Delft Dragons
Encyclopedia
Delft Dragons are an American football
team based in Delft
, the Netherlands.
Between 1984 and 1993 a previous team had existed in Delft: the Delft Dragons. Unfortunately this team folded due to lack of players. Towards the end of 1999, influenced by the television coverage on FOX8, a number of students decided to found an American Football team in Delft
, the Netherlands. The new founders decided that they would try to harness any remaining familiarity by calling the new team by the same name as Delft's former team. From the end of January 2000 were in training under American Head Coach David Caraway and assistant Widjai van Dam, as a flag football
team. The Dragons had an impressive debut season, finishing 5th of the 10 participating teams.
With Coach Caraway departed back to his native Texas, it was up to new Head Coach Widjai van Dam to lead the 2001 preparations for full-contact football. The Dragons added several players to their squad and were joined by defensive co-ordinator Steve Sheppard.
After impressive practice game results, the Delft Dragons played their first competitive games in November 2001 in a tournament qualifier. The Dragons defeated Assen Bulldogs and Amstelland Panthers and were a surprise qualifier for the finals. The finals produced more shocks. The Dragons defeated the Amsterdam Crusaders
in the semi-final, and narrowly lost the final to the 2001 Div.2 finalists Tilburg Steelers in two periods of overtime.
With impressive results in mind, Delft were offered a place in AFBN Division Two for the 2002 season, bypassing Division Three. Despite very good performances and very close results, Delft were unable to post a win and recorded a regular season record of 0 wins and 6 losses, but the signs were there that the Dragons would not be a flash in the pan.
Under newly appointed Head Coach Steve Sheppard, the Dragons again started badly with an 0-2-1 record. However, an upturn in fortunes and confidence saw Delft rally to a 3-3-1 regular season record and obtained a playoff spot, losing 30-0 to Hoorn Unicorns in the Division Two semi-final.
Delft, strengthened by the acquisition of former Utah Utes
coach Sean McNabb, went on to post a 5-2 regular season record. The play-off semi-final brought revenge as Delft defeated Hoorn and a tense victory over Amstelland Panthers in the Bowl game brought the Division Two Championship and 1st Division status to Delft.
The Dragons, in their first top flight appearance since their rebirth, had lost talismanic coach Sean McNabb and a lot of starting players, and were hoping to post a record worthy of remaining in the 1st Division. Nevertheless a hint of what may be possible was seen with the 53-13 destruction of Rotterdam Trojans
in the pre-season Liberty Bowl championship. The Dragons went on to achieve a 6-4 regular season record, eventually losing in the national semi-final to eventual champions Amsterdam Crusaders
.
Widjai van Dam resumed his former role as Head Coach and oversaw an incredible turn of events in Delft. First, the Dragons began the season with a depleted squad by losing their first three games. Then the Dragons improved to 5 straight wins and into the playoffs. In the semi-final the overwhelming favourite Maastricht Wildcats
were shocked 15-13 and van Dam had led a Delft team further than anyone before him - to Tulip Bowl
XXII. Their opponents were the undefeated Amsterdam Crusaders
- a team attempting to win the national title for the 13th time, and the 5th time in a row. The Dragons did not disappoint and led for much of the game. Unfortunately for Delft, the Crusaders snatched the national championship away from their fingertips in overtime: 27-20.
The first youth players graduated to the senior team, but Delft lost a lot of veteran players. The departure of Head Coach Widjai van Dam and Offensive Co-ordinator Rool Paap saw the appointment of Dick van Hirtum as senior head coach. The Dragons, with a small squad, lost all their regular season games and were relegated to American Football Bond Nederland
Division Two.
The youth teams had a good year ending in the playoffs with two losses for flag and one loss for the tackle team.
Delft are went winless in their first Division Two season since 2004.
Dick van Hirtum resigned as Head Coach after he didn't meet the goals he set.
Theo Westgeest took over as player / Head Coach. The Dragons played in the 2009/2010 flag football season, but the lack of new players forced the team to quit operations in the summer of 2010.
Some players went on to play football and can be found at Leiden Lightning.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, the Netherlands.
History
- Foundations
Between 1984 and 1993 a previous team had existed in Delft: the Delft Dragons. Unfortunately this team folded due to lack of players. Towards the end of 1999, influenced by the television coverage on FOX8, a number of students decided to found an American Football team in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, the Netherlands. The new founders decided that they would try to harness any remaining familiarity by calling the new team by the same name as Delft's former team. From the end of January 2000 were in training under American Head Coach David Caraway and assistant Widjai van Dam, as a flag football
Flag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
team. The Dragons had an impressive debut season, finishing 5th of the 10 participating teams.
- Full Contact Football
With Coach Caraway departed back to his native Texas, it was up to new Head Coach Widjai van Dam to lead the 2001 preparations for full-contact football. The Dragons added several players to their squad and were joined by defensive co-ordinator Steve Sheppard.
