May 2011 - Inside American Football 1

NEWS
Jets introduce the first Female Player in the Premier League
coveNtry Jets first female sigNiNg, JeN miller, gets useD to the limelight
Photo © matt coNsaDiNe
Brave sports star Jen Hilton is about
to make history - by becoming the
first woman to play alongside men
in the British American Football
Association’s Community League. The
tough cookie from Tile Hill is putting
on her pads in tireless training to make
her debut with the Coventry Jets this
May. The sport’s national governing
body has confirmed the 27-year-old
will be the first woman to play the fullcontact
game at premier league level.
Coventry is already a hotbed of young
female talent with Warwick and
Coventry universities hosting the UK’s
first established women’s non-contact
“flag” teams.
But 5’10” Jen will be the first – and
only – woman to play with and against
men in the national league and, as one
of the Jets’ running backs, she’ll be
guaranteed contact with burly blokes
on the field.
She said: “I saw American football on
telly a few years ago and it’s just so
interesting and totally different from
any other sport I had seen. I heard
8 Inside American Football - May 2011
about the British League, looked it up
and wanted to go down and practise
with the Jets. When I turned up I got a
really good reaction. They were very
professional and didn’t blink an eyelid
when I asked to join. I was really
impressed by that.”
Jen has bought specialist kit designed
for female players, including chest
pads, from America and is training
hard ahead of her debut. The European
Federation of American Football have
denied her the opportunity to play in
the EFAF Cup so she will miss the
Jets’ first two games – away to Paris
Cougars in April and home to Danish
champions the Søllerød Gold Diggers
on the 7th of May.
Her first game will be in Bristol against
the all-male Bristol Aztecs on May the
15th and her first game at the Butts
Park Arena will be on the 11th of June
against the newly promoted Tamworth
Phoenix. Gary Marshall, Chairman
of the British American Football
Association, said: “We’re delighted to
announce what we believe to be the
first female senior kitted American
football player in UK history, joining
the Coventry Jets for the 2011 season.
“This is a really positive step showing
that it is ability that matters in our
highly competitive sport. We’ve
previously had females playing at
university level and they are regular
participants in the non-kitted, flag
version of our sport. However this
development represents an excellent
step forward for American Football in
the UK. Increasing participation is a
key aim for everyone in the sport and
we hope that Jen is the first of many
women to compete in the Community
Leagues.”
If you’d like to know more about the
Coventry Jets and to find out how you
can be part of their 2011 campaign,
please visit their website www.covjets.
com or follow them on Twitter www.
twitter.com/CoventryJets.
Original story by Mary Griffin and
used with permission
Warriors sign
Vernon Kay
The London Warriors are pleased to
announce the signing of Radio 1 and
TV Presenter Vernon Kay.
“Since 14 years of age Football has
been an integral and influential part of
my life so far, both on and off the field.
“Playing with the Warriors will be a
challenge, mentally and physically. But
it’s these challenges that mould and
make the man and under the guidance
of Coach Allen and his staff this is
one challenge that really excites me....
It’s a privilege to play in the Warriors
colours!” ...Vernon Kay.