The U13 Flag Football team at St. Marnock’s National School enjoyed a day to remember this week after a surprise visit from Irish NFL kicker Charlie Smyth, currently with the New Orleans Saints.
The Portmarnock school is fast becoming a standard-bearer for the growth of flag football in Ireland, with its U13 side set to become the third Irish school team to compete at an NFL Flag International Event. The visit from Smyth provided an extra boost to pupils who are already benefiting from the rapid expansion of the sport at the grassroots level.
The growth of flag football has been one of the most tangible legacies of the NFL game staged in Ireland last September. Participation has now grown to more than 4,500 players across 60 schools nationwide, with St. Marnock’s among those leading the way in integrating the sport into school life.
Teachers and pupils at the school welcomed the opportunity for students to meet an Irish athlete competing at the highest level of American sport, with Smyth taking time to speak with the team and encourage them as they prepare for international competition.
For viewers keen to follow the upcoming NFL action, the AFC Championship game on Sunday, January 25, will be shown free-to-air on Virgin Media 2, with coverage also available to Sky customers on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports NFL. Super Bowl LX will be broadcast free-to-air on Virgin Media One from 10.30 pm on February 8, while viewers in Northern Ireland can watch free-to-air on Channel 5, with Sky Sports also providing coverage.
Image Credit: NFL and Sportsfile
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