After impressive practice game results, the Delft Dragons played their first competitive games in November 2001 in a tournament qualifier. The Dragons defeated Assen Bulldogs and Amstelland Panthers and were a surprise qualifier for the finals. The finals produced more shocks. The Dragons defeated the Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
in the semi-final, and narrowly lost the final to the 2001 Div.2 finalists Tilburg Steelers in two periods of overtime.
- 2002: First AFBN season
With impressive results in mind, Delft were offered a place in AFBN Division Two for the 2002 season, bypassing Division Three. Despite very good performances and very close results, Delft were unable to post a win and recorded a regular season record of 0 wins and 6 losses, but the signs were there that the Dragons would not be a flash in the pan.
- 2003: Playoffs
Under newly appointed Head Coach Steve Sheppard, the Dragons again started badly with an 0-2-1 record. However, an upturn in fortunes and confidence saw Delft rally to a 3-3-1 regular season record and obtained a playoff spot, losing 30-0 to Hoorn Unicorns in the Division Two semi-final.
- 2004: Championship and promotion
Delft, strengthened by the acquisition of former Utah Utes
Utah Utes
The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the...
coach Sean McNabb, went on to post a 5-2 regular season record. The play-off semi-final brought revenge as Delft defeated Hoorn and a tense victory over Amstelland Panthers in the Bowl game brought the Division Two Championship and 1st Division status to Delft.
- 2005: National playoffs
The Dragons, in their first top flight appearance since their rebirth, had lost talismanic coach Sean McNabb and a lot of starting players, and were hoping to post a record worthy of remaining in the 1st Division. Nevertheless a hint of what may be possible was seen with the 53-13 destruction of Rotterdam Trojans
Rotterdam Trojans
The Rotterdam Trojans are an American football team based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 1984, the Trojans are the second oldest surviving team in the Netherlands, behind the Amsterdam Crusaders...
in the pre-season Liberty Bowl championship. The Dragons went on to achieve a 6-4 regular season record, eventually losing in the national semi-final to eventual champions Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
.
- 2006: Heartbreaker
Widjai van Dam resumed his former role as Head Coach and oversaw an incredible turn of events in Delft. First, the Dragons began the season with a depleted squad by losing their first three games. Then the Dragons improved to 5 straight wins and into the playoffs. In the semi-final the overwhelming favourite Maastricht Wildcats
Maastricht Wildcats
The Maastricht Wildcats of the AFBN is an American Football League team from Maastricht. They play in the Dutch 1st division and are rivals with the Amsterdam Crusaders. They won the 2007 Dutch National Championship by defeating the Amsterdam Crusaders 25-16 in the Tulip Bowl...
were shocked 15-13 and van Dam had led a Delft team further than anyone before him - to Tulip Bowl
Tulip Bowl
The Tulip Bowl, like the Super Bowl, is the final match of the season for the top division of the American Football Bond Nederland . The AFBN is the organisation responsible for American football in the Netherlands...
XXII. Their opponents were the undefeated Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
- a team attempting to win the national title for the 13th time, and the 5th time in a row. The Dragons did not disappoint and led for much of the game. Unfortunately for Delft, the Crusaders snatched the national championship away from their fingertips in overtime: 27-20.
- 2007: Rebuilding
The first youth players graduated to the senior team, but Delft lost a lot of veteran players. The departure of Head Coach Widjai van Dam and Offensive Co-ordinator Rool Paap saw the appointment of Dick van Hirtum as senior head coach. The Dragons, with a small squad, lost all their regular season games and were relegated to American Football Bond Nederland
American Football Bond Nederland
The AFBN is the governing body for American Football in the Netherlands. The AFBN was founded in 2001 after the merger of the rival leagues Nederlandse American Football Federatie and American Football League Nederland .-Nederlandse American Football Federatie :The Nederlandse American Football...
Division Two.
The youth teams had a good year ending in the playoffs with two losses for flag and one loss for the tackle team.
- 2008
Delft are went winless in their first Division Two season since 2004.
- 2009, 2010
Dick van Hirtum resigned as Head Coach after he didn't meet the goals he set.
Theo Westgeest took over as player / Head Coach. The Dragons played in the 2009/2010 flag football season, but the lack of new players forced the team to quit operations in the summer of 2010.
Some players went on to play football and can be found at Leiden Lightning.
Notable former members
 |
Sean McNabb (Defensive Co-ordinator, 2004): | RB Coach and ST Co-ordinator for University of Utah University of Utah The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest... . Also worked as coach for Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... and San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... of the NFL before joining Delft. |
See also
- List of American football teams in the Netherlands
- American Football Bond NederlandAmerican Football Bond NederlandThe AFBN is the governing body for American Football in the Netherlands. The AFBN was founded in 2001 after the merger of the rival leagues Nederlandse American Football Federatie and American Football League Nederland .-Nederlandse American Football Federatie :The Nederlandse American Football...
- DelftDelftDelft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....