Bombers launch American football expansion plans for Lincolnshire next year

The Bombers have supported and promoted flag football in 40+ Lincolnshire schools and sports organisations over the last year by running their own and NFL workshops, lending schools flag equipment and running Lincolnshire’s first ever flag tournament.

The Bombers have two plans for the Academy next season.

First, is to host the largest ever Lincolnshire schools flag tournament on Wednesday, 17th March at King’s school, Grantham.

They are also expanding the number of Academy teams, adding to the established U16s contact

team with an U19s contact team and U14s and U17s flag teams.

The Bombers will be holding recruitment sessions on Sundays, 25th October, 29th November and

20th December for all adult and Academy contact and flag teams in preparation for the pre-season

training starting in January 2027.

The sessions will be at Memorial Hall, North Hykeham, from 9am to 12.30pm for adults and 10am

to noon for Academy teams.

The sessions are for girls and boys, no experience is necessary, any fitness ability and all equipment

is provided for Academy players.

The expansion plans also support our aims to provide a full player development path to our

successful play-off achieving senior team.

The second annual Lincolnshire schools flag tournament on Wednesday 17th March 2027 will be

hosted by the Bombers the Lincolnshire Longhorns at King’s school, Grantham and will be

biggest flag event so far in Lincolnshire.

The tournament is for Secondary and Primary schools and is already attracting a lot of interest with

Head coach Alan Chambers said: “The increase in flag in schools is definitely driving up the

standard level of play and I am excited to see one of qualifiers go on and win the NFL’s regional

tournament.

“The NFL run regional, national and international tournaments where schools to have the chance to

compete and get the opportunity to play in stadiums, such as Tottenham Hotspur's.

“The Bombers and Longhorns feel it is important for Lincolnshire schools to have the opportunity

to compete in the NFL regional tournaments and are looking for sponsors to help with the small

running costs.”

American football is one of the fast-growing sports in the UK and this is expected to grow further

with the introduction of flag football in the LA28 Olympics.

Flag football is fun and fast five-a-side version of the full contact game, with the same excitement,

athleticism and tactics of the NFL at a fraction of the cost making it ideal for schools.

The NFL and national body British American Football Association are supporting and funding the

growth of flag football and there are now over 1000 schools playing flag with an estimated 75,000

participants nationwide with girls making up the largest proportion.

The Bombers originated back in the 1980s when NFL popularity in the UK was

high.

While many sides have since folded, the Bombers reemerged in 2005 to take on its current adult

form and provide a home for American Football fans right across the region.

The Lincolnshire Bombers Academy was formed in 2015 and has a very successful record

regularly making the play-offs and produces talented players, including NFL Academy, European

professional and GB players.