Slovene American Football Association
| Formation | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Type | American football |
| Headquarters | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
Official language | Slovene |
| Website | zans.si/ |
The Slovene American Football Association (Slovene: Zveza za ameriški nogomet Slovenije) is the governing body of the sport of American football in Slovenia. Formed in 2009, the federation oversees the Slovene League, the Slovene Bowl and the national selections.
History
American Football in Slovenia began developing in 2002 with the first Slovenian team being formed, the Ljubljana Silverhawks. Since then, 6 other tackle teams were formed in different regions of Slovenia, developing gridiron football on a national level. The top 3 teams are also competing in international leagues, the CEFL and the AAFL. Besides that, the national championship is organized in 2 leagues, giving opportunities also to new teams and JV programs.
Also several flag football programs have developed all over the country, bringing football closer to the youth and women. Slovenia, despite being one of the smallest nations in Europe with only 2 million inhabitants, has great all around athletes and therefore a great opportunity to compete on an international level. There is a big interest in playing football in Slovenia, but the teams are having difficulties financing and getting equipment for new players. Therefore the Slovenian American Football Association is trying to bring in football equipment, which would bring football closer to a wider audience.
The League
ZANS organizes the Slovenian Football League, the highest level of gridiron football in Slovenia. The league is known for the rivalry between the Ljubljana Silverhawks and the Maribor Generals.