USAFL National Championships
Encyclopedia
The USAFL National Championships is a tournament
for Australian rules football
in the United States
.
Since 1997, the National Championships have been a large event featuring teams from the United States and Canada in four men's divisions and a women's division. The competition is organized and run by the United States Australian Football League
.
The competition consists of four men's divisions and a women's division, each culminating in a Grand Final
to decide the winner.
The Denver Bulldogs have been the most successful side at Nationals. Since 2000, the Bulldogs have appeared in nine Division 1 Grand Finals, winning seven, including four straight from 2002-2005. The San Diego Lions have appeared five times and have win two premierships. They are tied with the Boston Demons for second most titles with two each.
Canadian clubs
were invited to the USAFL Championships in 2006. The first Canadian champions were the Vancouver Cougars
in 2008. The Calgary Kangaroos
have appeared in three consecutive Division 2 Grand Finals, winning in 2009 and 2010.
In 2005, the first USAFL Women's championships were held and were won by the Atlanta Lady Kookaburras. The Lady Kookas took home the first three premierships until 2008, when their 19 game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Calgary Kookaburras
.
Division Four and the Women's Division have had either six or eight teams compete. When only six teams compete, the clubs are divided into two groups of three teams each. Each team plays the other two in the group once. The third place teams play for placement on Sunday morning, while the other four cross over for the semi-finals. The two semi-finals winners meet in the grand final on Sunday afternoon.
The top two divisions are played as 18-a-side, which each team permitted to dress a maximum of 24 players. All teams in Divisions One and Two must be single entity squads; they may not combine with other teams. Division Three is played as 16-a-side, with no restrictions on the number of players on the interchange bench. Division Four is played 14-a-side, and the Women's Division is played 12-a-side, again with no limit to the number of players dressed per game.
All Divisions are subject to the "50-50 Rule", which require at least half of the players on the field at any one time to be "nationals" of the country that their team represents. Players of other origin are considered "non-nationals". Prior to 2009, the players were designated "Australian" and "non-Australian", with at least half of the players on the field needing to be "non-Australian".
In addition to premiership medals, awards are also given to outstanding players in each division. The Paul Roos
Medal, named after the former AFL
player and coach and former US Revolution coach, is awarded to each division's Best and Fairest. The Coopers Medal goes to the most consistent player in each division, while the Geoff Cann Medal goes to each of the Grand Final MVP's. The field umpires of the Grand Final are also awarded medals, receiving the Hayden Kennedy
medal.
The USAFL has, over the last couple of years, attempted to keep Nationals in the Midwestern part of the United States in order to keep travel costs down for teams on the East and West coasts and for all teams to be able to bring as many players as they can.
The 2011 USAFL National Championships are scheduled for October 8th and 9th in Austin, Texas
. In July 2011, the league announced that the next two tournaments would be held in the state of Ohio, with the 2012 Nationals returning to Mason
, and the 2013 tournament in Dublin
.
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
for Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Since 1997, the National Championships have been a large event featuring teams from the United States and Canada in four men's divisions and a women's division. The competition is organized and run by the United States Australian Football League
United States Australian Football League
The United States Australian Football League is the governing body for Australian rules football in the United States. It was conceived in 1996 and organized in 1997....
.
The competition consists of four men's divisions and a women's division, each culminating in a Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
to decide the winner.
History
The first championships were held in Cincinnati in 1997, and they were won by the host Cincinnati Dockers. The Queen City would host the first three Nationals, with the 1998 edition welcoming 10 teams. A second division was created for the 1999 Nationals, with eight teams in the upper Division 1 and six in the lower Division 2 competition. Sixteen teams competed in one division in 2000. Divisional play returned for the 2001 championships, and a third division was added for 2002. A fourth division, mainly for reserves clubs and for first year teams, was added in 2007. The 2010 championships saw 38 teams representing almost 30 clubs compete.The Denver Bulldogs have been the most successful side at Nationals. Since 2000, the Bulldogs have appeared in nine Division 1 Grand Finals, winning seven, including four straight from 2002-2005. The San Diego Lions have appeared five times and have win two premierships. They are tied with the Boston Demons for second most titles with two each.
