South East Legion under-19s gave coaches Ray Allen and Lee Parsons the perfect send-off by ending the American football season as Division 2 national champions.
The Legion, with Allen and Parsons standing down, beat North East Academy Giants 25-9 in the semi-finals and South Wales Warriors 10-6 in the final on a day to remember in Stafford.
South East Legion under-19s celebrate their national title success Picture: Gillett Media
There was no better way for the pair to finish as the Maidstone-based Legion, having already won the South East Division title with an 8-0 record, added national glory.
“It’s the best outcome I could have imagined. I couldn’t end on a higher note,” said Parsons.
“For me and Ray, it’s what we’ve been building to since we took over Legion as a coaching team three years ago.
“It’s the perfect ending to that story and it’s the right time to go.
“It’s still going to be a strong, competitive programme next year, whoever takes it over.”
Parsons was a founding member and former chairman of Kent Phoenix Youth American Football Club, from which the South East Legion has grown.
He needs a break from the sport after a busy 10 years, while head coach Allen, who joined from the East Kent Mavericks, where he ran the youth programme, is stepping away after moving to Essex.
South East Legion U19s completed a perfect season with their national title success. Picture: Gillett Media
The countdown was on as they prepared to say their goodbyes.
“It was hard,” said Parsons. “Ray’s not been there quite as long as I have but we’ve still been doing it for a long time.
“We’ve built up such a relationship with the club and the players.
“All that’s left now is the end-of-season awards and we can leave with our heads held high, knowing we’ve done something good for the kids of Kent and left a legacy where hopefully they go from strength to strength.
“It’s like a full-time job, to be honest. We both need a bit of a rest.”
The Legion were comfortable winners against the North East Academy Giants, who arrived as North Division champions, pulling clear in the second half.
They established an 8-0 half-time lead over South Wales Warriors - the South West Division champions - in the final and completed the win after shutting down their opponents’ dangerman.
The South East Legion coaching team. Picture: Gillett Media
“It was a nail-biting one,” said Parsons after the Legion’s 10-6 victory. “You’re on the edge of your seat because you just know that one play can change it.
“Their quarterback was giving us all sorts of problems and we had to work out how to shut him down.
“To Ray’s credit, and our defence, they worked out how to stop him and once they did that, he didn’t make a yard.”
Parsons would like to thank game-day manager Julie Appleby, head coach Allen, David Green, Martin Apps, Emily Coultrip, Lisa Parsons, Steve Watt and Caroline Watt for all their work.
“They all do so much to help the team and take the pressure off, so the players just have to worry about playing,” he said.
Roster: Sadiq Abubakar, Moawia Ali, Sam Appleby, Wais Arafat, Eathan Birch, Ronnie Boon, Kris Cirss, Nicholas Coultrip, Cass Doyle-Farrell, Henry Froud, Douglas Gates, Nathanael Green, Josiah Green, James Harrington-Davies, Harvey Hughes, Solomon Irving, Jet Kandza, Luan Kapllani, Jaydan Kemal, Harrison Loft, Daniel Mackey, Tye Martin, Luke Massett, Dylan Mitchell, Adam Parsons, Harvey Pope, Charles Roberts, Lucas Sinden, Samuel Smith, Zach Turley, Thomas Upham-Sharpe, Ben Watson, Riley Watt, Mark Wheeler, Henry Williams, Oliver Zarembski. Coaches: Ray Allen, Lee Parsons, David Green, Len Button, Lucas Apps, Mark Irving, Steve Watt, Jake Horne. Medic/game-day manager: Julie Appleby.