ABOUT US
CLAF
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The first in Russia ‘children American football club’ was established in January 1995 on the basis of 3 schools in the Eastern Degunino district in Moscow. In December 1995 there was established regional non-profit organization ‘Children’s League of American Football’ (CLAF) which aim was to coordinate and develop clubs’ activities. Y.Malenchencko, cosmonaut and the Hero of Russia was the president of CLAF. In January 1996 the official delegation of the northern administrative district of Moscow with prefect M.Demin was invited by the mayor of Midville city E.Petrusso for the official visit. As a result of this visit the mutual Russian-American program of cooperation in the field of sport, culture and business was signed. This program was named ‘Friendship through American football’. |
| In June, 1996 under the invitation of the mayor of the Midville city and under the support of the prefecture of the Northern administrative district of Moscow two American football children teams have participated in the cultural and sport events dedicated to the ‘Independence Day’ in the USA. At this moment on the basis of schools in the Northern, North-Eastern and Eastern administrative districts in Moscow 7 American football children clubs are established. These clubs attract to sport activities as much as 500 pupils in the age of 10-17. In the nearest future such sport clubs are to be opened in other administrative districts in Moscow. This provides an opportunity to attract a large number of children to go for active sports. |  |
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To work with children CLAF has a well-equipped office with few classrooms (200 square meters rent for this purpose). School sport gymnasiums are also actively used for training. The documents for piece of land for the sport complex are being currently legalized.Since 1995 under the support of Allegini-college (Midville city, Pennsylvania state) 15 coaches from the CLAF studied in the USA. In April, 1997 the Russian Physical Culture State Academy opened study courses for children American football coaches.The championship of Moscow among the children football clubs, games and shows and other sport events are held regularly and aimed to the further development of American football in Russia. Together with the Moscow 31st TV channel (under support of Moscow American Football Federation and NFL Films) there was prepared a weekly 30-minute TV-show on American football (since 1997). |
For the purpose of financing sport-recreational work with children CLAF and ‘Russian Lotteries’ have established 2 electronic lotteries: ‘Sport-pari’ and ‘Toto-million’. Together with the Committee of the Youth and Family affairs under the Moscow Government there was developed and released the Program of ‘sport-recreational work with the Youth in1997-1998’. In the time of winter and summer holidays sport and recreational activities are organized in the suburbs on the sport base ‘Olympiets’.
In June, 1997 there was organized the children international camp, which provided an opportunity for 200 Russian and American children to rest. This event was much supported by: -the Committee of the Youth and Family affairs under the Moscow Government (with Mrs. I.Muravyova at the head) -administration of the Eastern Degunino district (with A.Ashmarin at the head) On the 23d of June, 1997 on the Small Sport arena of ‘Dynamo’ stadium a sport show and friendship games between the children teams of Moscow and Midville city were organized. Mr. H. Gamble, the representative of the National Football League of the USA who has been at the match, appreciated the organization of the event itself and the play level of the Russian sportsmen. Two age groups took part at the match. Russian team of the middle age group won with the score 40:0. As a result of hard and long game, the winner in the younger age group was an American team with the score 24:8. This event was widely discussed in mass media. The fragments from this match were shown on TV channels and the preparation to it was discussed much in the sport program ‘Distance-60’ on NTV channel. The friendship match in American football was included into the Program of the World Youth Olympic Games ’98. |
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In October 1997 the 2nd Youth Championship of Russia in American football has finished. On the 5th and 12th of October in Moscow final games between the former champion ‘Moscow bears’ and the team of north administrative district ‘Gladiators’ took place. In spite of the fact, that an average age of ‘Moscow bears’ was 18 years, while of ‘Gladiators’ only 16, ‘Gladiators’ won with the score 12:6 and 29:22. This result is due to outstanding effort of CLAF’s coaches: Vassiliy Dobryakov and Alexander Shevchencko who succeeded in training a team of strong and progressive players in a year. Among such players we should notice Dmitry Savriko (15 years old quarterback), Dmitriy Lobanov (wide receiver, who brought 19 points), Mikhail Gerassimov (halfback, who earned 18 points in that game). On the 2nd of November, 1997 the team ‘Gladiators’, new champions of Russia in American football among juniors have been awarded. The deputy of the City Duma S.Osadchiy, the president of CLAF cosmonaut and Hero of Russia Y.Malenchencko and the member of the international American Football Coaches Association V.Ivanov have been at the ceremony. The challenge cup has been awarded to ‘Gladiators’ by the deputy of the City Duma S.Osadchiy. The leading players of the team of the north administrative district of Moscow were included into the youth select team of Russia in American football which participated in the European Championship in Sweden. They were the representatives of Russia in the match with the USA team during the 1st World Youth Olympic Games in Moscow. For the purposes of preparation to the World Youth Olympic Games the CLAF’s sport delegation visited Orlando (Florida state) from 7 to the 15th of December, 1997 and participated in the junior championship ‘Pop Warner Super Bowl-97’. The result of the match Russia vs. the USA was 12:0 in favor of the Russian team. Together with the Committee of the Youth and Family affairs under the Moscow Government and the prefecture of the Northern administrative district of Moscow CLAF has developed ‘program of physical culture and leisure work with the children and teenagers of Moscow on 1997-2000’. This program is aimed at the activation of work with children at their residence and preventing criminal and socially negative activities among the teenagers. The city Charity Council has assigned this program status of ‘the City Charity Program’. The crucial peculiarity of this program is that the development of sport itself is not considered as the main objective, but rather it is an instrument for educational and recreational work with the youth, the most accessible and attractive type of activity which contributes to the development of high moral and physical qualities of the new generation. The prevailing directions of our program are: social upbringing of the youngsters, their mental and moral growing and development, recreation and leisure for the new generation, activation of sport complexes, organization of leisure and educational work with the youth. |
SEE ALSO:
THE CITY CHARITY PROGRAM