An American football club in Darlington is gearing up to make the sport more accessible for young people after getting a four-figure grant.
Darlington Steam – the only club of its kind between Newcastle and Leeds – has received a £2,000 grant from the Banks Group.
The funding will help the club expand opportunities through new equipment and coaching development, making the sport more accessible for young people across the region.
Lee Kelly, youth team head coach at Darlington Steam, said: “As well as being a great sport in itself and really good for physical fitness, we find that it makes a very positive impact for many of our young players in terms of self-discipline, focus and self-confidence.
The technical aspects of the sport mean they need to learn to concentrate when that might not be easy for them in other situations, and we want to share these benefits as widely as we can.
Everyone can enjoy playing at their own level, and if they want to get serious about playing the sport on a bigger stage, our coaches can equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to have a chance to do so.”
Darlington Steam runs both full-contact and non-contact ‘flag football’ teams. It fields one senior team and four youth teams in its academy programme.
The club draws players from across Darlington, County Durham, and the surrounding towns and villages, and currently has more than 55 junior players registered.
Several of its athletes have gone on to represent Team North and Team GB. Others have secured opportunities to play in the American college system or professionally in countries such as Norway and Germany.
Training takes place every weekend at South Park in Darlington.
The Banks Group, a regional employer, awarded the grant. The funding comes from its Banks Community Fund and will support the purchase of new equipment for try-out sessions and player development.
Part of the grant will also fund training for new coaches, helping the club maintain a strong coaching team as it continues to grow.
Mr Kelly said: “Some of the equipment that’s needed for the game can be quite expensive, and Banks’ generous support for the club will mean we’re able to keep it as accessible as possible for anyone who wants to give it a go.”
The Banks Group is behind the proposed Beaumont Hill residential scheme in Darlington, which includes plans for up to 600 homes, public green space, biodiversity improvements, and a retail unit.
Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, said: “Darlington Steam already gives dozens of local young people the chance to try, learn about and succeed at this exciting sport, and we’re very pleased to be backing the ambitions of this excellent community sports club to do even more.”
The Banks Group’s community funds are managed by Point North (formerly the County Durham Community Foundation).
The company welcomes applications from communities located near its projects.
Anyone interested in getting involved with Darlington Steam can find more information at the Darlington Steam website or via the club’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
To apply for funding from the Banks Community Fund, visit the Banks Group website to find out if your group or project is eligible.
