Salford Scorpions looking for the next generation of players thanks to Salix Homes

We caught up Salford Scorpions to see what they’ve been up to since being crowned the winners of Springboard Heroes 2020…

Salford Scorpions is an Ordsall-based flag football team that offers free weekly training to local people. They were chosen by the public to win a £1000 cash boost in our Springboard Heroes Awards 2020.

A record-breaking 1,058votes were cast in the awards, with each of the runners-up, The Lowry Centre Trust, Up ere productions and The Veterans Garage receiving £100.

We visited the Salford Scorpions during one of their training sessions to find out how they’ve been able to use their prize money.

Assistant head coach Adam Carroll-Armstrong said: “We had hoped to have been able to start a cadet team last autumn, but due to the government restrictions, we had to pause those plans until we were able to safely start playing again.

“I am very pleased to be able to say, we will be kicking off our cadet team on 22 September at Ordsall Leisure Centre. We’ll be able to offer spaces to 60 local kids, with both a younger and older team.

“The teams will be mixed, so we’re inviting everyone between the ages of 8-16 to come down and give it a go. We’re hoping the younger generation will fall in love with this sport and help spread its popularity across the country.

“We’re also looking to start the women’s team in September, so it’s a very exciting time for the Salford Scorpions.”

Flag football is a non-contact and fast-growing version of American football. Instead of tackling their opponent, the defensive team must instead remove a flag from the belt of the ball carrier.  

Sian Grant, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said: “Sport and recreational activities are so important for our communities, as they not only help to improve fitness and wellbeing, but are also a great way to build friendships and team-spirit.

“We’re really pleased that the Salford Scorpions will be able to offer more young people across Salford the chance to learn a new sport and be part of a team, thanks to our Springboard grant programme.”

Voting is now open for this year’s Springboard Heroes Awards. More than 1,000 votes have already been cast and it’s a close call between the four finalists:

• Salford Litter Heroes
• Bridgewater Residents Association
• Salford Pride: Pink Picnic Digital
• Buile Hill Mansion Association

Adam says winning the Springboard Heroes has made a huge difference to their club and is urging people to cast their votes for this year’s finalists.

He added: “We’re still so grateful to everyone who voted for us. We’ve been able to use the prize money to pay for equipment and pitch hire, which means that we still won’t charge any costs for new players.

“We’re very passionate about keeping the game accessible to everyone, so we’re so glad we’ve been able to do this thanks to the support from Salix Homes.”

If you’re interested in joining the Salford Scorpions cadet or women’s teams, get in touch via their Twitter, Facebookand Instagram pages

Vote for your Springboard Hero here: https://bit.ly/2WeSfh0