Donegal American football team complete tryouts for 2017 season

The Donegal Derry Vipers have just completed there tryouts for the 2017 season, attracting a large crop of rookies from both Donegal, Derry and the surrounding areas, looking to pad up for the boys in Red and Gold. Frieda Gallagher the Secretary of the Vipers had this to say “we had a great turnout in both locations, 30 Rookies trying out at the YMCA Drumahoe and 25 at Aura Leisure Center, Letterkenny. I had the job of keeping track of the tryout times and results from the 40 metre dash, the T test and broad jump and I have to say there was some really great times recorded. I want to thank everyone who turned up for the tryouts and gave it there all, especially with the weather conditions as bad as they were. We had guys travelling from as far away as Gweedore and Dungiven for the Letterkenny tryouts and that really shows hunger to make the team and does not go unnoticed. The coaches will now look over the times and the video footage from the 2 tryouts and make a decision on who will be selected for the 2017 panel. Head coach of the Vipers Jason Brock was extremely impressed with what he saw. “Over the last 2 weeks I have seen pace, power and excellent ability in the athletes that came to the tryouts. We tested a couple of the guys on running routes and catching, I gotta say, I’ve seen some match winners amongst the Rookies. We still have to put them in pads and protective gear to test there tackling ability and see how they perform in game scenarios, but without a shadow of doubt, we will be even stronger this year. The Vipers will now be training over the Christmas period and throughout January to get the Rookies and current squad ready for the IAFL1 this coming season where they will face established teams such as the Cork Admirals, Belfast Trojans, Tyrone Titans, South Kildare Soldiers, The Meath Bulldogs, The West Dublin Rhinos and the Waterford Wolves. “We are going to give this season everything, it will be hard and we will have to adjust our tactics and game-play due to the improved standard in this league. Our medium term goal over the next 2-3 years is to win promotion to the Shamrock Bowl Conference, that’s the top flight in Ireland, I believe in my team and we will achieve our goal through hard work and small bit of luck.