Canadian clubs
Australian rules football in Canada
Australian rules football in Canada is a fast growing team and spectator sport which has been played since the late 1980s.Australian football is currently played in four Canadian provinces - Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia...
were invited to the USAFL Championships in 2006. The first Canadian champions were the Vancouver Cougars
Vancouver Cougars
The Vancouver Cougars are members of the Australian Football League Canada and compete in the North West Pacific Australian Football League.The club was founded in Vancouver, Canada on January 15, 2001, becoming the first ever Aussie Rules club in the city of Vancouver.-History:Club founders James...
in 2008. The Calgary Kangaroos
Calgary Kangaroos
The Calgary Kangaroos are an Australian rules football club based in Calgary, Canada. They play at the Calgary Rugby Union and are members of AFL Canada....
have appeared in three consecutive Division 2 Grand Finals, winning in 2009 and 2010.
In 2005, the first USAFL Women's championships were held and were won by the Atlanta Lady Kookaburras. The Lady Kookas took home the first three premierships until 2008, when their 19 game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Calgary Kookaburras
Calgary Kookaburras
The Calgary Kookaburras are a ladies Australian rules football club based in Calgary, Canada. They play at the Queen Elizabeth School, Hillhurst and are members of AFL Canada. They were the first women's football club formed in Canada.-History:...
.
Format
Since 2003, Divisions One, Two, and Three have contained eight teams split into two groups of four teams. Each team plays the other three teams in their group once, playing one game on Saturday morning, another on Saturday afternoon, and a third on Sunday morning. The winners of each group advance to their division's grand final, which is held on Sunday afternoon.Division Four and the Women's Division have had either six or eight teams compete. When only six teams compete, the clubs are divided into two groups of three teams each. Each team plays the other two in the group once. The third place teams play for placement on Sunday morning, while the other four cross over for the semi-finals. The two semi-finals winners meet in the grand final on Sunday afternoon.
The top two divisions are played as 18-a-side, which each team permitted to dress a maximum of 24 players. All teams in Divisions One and Two must be single entity squads; they may not combine with other teams. Division Three is played as 16-a-side, with no restrictions on the number of players on the interchange bench. Division Four is played 14-a-side, and the Women's Division is played 12-a-side, again with no limit to the number of players dressed per game.
All Divisions are subject to the "50-50 Rule", which require at least half of the players on the field at any one time to be "nationals" of the country that their team represents. Players of other origin are considered "non-nationals". Prior to 2009, the players were designated "Australian" and "non-Australian", with at least half of the players on the field needing to be "non-Australian".
In addition to premiership medals, awards are also given to outstanding players in each division. The Paul Roos
Paul Roos
Paul Roos may refer to:* Paul Roos , former Australian rules football player and Sydney Swans AFL coach* Paul Roos , Springbok rugby union captain* Paul Roos Gymnasium, a high school in Stellenbosch, South Africa...
Medal, named after the former AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
player and coach and former US Revolution coach, is awarded to each division's Best and Fairest. The Coopers Medal goes to the most consistent player in each division, while the Geoff Cann Medal goes to each of the Grand Final MVP's. The field umpires of the Grand Final are also awarded medals, receiving the Hayden Kennedy
Hayden Kennedy
Hayden Daniel Kennedy is an Australian rules football field umpire in the Australian Football League and is also a teacher at St Bernard's College Essendon...
medal.
The USAFL has, over the last couple of years, attempted to keep Nationals in the Midwestern part of the United States in order to keep travel costs down for teams on the East and West coasts and for all teams to be able to bring as many players as they can.
The 2011 USAFL National Championships are scheduled for October 8th and 9th in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. In July 2011, the league announced that the next two tournaments would be held in the state of Ohio, with the 2012 Nationals returning to Mason
Mason, Ohio
Mason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community...
, and the 2013 tournament in Dublin
Dublin, Ohio
Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 57,000 people live within the Dublin school district....
.
