Kick-Start is a new BAFA initiative to fast-track the growth of Youth (U17) American Football teams competing in BAFA Community League competition by providing the loan of playing equipment to start-up programmes. BAFA had already announced a commitment to investing £10,000 in the programme for 2011.

IFAF (the International Federation of American Football) has confirmed it will support the Kick-Start programme with an award of $10,000 from the IFAF Education and Development Programme Fund in 2011. Additionally, at the recent Community Leagues Pre-season meeting, the attending teams voted to support the Kick-Start initiative by contributing a further £5,000 from league revenue.

The application form and guidance documents can be found in the download section of the site. Please note the deadline for submissions is 10th April 2011.

BAFA Director, Jim Messenger, said; 'We are delighted to request applications from interested parties. We are probably able to support the start-up of seven or eight teams in 2011, which will be fantastic, though we suspect the demand for support may be much higher. If that is the case, it will mean some applicants being disappointed, but it will demonstrate the demand for further investment.’