American football is not a sport many people know exists in the UK, and one of the key challenges that the Colchester Gladiators encounters every day is to spread the word, and introduce people to this exciting, dynamic sport, which is growing around the country. With a membership of over 50 seniors, and 30 juniors, the Gladiators are evolving and developing every year, and since reforming in 2004, they've gone from strength to strength.

• The challenge

No other American football club had attempted to tackle Clubmark, so the challenge was really to work through it step by step, construct a method for achieving the accreditation, and establish a pathway for all other Clubs around the UK to follow suit. This in turn would help to raise the profile of the sport around the country and impact every club and player from youth through to senior level.

• Key actions

Over the course of a 12 month period the Gladiators were able to call for advice from Karen Barden of Sportessex, who provided a fantastic resource for any issues we encountered with the application, and Simon Newnham, the British American Football Association Performance Director, who took a keen interest in making Clubmark applicable to American football Clubs all over the UK. Our youth programme was in the fledgling stages at that point, but Clubmark really focussed our efforts onto developing that, and turning it into a real force within the club.

• The solution

Very quickly we were able to see the benefits of a re-energised youth programme, and we were able for really formalise our management structure around the youth section. As a result of a change of practice, and a change in attitude, the youth team were able to promote themselves by making appearances at local festivals and shows, as well as handing out flyers around the town centre. The club also makes a point of visiting schools and has developed excellent contacts with local School Sports Co-ordinators. So much so, that we're being booked by schools months in advance to go in and give a display, or to conduct a PE session with the teachers. So, now the club, and the youth section in particular, is arousing interest from many different sources, and our youth programme continues to thrive, breeding up the next generation of Gladiators.

• The future

Clubmark helped to really establish a development strategy going forward, and has given the club a new lease of life, invigorating the management and allowing change and development to continue at an unprecedented pace. The profile of the Colchester Gladiators has been raised and we receive some excellent coverage from the local press, and local TV and radio, allowing the club to really build the Gladiators brand within British football. The image of American Football in the UK will continue to improve as Clubmark becomes the standard around the leagues and the Colchester Gladiators are proud to be the first club to do so and to have set the bar very high for other clubs to follow.

• Contact details

More information on the Gladiators can be found at www.colchestergladiators.com .
Anyone interested in playing, sponsoring or getting involved in the club should contact Club Chairman Dave Hogarth through the site.

For information about American Football in the UK, go to www.getintoamericanfootball.com  or for information on the British leagues www.bafl.org.uk .