Spain

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC0000" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="3fa285a1dvldby.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Aussie Rules Global Invasion</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aussie Rules Global Invasion"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canada"><U>Canada</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Denmark"><U>Denmark</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Germany"><U>Germany</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great Britain"><U>Great Britain</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ireland"><U>Ireland</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Japan"><U>Japan</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nauru"><U>Nauru</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Zealand"><U>New Zealand</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PNG"><U>PNG</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Samoa"><U>Samoa</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="South Africa"><U>South Africa</U></A>   |   <B>Spain</B>   |   <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sweden"><U>Sweden</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="USA"><U>USA</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=9.375% BGCOLOR="#000099" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="3f9d4fe0erkqpg.png"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFCC33" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Spain</I></div> <div> <I><B><U> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="324" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 122 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="206a0740.png" border=0 width="160" height="116" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spain"><U><B>Home Page</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spain"><U><B>International Results</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spain"><U><B>Photo Gallery</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></U></B></I></div> <div> <I><B><U> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="704" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#CC0000 HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="698"><div> <B>A Brief history of Aussie Rules in Spain</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 523 WIDTH="698"><div> Until 1996, it is fair to say that Australian Football was completely unknown in Spain. Without the AFL website to keep us up to date, those of us that had grown up with the sport and played since we were kids, were sadly out of touch and only able to "have a kick" every now and then at the park.</div> <div> Then, in 1996 the Australian Embassy in Madrid received a call from a representative from a Spanish Television Network (Teledeporte), looking for someone with knowledge of the sport as commentator for a match of the week programme. Given my contacts with the Embassy, I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the job and Teledeporte ran the programme for one full season on Spanish TV. Due to its success, the following year saw interest from a private network (Canal +) and a contract was signed for two weekly matches and a highlights programme.</div> <div> Although Canal+ is a subscriber network, over the last 6 years, our programme has generated enormous interest all over the country. Without doubt Aussie Rules is one of the fastest and most spectacular sports in the world and it is slowly becoming a minority "alternative" to king soccer.</div> <div> However, we were still "having a kick at the park". There had been a lot of talk but no real attempt to start a club.</div> <div> As part of an Australian social group called GUDONYA, one of our annual events is a semi-live AFL Grand Final showing and party. The 2002 Grand Final Day proved to be a milestone. Five minutes before the match, the door opened and in walked a guy fully decked out in the Brisbane Lions gear (official jumper, shorts, socks and boots). As you can imagine, in Spain we didn't often get to see such sights and, to say the least, were quite impressed. His name was Andrew Nielsen. Just arrived in Madrid to study a Masters Degree and, strangely enough, a staunch Adelaide Crows supporter. The party was a great success and, as a result of Andrew's energy and contacts with the International Federation, we finally got down to business about setting up a Club.</div> <div> The Madrid Australian Rules Football Club (nicknamed the "Bears" in honour of the Madrid traditional mascot) was officially incorporated on March 26th 2003. We currently have 37 players and a member database now close to 400, however numbers are increasing every week. Our official home ground is just outside Madrid in Alcorcón and we have a stadium with seating capacity for 3000 people. Unfortunately, the field is the size of a soccer field, so we have to eliminate the pockets and play with 14. Goalposts are made of aluminium and we are expecting our red and white jumpers, shorts and socks within the next few weeks.</div> <div> Andrew Nielsen has also been busy organising the first International Championship ever staged in Spain. The CEAFL competition was held in 2003 with Spain, Germany and England competiting and in a great achievement Spain defeated Germany in the final.</div> <div> In Spain, people are genuinely interested in Australia and Australians. We trust that our new initiative will be no exception. With continued coverage of the AFL on Canal + and support from the Australian Embassy and the IAFC, who knows, we may even be able to send some new talent to the AFL from Spain.</div> <div> By Jeff Callow and edited by Mark Conyers</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></U></B></I></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>