Talented Grangemouth duo selected to represent Scotland's Flag Football squad at international tournament

Robbie Connell (15) and Magnus Cooper (14) will join 22 other players from across Scotland to form two squads that will tackle the Bear Bowl tournament.

They were chosen from almost 70 players at trials held recently at Ravenscraig Sports Centre, Motherwell.

And Linlithgow Academy pupil Connell said: “The selection day team was a great experience. It was a long and intense day, but it was great to get to work with players from other teams and to learn from some of the best coaches in the country. Being selected to join the team is a real honour.”

Club-mate Cooper, of Falkirk High, added: “I haven’t been playing flag football for too long, but it’s a great sport which I really enjoy. I’ve really learned a lot over the past year, and I’m already looking forward to joining up with the rest of the squad for the trip to the Bear Bowl in July.”

The pair are currently part of Grangemouth’s colts side, with the flag football outfit also boasting four popular senior-level teams.

“We’ve delighted by the progress that our colts have made over the past year, and we are extremely proud of Magnus and Robbie for their selection,” club chair Jimmy Thomson said. “All of our players have worked very hard to improve their game over the past year, so it’s great to see two of our own getting this recognition and earning their places in the national squad.”

Flag football fact file

Flag football is a 5-on-5 version of American Football, and is non-contact. All players wear a belt with two flags attached, and tackles are made by grabbing an opposing ball-carrier’s flag from their belt.

The emphasis is on skill and athleticism rather than size or strength, allowing people of all ages and levels of ability to get involved.

Unusually, many Flag Football teams are mixed with boys and girls, women and men, all playing together in the same teams.

Flag Football is a rapidly growing sport played in many countries across the world, and is set to become an Olympic event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, providing players of all ages the ultimate goal of representing their country at the greatest multi-sports event in the world.

Grangemouth’s colts juniors train on Monday night’s from 6.45pm to 8.15pm, with additional training sessions on weekends during the summer. Games are usually played on Sundays at venues across the country.

The colts are looking to expand their squad, and are always keen to welcome new young players to the sport.

No experience or equipment is required, and boys and girls of all ages are welcome to come along to training to try Flag Football for themselves.

Further information is available at www.facebook.com/grangemouthflagfootball or by emailing [email protected]