A pair of schools in the borough are celebrating after becoming national champions at NFL Flag.
It’s a non-contact version of American football (also known as Gridiron) that is rapidly growing in popularity across the UK.
Last week (Tuesday 17 June), Little Ealing Primary School and Ealing Fields High School competed in the GB NFL Flag National Championships at Leeds Beckett University.
The event brought together 28 schools from across the UK to compete in the under-11 mixed, under-13 mixed, and under-15 girls’ tournaments, following a record-breaking year of participation, with 480 schools entering local qualifiers.
Ealing Fields won both the under-13 and under-15 girls’ titles, while Little Ealing secured the under-11 mixed title for the third time in 4 years.
‘Immense pride’
Bobby Behzadi, head of sport at Little Ealing Primary, said: “The team played with intensity, flair and teamwork. Their passion, discipline and sportsmanship have brought immense pride to our school community. We couldn’t be prouder.”
Their victory means they will now represent Great Britain at the 2026 Pro Bowl International tournament in the United States.
Future Olympic stars?
Martyn Tootell, head of PE at Ealing Fields, said: “Our NFL programme has grown exponentially over the past 3 years, with over 30 students now training every Wednesday morning at 7:30am. The motivation and drive they show is incredible.”
He also praised the wider community’s role in the sport’s growth, adding: “Many of our players also compete for the local club team, the Ealing Fruit Bats, founded by one of our parents. NFL Flag is thriving in our part of Ealing thanks to the community coming together to create opportunities – especially for our girls. With flag football entering the Olympics, who knows? We may have a future Olympian among us.”
‘Fun, inclusive, fast-paced’
The championships were attended by special guests, including Britain’s first female NFL coach Phoebe Schecter and former NFL player Jason Bell.
Councillor Josh Blacker, cabinet member for a fairer start, said: “It’s fantastic to see NFL Flag growing in popularity across our borough, offering young people a fun, inclusive and fast-paced way to get active and build confidence.
“Huge congratulations to Little Ealing and Ealing Fields on their incredible achievements – we’re all so proud of them.
“I’d also like to give a special shout-out to the Ealing Fruit Bats, whose efforts are helping to nurture the next generation of talent. As they prepare for their next big challenge, the whole borough will be cheering them on every step of the way.”
