At Doncaster Rovers Community Sports & Education Foundation we work closely with many key partners, including a relatively new partnership with Doncaster Mustangs.

Doncaster Mustangs are South Yorkshires premier American Football Team that are based here at the Keepmoat Stadium. We took the opportunity to talk to Team Manager Martyn Richmond and he gave us his opinions about the Doncaster Mustangs and all things American Football.

"Do you think American Football will ever take off over here?" - it's a question I'm very often asked and recently, it's only just occurred to me to give the same response that this season, in September, Britbowl XXIV will take place in Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium. That's 24 consecutive years of league football over here, culminating in a one off Bowl Game (the equivalent of the Superbowl) for the UK's top two sides.

American Football is still an amateur sport in the UK. We will never overtake real football (yes, some of us do love the round ball game and refer to it as 'Real Football' - not soccer!), or Rugby, but we do have our own niche in the British sporting calendar, and around 5,000 registered players, playing from as far apart as Inverness to Torquay.

Doncaster first had a team in the 80's when the Jaguars were formed. That team is sadly however a distant memory, but one man has carried on his passion with the sport and in 2003, Mark Blyth, former kicker with the Jaguars formed the Doncaster Mustangs, with ex Jaguars Head Coach Doug Maclean, and ex player James Berry.

Seven seasons later the Mustangs are going from strength to strength, having had their most successful season in years in 2009, when we were eliminated from the British American Football League (BAFL) play offs by eventual Division 1 Champions the London Cobras, and having formed a Youth team, the Balby Carr Mustangs, at our training base, Balby Carr Sports College. The league season runs from May to August, with play offs and championship games in September and the Mustangs home games are played at the Keepmoat, in the Athletics Arena on Sunday afternoons (fixtures below).

The American Footballer in the UK is however unique in my opinion in UK sport. Our season takes us to Dundee and Hamilton in Scotland, Gateshead, Merseyside and Leeds, with home and away games making up a 10 game schedule played over 16 weeks. There can't be many team sports over here that require that dedication but that's what it takes to play in BAFL Division 1. Our pre season also puts demands on these amateur sportsmen that many others don't. Training takes place twice weekly, and just like many other sports, the players buy their own equipment and pay subs to supplement the income of the club.

Photo courtesy of Graham Beardsley Photography

We're a dedicated bunch though and through this dedication, there is a real team spirit created. Our squad numbers around 50, but off the field we have numerous coaches, managers and volunteers to make sure everything gets done, and all are treated as part of the Team. On game day, we have volunteers to act as ball boys/girls, we need a chain crew to help the officials, we have volunteers taking gate receipts, plus me on the microphone providing commentary. Add to this the fact that before game day, we assist the staff at the Keepmoat in marking out the pitch and putting up the posts, it becomes a full time hobby during the summer months.

This year promises to be bigger and better than ever for the Mustangs though. Head Coach Pete Scorah is in his second year with the club, having joined us from Hull last year. The squad is still coming together but the signs are good that we will be able to progress further than last season and who knows, maybe a date in the main stadium in late September?

Bigger news however is the formation of our Youth kitted team, the Balby Carr Mustangs. These 16-18 years olds will be playing in their first season this year, in the scaled down version of the adult sport. Having the team based at the school is a major bonus for us and I can't speak highly enough of Steve Whitter, a teacher at Balby Carr who has got this team off the ground. I'd also like to thank the School itself for the support they have given the Mustangs in getting the programme moving forward. Whilst not yet on the curriculum, the students are given the option of American Football as part of the school's prospectus meaning any student there between 16-18 has the opportunity joining the team. The team hold training sessions during the week and play games at weekends during the spring/summer.

We're really excited about the BC Mustangs and see this as the way forward for the senior team. Hopefully the Doncaster Mustangs of the future will be kitting up in Balby this year!

This is not the only way to get involved though. Rookie try outs were recently held and Balby Carr, and at the Keepmoat Stadium for any potential American Footballers to come and try the sport. We never turn anyone away though so if you're still interested, visit www.doncastermustangs.com or call Team Manager Martyn Richmond on 07834 862678 for details of how to get involved. If playing is not your thing though, and you're looking to get involved in a team sport in any other way (we need physios, website experts, photographers, video camera experts), just give us a call.

If being a spectator is more your thing, come down and watch on any of the following dates. All kick offs are at 2.30pm and we charge £3 for adults, £1 for under 16's with under 10's coming in free. Each game is accompanied by commentary to help you understand and enjoy the action, and the referees have microphones so they can explain all of their decisions. We may not be the NFL, but I promise you, the action is fast paced and hard hitting so if you've never seen American Football, why not come and give your local team your support.

Doncaster Mustangs Fixtures 2010 - Home fixtures. (All Played at the Keepmoat Athletics Stadium)

Sunday May 23 - East Kilbride Pirates

Sunday June 27 - Yorkshire Rams

Sunday July 4 - Merseyside Nighthawks

Sunday July 11 - Gateshead Senators

Sunday August 15 - Dundee Hurricanes