Team Background

The first practice session took place on September 7, 2003, on the sports ground of Secondary School No. 565 (Chertanovo District, southeast Moscow). On that occasion, some 80 kids attended, not to mention moms and dads, grannies and granddaddies. That was an auspicious kick-off moment. Today, two and a half years later, the White Wolves – the name chosen by the boys for their club – comprise five age groups, with a total of more than 120 practicing players.

Within this brief span of time, the White Wolves Club has scored some significant successes. In its 2003-2004 maiden season, our team of 12- to 13-year-olds finished proud second in an annual flag football competition – the CLAF Winter Cup-2003. Another “feather” was added to the Club’s “cap” shortly thereafter, also in the form of a second place, this time in the Arena Football Championship of Russia for the age category 12 to 13. During that same year, our 14- and 15-year-olds took bronze in the Moscow Championship, thus securing their right to play in the 2004 Annual Championship of Russia hosted by the city of Astrakhan. Our juniors, though, were less lucky, having failed to give us victories to rejoice at during that season. And yet, their performance was good enough for a team of beginners.

In the 2004-2005 season, our 12- to 13-year-old boys once again gladdened us with their hard-won silver medals of the Flag Football Championship of Moscow. The 14 and 15-year-olds successfully advanced from the group to the final playoff series, where they contested the third place, ending up fourth in the flag football tournament Winter-2005. This was followed up by yet another excellent result. In the American Football Championship of Russia our boys in that age group came through to the semifinal: Moscow Titans vs. White Wolves; the final score was 41-13, and we placed fourth. Regrettably, our juniors have so far no wins to their credit, but this is for the sole reason that the youths have only been in the game for a mere two years.

However they are not discouraged, saying that victories are bound to come later, in adult football. The Club’s coaches regard it as their greatest achievements of the season that our boys aged 12 to 13 have qualified for the final series, where the winner is yet to be decided, and that we took home first place in the Flag Football Championship of Moscow for 10- and 11-year-olds. On behalf of the coaches, parents and supporters we congratulate our little champions and all the White Wolves.

Certain difficulties, of which we admittedly have a lot, have compelled us to move to another locale. Since most of our children are students of Secondary School No. 1158, we have decided to apply to the administration of that school with a request to make their sports facilities available to us for regular drills. The request was granted. The headmistress of the school, Tatiana Grigorievna Kirkova, and the administration as a whole accommodated us on official terms. Nowadays the school curriculum features, as an optional physical education course, the practicing of American football for pupils in the age categories 10 to 11 and 12 to 13. In addition, recruitment is scheduled to start next school year for football training in yet another age group. For their part, 14- to 15-year-old boys and 16- to 18-year-old juniors conduct quite successful practice sessions at the Sports College, which has far more spacious facilities to offer them. Those two age groups continually take part in all competitions held under the auspices of the Children’s League of American Football.

Our special thanks go to the leaders of the Children’s League of American Football, the administration of Secondary School of General Education No. 1158 and that of the Sports Teachers College for their support and co-operation.