London Olympians
Encyclopedia
The London Olympians is a British amateur American football
team, based in Crystal Palace
, London
. They are the United Kingdom
's most successful amateur American football club. The team currently plays in Division 1 of the BAFA Community Leagues
after winning the Division 2 national title in 2010.
The Olympians were formed in 1984 as the Streatham
Olympians and were founding members of the first ever national American Football league in Britain. The Olympians hold the record for the longest winning streak in senior kitted British American Football. The Olympians have five age-defined teams within their umbrella, including a youth level and the senior side.
who have emerged as a true force over the past two seasons and a heated rivalry has ensued whenever they play, at either Finsbury Park
or Crystal Palace Park. Along with the Coventry Cassidy Jets
, they have replaced the Farnham Fast Lane Knights as the main rivals of the Olympians.
Champions: 1993, 1994
British Champions: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
BAFACL Division II South Champions: 2010
BAFACL Division II Play-Off Champions: 2010
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 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They are the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's most successful amateur American football club. The team currently plays in Division 1 of the BAFA Community Leagues
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association in 2010 to coordinate contact football and flag football across all age ranges...
after winning the Division 2 national title in 2010.
The Olympians were formed in 1984 as the Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Olympians and were founding members of the first ever national American Football league in Britain. The Olympians hold the record for the longest winning streak in senior kitted British American Football. The Olympians have five age-defined teams within their umbrella, including a youth level and the senior side.
History
Between 1995 and 2005, the Olympians were known as the London O's. This was a result of the previous owner retaining the rights to the Olympian name when he decided to withdraw from American football.Reformation
In 2009 the team returned to the BAFA league after a year in hiatus, playing in Division 2 East. They were promoted from Division 2 at the end of the 2010 season, defeating the Manchester Titans in the Division 2 Bowl game 35-13. They played and won all 15 of their games in 2010, conceding 60 points and scoring 553.Players
A list of current players| Number | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Bello | WR |
| 2 | Paul Barquinha | LB |
| 3 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 | Justin Holder | DB |
| 7 | Neale Canning | QB |
| 8 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 10 | James Goddard | DB |
| 14 | ||
| 15 | Leslie Oluwale-Wilson | DB |
| 19 | Tomi Biberovic | QB |
| 20 | Tosin Dawudu | DB |
| 22 | Seun Shobande | RB |
| 23 | Lee Phillips | DB |
| 24 | Kevin Park | DB |
| 25 | Forrester Osei | RB |
| 27 | ||
| 28 | ||
| 30 | Toyin Dawudu | RB |
| 32 | ||
| 33 | Adrian John | RB |
| 34 | Ashton Campbell | DB |
| 36 | Adeodatus Ronie Twumasi | DB |
| 37 | Mark Finney | DB |
| 40 | Michael Omeru | LB |
| 42 | ||
| 43 | Jonathan Gadbury | LB |
| 44 | ||
| 45 | ||
| 49 | Ethanuel Williams | LB |
| 53 | Artem Bakmanidis | LB |
| 54 | ||
| 55 | ||
| 56 | Nicholas Bob-Manuel | LB |
| 58 | Daryn Stilwell | OL |
| 59 | Alexander Biberovic | OL |
| 66 | Steve Higgins | OL |
| 69 | Richard Lasowski | OL |
| 71 | Adam Hall | OL |
| 72 | Mark Langford | OL |
| 75 | Matt Luck | OL |
| 77 | James Andrews | WR |
| 78 | Stephen Yomi George | OL/DL |
| 80 | ||
| 81 | Folley Ogundele | WR |
| 82 | Karim El Sayed | WR |
| 83 | Steve Leonard | WR |
| 86 | Carl James | WR |
| 87 | Chris Davies | WR/K |
| 88 | Shaun Stilwell | WR |
| 89 | Daniel Jeanton | WR |
| 90 | Jermaine James | LB |
| 91 | ||
| 92 | Paul Jaggers | DL |
| 94 | ||
| 95 | Victor Olamide | DL/K |
| 96 | Declan Kellett | QB |
| 98 | Robert Williams | DL |
Coaching Staff
- Head Coach: Riq Ayub
- Offensive co-ordinator & Assistant Head Coach: Warren Smart
- Defensive co-ordinator: Scott Rowe
- Offensive line coach: Sean Mitchell
- Running Backs Coach: Karlos Baah
- Assistant Running Backs coach: Khalil Ullah
- Wide Receivers Coach: Richard Vale
- Assistant Wide Receivers Coach: Rufus Herman
- Defensive backs coach: Kier Macree
- Linebackers coach: Dave Kinnear
- Linebackers coach: Andres Squires
- Defensive line: Gary Whitfield
- Team fitness coach: Rufus Herman
- Special Teams coach: Stephen Scott
Support Staff
- Team Manager: Marlene Price
- Stills Photography: Jackie Houtris
- AV Manager: Harry Slaven
- Statistician: Vacant
Rivals
The teams major rivals in the League are their North London counterparts, London BlitzLondon Blitz (American football)
London Blitz are a British American football team based in North London at Finsbury Park athletics stadium.- Overview :The Blitz field a senior team in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership as well as youth teams. The roster has included both local players as well as players from North America,...
who have emerged as a true force over the past two seasons and a heated rivalry has ensued whenever they play, at either Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
or Crystal Palace Park. Along with the Coventry Cassidy Jets
Coventry Jets
The Coventry Jets are an American football team based in Coventry, England and were the 2008 National Champions. They currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues Premier division. The Jets have played their home games at a number of venues in Coventry, including the Butts Park Arena, which is home...
, they have replaced the Farnham Fast Lane Knights as the main rivals of the Olympians.
Honours
EurobowlEurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
Champions: 1993, 1994
British Champions: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
BAFACL Division II South Champions: 2010
BAFACL Division II Play-Off Champions: 2010