Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to Wembley - Squad training footage
- 10 years ago
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers marked their arrival in the UK for Sunday's NFL showpiece at Wembley Stadium by making the day of students at a south London school.
Players and cheerleaders from the Buccaneers, who face the Chicago Bears in the Pepsi Max International Series game, spent their first day in London visiting the Harris Academy in South Norwood.
More than 200 students had the opportunity to meet the Buccaneers, asking them questions about life as an NFL player or cheerleader. Then they took part in a series of football and dance drills designed to emphasise to the students the importance of health and exercise, as well as introducing some of the basic skills needed in American football.
At the conclusion of the event, the Buccaneers handed the school a cheque for £1,500 to be used for exercise equipment and fitness programmes and staged a draw for tickets for the game at Wembley. Sunday's matchup sees an important regular-season contest between the Buccaneers, who have begun the season with a 4-2 record, and the Bears, whose victory last weekend evened their record at 3-3.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "Welcoming the NFL's finest to London as part of the International Series is now a well-established annual tradition. I am particularly pleased that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have this year taken the time to reach out to some of our young people and given them an opportunity to get to grips with gridiron.
"There is already a huge following for the NFL in this city, and clubs such as the London Warriors and London Blitz are developing rapidly, but most Londoners have not yet actually donned the pads and helmet themselves. It is so important that our young people take part in sport, and events such as this, along with the long-term partnership being developed between the Buccaneers and the Harris Academy, are absolutely invaluable."
Buccaneers' first round draft pick, defensive end Adrian Clayborn said: "It's great to be here in London and to get out
Players and cheerleaders from the Buccaneers, who face the Chicago Bears in the Pepsi Max International Series game, spent their first day in London visiting the Harris Academy in South Norwood.
More than 200 students had the opportunity to meet the Buccaneers, asking them questions about life as an NFL player or cheerleader. Then they took part in a series of football and dance drills designed to emphasise to the students the importance of health and exercise, as well as introducing some of the basic skills needed in American football.
At the conclusion of the event, the Buccaneers handed the school a cheque for £1,500 to be used for exercise equipment and fitness programmes and staged a draw for tickets for the game at Wembley. Sunday's matchup sees an important regular-season contest between the Buccaneers, who have begun the season with a 4-2 record, and the Bears, whose victory last weekend evened their record at 3-3.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "Welcoming the NFL's finest to London as part of the International Series is now a well-established annual tradition. I am particularly pleased that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have this year taken the time to reach out to some of our young people and given them an opportunity to get to grips with gridiron.
"There is already a huge following for the NFL in this city, and clubs such as the London Warriors and London Blitz are developing rapidly, but most Londoners have not yet actually donned the pads and helmet themselves. It is so important that our young people take part in sport, and events such as this, along with the long-term partnership being developed between the Buccaneers and the Harris Academy, are absolutely invaluable."
Buccaneers' first round draft pick, defensive end Adrian Clayborn said: "It's great to be here in London and to get out