Holland College Hurricanes join American football association

Charlottetown  – The Holland College Hurricanes Football Club announced today that the team will be joining the U.S. college-based National Club Football Association (NCFA) for the 2013 season. The Hurricanes will continue to be members of the Atlantic Football League, and will play the full AFL schedule of six regular season games and playoff games before making their NCFA debut in the U.S. in November. Details of the NCFA game will be released at a later date.

The NCFA includes collegiate club teams from across the United States organized into five conferences, plus independents. Holland College will compete as an independent.  NCFA club teams include such familiar names as the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and The Ohio State University Buckeyes. Closer to home, both the University of Maine and the University of Vermont field NCFA teams. Vermont has been one of the top-ranked programs in the nation for the past two seasons.

The Hurricanes’ AFL games will count toward the team’s NCFA season record, and the team will be eligible for national rankings, which will determine bids to the national championship game in Salem, Virginia. For NCFA-sanctioned games played in the U.S., the ‘Canes will adapt to American football rules.

In welcoming the Hurricanes, Chris Girardi, Mid-Atlantic Conference Coordinator and Director of Football Team Development for the NCFA welcomed the Hurricanes whole-heartedly.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Holland on board as our first international team. We have wanted to make them a part of the NCFA ever since we heard about them! All of the teams around the country are excited and eager to see what they can do. I have no doubt that they will not only thrive in the league, but become a national contender as well,” he said.

Hurricanes team President Mike O’Grady said that the club is excited.

“As we enter our fourth season of play, we are taking on the huge challenge of recapturing the AFL championship and testing ourselves against some very serious competition south of the border. We are keen to see how we measure up on both fronts. It’s going to be an exciting year for our team and our fans and boosters. We just can’t wait to get things fired up!”

The team will hold a spring evaluation camp this Saturday, May 18, at the Terry Fox Sports Complex from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. All 2013 prospects and returning players from 2012 are strongly encouraged to attend. There is no registration fee. The camp is open to current high school football players and any other eligible prospects. AFL rules require that players must be at least 18 and no older than 24 as of December 31, 2013. For more information about the camp, visit facebook.com/HCFootball.   To learn more about the NCFA, visit  www.ncfafootball.org.

 

 

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