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The Mustangs returned to practice this past weekend with the first of three position specific sessions ahead of full team practice. Offensive and defensive linemen were given a specific workout last Sunday and the following two dates have been arranged:
January 20th - Quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs
January 27th - Running backs, tight ends and linebackers
Training will take place indoors at Balby Carr College, starting at 10:00am
and finishing around midday. Although each session is arranged for specific positions, everybody is welcome to all sessions.
February 3rd - Full squad training (Details to follow)
For more information please call 07976 229447
Looking to strengthen their commitment to the grass roots level of
American Football the Mustangs recently decided to confirm their amateur
status and formalise the basis on which they operate. The organisation
turned the club over to the membership as the first step in a move to
become a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC). A move in line with BAFA support for the recent Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR) initiative to improve the tax benefits for CASCs. To gain CASC status a club must have as its aim the promotion of a sport in a specified area.
So why change the name?
“As with a lot of clubs in the league our focus is on the
amateur side of the game and we wanted to ensure our focus remained on
promoting the sport as a whole, not just the current team. When we looked at
our current players we found that most of them didn’t actually come from the Doncaster
area but from the wider South Yorkshire region”, said Head Coach Andy Patel.
He continued "The club was therefore formed as the South Yorkshire Mustangs to reflect the
actual sphere of operations of the club, which has already helped promote
establishment of a school youth side in Rotherham and is forging closer links
with the Sheffield Tomahawks, whose Head Coach attended the recent Mustangs Combine event at Balby Carr
Community Sports College. The club also hopes to establish further youth
operations in association with local schools and looks to establish
opportunities for adults to participate in the sport at a less competitive
level, primarily flag football, so that even the less athletic or those with disabilities
can enjoy the sport. With the club established the only remaining issue was the
name of the existing team and application was made to the BAFL board that approved the team
name change at their November 17th meeting. “We’re delighted that the name
change has been approved. Our region has four closely spaced metropolitan areas
that blur the boundaries. Having a club that is seeking to develop the sport
throughout the region, being identified with just one borough would have been
problematic. I think the Directors recognised this in approving our application.
I also think they are showing support for our move to CASC status. Most clubs
would certainly benefit from the tax advantages, providing they can meet the
criteria, but I would urge clubs to at least investigate the possibility at www.cascinfo.co.uk”.