senior league was played in 1980 and the equipment came mandatory at that point as well. The National Champion is determined in Maple Bowl and the highest league is called the Maple League. Powerhouse has been the Helsinki Roosters with 16 National Championships and also the current National Champions. The Finnish senior leagues have grown from the start to include over 30 teams playing in five levels. Teams can move both up or down through promotion and relegation games. Currently 8 teams play in the Maple League, 6 teams in 1-division, 6 teams in 2-division, 6 teams in 3-division and rest playing 7vs7 tackle in 4-division. Games are played with IFAF rules. The player ages vary from 16 all the way to over 40 and the teams play inside their respective clubs. One weekly game as well as semifinal and Maplebowl are televised and the interest towards football is growing. While Maple Bowl collects close to 3,000 spectators, top regular season games attract little over one thousand spectators. The leagues clubs are non-profit organizations and participating players are not professional players. Club teams also participate in IFAF Champions League with top clubs teams across Europe.

WOMENS LEAGUE SAJL has both women’s flag and american football national championship leagues. The sport has generated lots of interest is rapidly growing and 2003 saw already 12 teams in competitions. The women’s program started back in the 80’s but the league format was only introduced in late 90’s. Tackle league started in 2008 and in 2014 season it is played in 2 levels with 14 teams.

YOUTH PROGRAM Associations youth program covers both tackle and flag football and both to clubs and schools. As the association and its quality of running a sport in Finland is rated on its club participation the main focus has been the club level activities. However school flag program was added few years ago to support the interest towards football in whole of Finland. The objective is to educate the basics to as many people as possible to support the growth of member clubs. Since the different age groups are hoped to form more opportunities for participation, the youth teams are mandatory for the clubs. Teams having their senior team in Maple League are required to run minimum of 4 youth teams since 2004 and since 2005 division l teams will also have a mandatory requirement to run minimum of 2 youth teams.

YOUTH LEAGUES (TACKLE) Youth leagues started to develop in late 80’s starting with one category of 18 and under. Since then the structure has added more age levels so that currently there are leagues for 19 and under, 17 and under, 15 and under, 13 and under, 11 and under and 9 and under. The 19 and under league is played during summer months and also originates from late 80’s. The 17 and under league, played in summer, was started in 2000. The 15 and under league was introduced in 2002 and U13 and U11 later. U9 category was added for 2014 season. In a fairly large country with only 5,2 million people the main problems are the long travel distances. It is not uncommon for a team to travel 600 miles for a league game The leagues are ran in continuation from May to October so the weather is sometimes challenging.

YOUTH LEAGUES (FLAG) Flag leagues were first created in late 80’s. Back then the format was that 15 and under played with 9vs9 semi contact rules and 13 and under played 7vs7 semi contact rules. As the sport grew the number of players grew until 94, but after that the flag club program almost died totally. Game format is now 5vs5 non-contact and the teams are boys, girls and mixed. The plan is to grow the groups to include 15 and under, 13 and under and 11 and under categories for both boys and girls inside next 5 years.

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES (YOUTH) As sport in Finland as well as in most parts of Europe is generally ran in sports clubs the school activities are very different from US school sports. The main focus is currently in school flag (also 5vs5 non contact) but high school games have been played lately again. School flag program is run by the association and its member clubs. NFL supported the program until 2007. From 2003 it has reached over 50,000 boys and girls in over 300 schools, which led to almost 60 schools playing in area tournaments and National Championship final tournament.
School flag is focusing on kids between 9 and 15 years, but also to high schools. The re-introduction of club flag program is intended to attract more kids to clubs as they have the chance to try the game first at their own school. Clubs teams have started also to organize high school tackle leagues.

UNIVERSITY LEAGUE As sport in Finland has had more interest, the university league started in 2011. Over 10 teams participate in the spring to battle for the University National Championships in both men and women.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES As one of the main goals is to get people familiar with football in Finland, there have been some adult 5vs5 flag tournaments and activities will continue grow as own recreational flag football department was founded to the association.

American Football Association of Finland - SAJL
Pasilan Puistotie 8
00240 Helsinki
tel. +358-45-1565905
e-mail office(at)sajl.fi
homepage: http://www.sajl.fi/

BRIEF HISTORY OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN FINLAND American football came to Finland in the late 70’s through high school students returning back from their exchange student in United States. And the first game was played between two high schools in 1976. After few years of irregular high school games and friendy against team made out of US Embassy Marine Corps the first unofficial National Championship was played in 1979. And later that year American Football Association of Finland was founded and the game started to become club sport activity instead of a school sport. Football grew fast in late 80’s and early 90’s. Lisenced player numbers grew to 2500 and top games attracted 5000 spectators or more. The Association had its own weekly TV-show during the season and general interest towards the sport was big. The early 90’s economic recession however took its toll to football as well and the numbers decreased to some 800 licensed players in 1998. After that the sport has again been on a steady rise increasing player participation by 100 percent, team numbers by 250% and number of active clubs by 75%. Since the early days the association has added national team, youth tackle and flag programs as well as women’s tackle and flag leagues to its competitions and is currently focusing heavily on increasing the youth (boys and girls) participation numbers to promote the game in Finland.

NATIONAL TEAMS First national team Finland was fielded in 1983 when men´s national team participated in the first ever European Championships of American football in Italy. Ever since that Finland has participated in all 10 final tournaments and has been crowned European Champion 5 times (1985, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999). Finland has been the runner-up 4 times (1991,2001) and two times the team has finished 3 rd (1987, 2005).

National Team has also participated in World level. In IFAF World Championship Finland finished 6 th with a club team participating in final tournament of 1999. In 2003, 2007 and 2011 did not make the 4, 6 and 8 team final tournaments as it lost to France in European qualification final for 2003 and 2007 competition and finished fifth in 2010 European Championships. National Team has also played various friendly games with other national teams, European club teams as well as US colleges.

In late 80’s Finland formed its first youth national team that played friendly games to Swedish club teams, but in 1992 the youth (19 and under) National team participated in first Junior European Championships in France. Finland was crowned European Junior Champion the first 3 times (1992, 1994, 1996). 2008 in Sevilla, Spain Finland participated again in the final tournament and finished 7th with 2-2 record. Junior National Team has also participated in the bi-annual Nordic junior championships since 1997. Finland has won the tournament four times (1997, 1999, 2003, 2005). In 2008 Finland added 17 and under national team which opened its play with a win over Sweden and participates in bi-annual Nordic junior championships.

In 2008 Finland played Sweden in the worlds first ever womens tackle international national team game. Womens team is two time bronze medalist from the World championships 2010 and 2013 and currently has an annual rivalry game with Sweden each fall.

In Flag football Finland has had youth flag national teams since early 90’s. Also the Finnish school champions have played in European School Finals since late 90’s. SAJL has also  women’s flag national team that has played for the European championships and for the IFAF world championships.

TOP PLAYERS

Top players are also playing other European domestic leagues (Austria, Spain, Sweden and Germany especially) and some have departed from youth teams to US universities for example offensive line players Seppo Evwaraye (University of Nebraska) later with Minnesota Vikings and defensive tackle Michael Quarshie (University of Columbia) later with Oakland Raiders. From senior teams top players have played in former NFL-Europe league, where tight ends Klaus Alinen bounced to Atlanta Falcons organization and Iiro Luoto to New York Jets. Also others have found their way to US universities including Max Ehlert finnishing his career at UNLV.