UKRAINE-CRISIS/USA-FOOTBALL US military instructors play American football with Lviv amateur team

Record ID: 149784

  • Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/USA-FOOTBALL US military instructors play American football with Lviv amateur team
  • Date: 28th May 2015
  • Summary: LVIV, UKRAINE (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN CENTRAL LVIV STATUE OF UKRAINIAN DUKE DANYLO HALYTSKY TEAM OF U.S. ARMY 173 AIRBORNE BRIGADE SERVICEMEN RUNNING TO FOOTBALL FIELD VARIOUS OF CHEERLEADERS CHANTING (Ukrainian) "LIONS" (NAME OF UKRAINIAN TEAM) UKRAINIAN TEAM "LIONS" RUNNING TO FOOTBALL FIELD
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7CJG8BD0TM1T0ANYXDF08A30D
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. Army 173 Airborne Brigade which trains Ukrainian National Guard in western Ukraine played American football with Lviv's "Lions" The idea came from the Americans who called their team "Sky Soldiers".
    The match took place on Lviv stadium "Youth".
    Traditional American football is not popular in Ukraine so only few people know the rules and play the game. Lviv's "Lions" team is three-years- old and is trained by an American.
    In Lviv the teams played light, contactless version of American football - the so-called flag football, when players do not wear protective gear. This way of playing is less traumatic.
    Despite loud and active support from fans and cheerleaders "Lions" lost 40 to 22.
    "They played excellent today. It was really a pleasure to see them out there playing with us. It's great to have the military out here playing against Lviv's "Lions". This is just an example of partnership and community relations. We really love doing it, we enjoy here in Lviv training with Ukrainian National Guard," said Steven Modugno, captain with the U.S. 173d airborne brigade and the match referee.
    "I like it because it is very dynamic. It is team game, so the single person cannot win the game. It's only maybe the team and I also like hitting," said Lion player Viktor Yanchak.
    American players are US paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade who arrived in Western Ukraine in April to carry out long-planned training for members of the Ukrainian national guard at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center at Yavoriv, near the Polish border.
    The initial training involves 300 guardsmen and up to 900 are expected to be trained over six months, the Pentagon said. The focus was weapons handling, first aid, casualty evacuation and other small unit activity.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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