The Tees Valley American Football Academy, whose senior team are the Cougars and play at the Easbourne Sports Complex in Darlington, were shown how to be winners by the academy's 12-14-year-olds American Flag Football team known as the Eastbourne Cardinals.

On May 17 Cardinals not only took part in the English American flag football championships, but they won it by six unbeaten games and to put the icing on the cake the Cardinals had the player of the tournament in the form of Matty Calle, who plays running back and wide receiver.

Delighted team coach, Tracy Pennock, now has to take her English champions up against the Scottish champions to see who will be the best in Great Britain.

The Cardinals have had a phenomenal season losing only two games out of 18 and the future looks good for the academy.

Meanwhile, the senior team, the Cougars, travel to Gateshead on Sunday, June 8 where they take on current North Division Two leaders, the Senators, in what can only be described as another battle, if the first meeting between these two teams is anything to go by which the Senators won 30-0.