Israeli football boosted by NFL greats
RAMAT HASHARON, ISRAEL Some of the greatest NFL players of all time descended on a converted soccer field outside Tel Aviv to watch local youths scrimmage in a big boost for the burgeoning sport of American football in Israel.
I love football. I love Israel.
I love America. I think kids in America would die to have this group of players come and view them.
Joe Montana, Jim Brown, Roger Staubach and Mike Singletary were among the 18 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who arrived for a weeklong visit to the Holy Land to meet some of the 2,000 active players in Israel’s various leagues and to learn about the growth of gridiron in the country.
Scores of young players, fans and officials erupted upon the arrival of the delegation, a group that included Jerome Bettis, Cris Carter, Dave Casper, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk and ‘Mean’ Joe Greene.
The mission was organized by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has been sponsoring the sport in Israel since it was launched in 1999.
“I love football. I love Israel. I love America. I think kids in America would die to have this group of players come and view them,” Kraft said. “The game of football teaches you lessons in life that nothing else does.”
While still lagging far behind soccer and basketball in popularity, football has made great strides at the grassroots level thanks to live NFL TV broadcasts and the expansion of the Israel Football League, now 10 years old. Football has resonated with native-born Israelis.
The game has really taken off in the high school league with nine teams, and it is now no longer unusual to see kids tossing the pigskin around in city parks.
High school teams along with the eight flag football leagues for men, women and youth, make up the 80 teams in Israel.
The Israeli game still has a long way to go. High school teams typically play 9-on-9 on 60-yard fields and are forced to always go for two points after a touchdown because there are no field goal posts.
The Kraft Sports Complex in Jerusalem being dedicated during the trip will include Israel’s first fullsized football field. The national team ranks 20th in the world.