American Football is one of the most physically and mentally intense sports one can play, the big hits take a toll on your body and the constant figuring out of what your opponent's next play is takes a toll on your brain, yet so many people enjoy the sport inside and outside of the US. It's a sport that takes physical and mental endurance and skill to understand and enjoy. Whether you're the Quarterback having to throw the ball to your Wide Receiver while running the risk of the defensive line overpowering the offensive line and taking you down, or if you're one of 3 linebackers constantly having to keep your head on a swivel and watching whether or not the offense is passing or running the ball.
American Football also known as Gridiron has been a sport in South Australia since the mid-1980s. There were 5 teams starting but one of the founding teams, The Southern Districts Oilers, went defunct in 2020 leaving 4 teams in the league, the Port Adelaide Spartans, South City Chiefs, UniSA Eagles and the Adelaide University Razorback Hogs.
I, Shannon, as a Port Adelaide Spartan now playing under the South City Chiefs in the 2024 Junior season can say from personal experience that football is truly a demanding sport that requires a lot of physical fitness and the skill to understand and execute plays. I struggle with a lot of factors as this is my first season, but I'm determined to learn and get better. One problem I find is that especially in the junior league, there aren't enough players going around so it would be nice to see the great sport grow and advance more so for the players that want to take this further can have opportunities to play in higher leagues. Overall, I love Football beyond anything, and I really want it to grow more not only in Australia but internationally.
So far, the junior season has come to an end with the undefeated South City Chiefs reigning as the 3-peat Champions over the courageous UniSA Eagles who gave it their all but came short in the end. Every team showed their worth and gave a pleasant and exciting viewing for families and local football fans but also gave coaches and players a season to remember for both growing from mistakes and celebrating successes. The scores go as follows:
Game 1 - AU Razorback Hogs - 00
UniSA Eagles - 38
Game 2 - South City Chiefs - 18
AU Razorback Hogs - 14
Game 3 - UniSA Eagles - 00
South City Chiefs - 16
Game 4 - South City Chiefs - 28
UniSA Eagles - 06
Game 5 - UniSA Eagles - 24
AU Razorback Hogs - 00
Game 6 - South City Chiefs - 28
AU Razorback Hogs - 06
Grand Final - South City Chiefs - 12
UniSA Eagles - 00
Interested in training or playing? Contact your nearest club!
Port Adelaide Spartans - 7/8 Chad St, Rosewater SA 5013
South City Chiefs - 262 Sturt Rd, Marion SA 5043
UniSA Eagles - University Parade, Mawson Lakes SA 5095
Adelaide University Razorback Hogs - Fullarton Rd & Claremont Ave, Urrbrae SA 5064
Or follow the link to the official Gridiron SA website Playing | Gridiron SA