Sporting history will be made on Saturday, 30 March with the UK’s first indoor American Football contest taking place at Oriam with hosts Heriot Watt University Wolverines taking on Aberdeen University Bulls for the Dome Bowl (1pm)
Of course, a notable event of a different kind took place at Oriam last year when the prestigious Jacksonville Jaguars sent their star linebacker, Josh Allen, to conduct a coaching clinic as a means of further cementing UK links with a Jaguars team who are regular visitors to London where their owner. Shahid Khan, also owns Fulham football club.
And Jaguars will again have input north of the border as one of the sponsors who will provide the Most Valuable Player award.
But for the moment Wolverines president Dylan Jones, an international business student from North Wales, is committed to ensuring the atmosphere matches the occasion.
Says Dylan: “We have been able to obtain use of Oriam on the back of an arrangement which sees Heriot Watt Sports Union being given regular access.
“Hopefully the Dome Bowl will not only help grow the profile of American Football but Oriam too.
“The teams, who play in a Scottish League alongside the universities of Edinburgh, Napier, Glasgow and Stirling, were due to play in December but exam pressures meant the fixture had to be postponed.”
These are exciting times for American Football globally with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic schedule due to include a “tag” competition similar to rugby’s touch games.
And the interval attraction at Oriam will see the Dunfermline team’s youngsters give a demonstration.
Heriot Watt’s line-up will include students of business, aeronautics, engineering etc and is expected to be younger than Aberdeen opponents with greater depth of numbers.
Pictured preparing for the Dome Bowl are Heriot Watt’s squad which includes Luke Palazzeti on a semester from the USA having played in high school for Rhode Island.
Absent from the photo call is club vice president Rory Rakochev who played in high school in Calgary, Canada, and is now undertaking a Brewing and Distilling course in the UK.
Back Row, left to right: Cairn Ward, Dylan Reid, Thomas Kobine, Caleb Chapman, Euan Clark, Callum Alexander and Luke Palazzetti
Front: Hamish Riddoch, Ruaridh Meldrum, Jamie Brown and Casey Barett.
- The annual American Football encounter between Edinburgh University Mavericks and Edinburgh Napier Knights takes place on Wednesday, 20 March at Meggetland at 7pm.
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