Yearly Results
| Date | Host City | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Women's Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati def. Nashville | ||||
| 1998 | Cincinnati, OH | Boston 15.7 (97) def. Santa Cruz 1.1 (7) | ||||
| 1999 | Cincinnati, OH | Boston 4.2 (26) def. Santa Cruz 3.2 (20) | Baltimore Washington/Lehigh Valley 3.4 (22) def. Carolinas/Atlanta/Tri-Cities 1.4 (10) | |||
| 2000 | Los Angeles, CA | Denver 3.4 (22) def. San Diego 3.2 (20) | ||||
| 2001 | Washington, DC | San Diego 10.4 (64) def. Boston 2.5 (17) | New York 3.8 (26) def. Atlanta 2.3 (15) | |||
| 2002 | Kansas City, MO | Denver 8.1 (49) def. San Diego 0.2 (2) | Orange County 7.3 (45) def. Santa Cruz 2.3 (15) | Philadelphia 3.8 (26) def. Milwaukee 2.2 (14) | ||
| 2003 | Kansas City, MO | Denver 8.5 (53) def. Boston 1.3 (9) | Milwaukee 4.2 (26) def. Golden Gate 3.1 (19) | Kansas City/Gotham 6.7 (43) def. North Carolina 0.3 (3) | ||
| 2004 | Atlanta, GA | Denver 2.6 (18) def. New York 1.1 (7) | Arizona 3.4 (22) def. Philadelphia 3.2 (20) | Cincinnati/Pittsburgh 8.5 (53) def. Kansas City/Louisville 3.2 (20) | ||
| 2005 | Milwaukee, WI | Denver 4.8 (32) def. Milwaukee 1.1 (7) | Golden Gate 7.3 (45) def. Philadelphia 1.4 (10) | Minnesota 4.3 (27) def. Baton Rouge 3.3 (21) | Atlanta 6.5 (41) def. Florida Fusion 2.1 (13) | |
| 2006 | Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... |
San Diego 4.9 (33) def. Denver 2.0 (12) | Baltimore Washington 10.9 (69) def. Minnesota 2.0 (12) | Las Vegas/Orange County B 7.5 (47) def. Baton Rouge 5.1 (31) | Atlanta 3.10 (28) def. Pacific Coast Highwayers 0.0 (0) | |
| 2007 | Louisville, KY | Denver 3.3 (21) def. San Diego 2.3 (15) | Minnesota 3.5 (23) def. Seattle 2.2 (14) | St Louis 4.7 (31) def. Las Vegas/New York B 2.4 (16) | Denver B (112) def. Golden Gate B (13) | Atlanta 7.7 (49) def. Arizona 0.0 (0) |
| 2008 | Colorado Springs, CO | Vancouver 4.4 (28) def. Baltimore Washington 2.0 (12) | Seattle 3.4 (22) def. Calgary 0.3 (3) | Kansas City 3.8 (26) def. St Louis/Austin 1.2 (8) | Ohio Valley 6.3 (39) def. Seattle B 2.5 (17) | Calgary 4.3 (27) def. Atlanta 3.4 (22) |
| 2009 | Mason, OH | Denver 2.5 (17) def. Seattle 2.2 (14) | Calgary 5.8 (38) def. Milwaukee 3.2 (20) | Dallas 8.3 (51) def. Austin 1.2 (8) | Ohio Valley/St. Louis 3.15 (33) def. Orange County/Des Moines 2.1 (13) | Milwaukee 8.3 (51) def. Calgary 1.5 (11) |
| 2010 | Louisville, KY | New York 4.4 (28) def. Denver 1.1 (7) | Calgary 11.8 (74) def. Minnesota 5.1 (31) | Austin 4.4 (28) def. Florida United 2.5 (17) | New York B 13.4 (82) def. Denver/Kansas City 0.3 (3) | Denver 3.1 (19) def. Calgary/Montréal 2.6 (18) |
| 2011 | Austin, TX | Denver 3.2 (20) def. Calgary 0.5 (5) | Dallas 8.6 (52) def. Austin 1.3 (9) | Arizona 5.2 (32) def. Atlanta 3.1 (19) | Ohio Valley/Milwaukee 4.2 (26) def. Ft. Lauderdale/Baltimore Washington/Toronto/Vancouver 3.2 (20) | Denver 3.7 (25) def. New York/Montréal 0.1 (1) |