The Royals appointment is a first for Britain

Peterborough Royals, the city’s new American Football team for ladies, are makinghistoryonceagain.

They have j ust announced the appointment of British American Football’s first femalehead coach.

She is Benita GrantBooker, a pioneer of the women’s game in the United States. She has been taskedwithdevelopingthe city’s first female players.

Theannouncementcoincides with the club setting a date for its inaugural training session, and Atlanta native Grant-Booker is keen to get to work.

“It’s an honour to be crowned head coach of Peterborough’s first ever women’s team,” she said.

“American Football is one of the best sports around and with the right motivation, foundation and commitment from ourplayers, the Royals will be a club to look out for in the future. We’re going to make the city proud.”

Grant-Booker started herplaying career with AtlantaLeopardsin2002and in 2006, she competed in the WorldChampionships before taking upcoaching.

Mark Kerr, the club’s head of recruitment, said: “We wanted to make a statement and hope this appointment will encourage those womenwhomay otherwise have passed to comeoutandgivethesport a try.”

The club are holding their first open try-out at Stanground Academy on Saturday September 10. Tobookaplaceorformore infromation visit www.getready.org.uk

Benita Grant-Booker.