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Draft:Santurtzi Coyotes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coyotes Santurtzi (or Coyotes de Santurce) is an American football-flag team from Santurtzi (Biscay), Spain, founded in 1998. It is the only team that plays this sport in the Basque Country and plays/trains at the Mikel Trueba Sports Center. Currently, it competes in the Spanish National American Football League 2 (LNFA2), specifically in the Aragonese Tackle League (men's division).[1][2][3]Logo de los Santurtzi Coyotes

History

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Santurtzi Coyotes was founded in 1998 in Santurtzi, Biscay, by a group of American football enthusiasts that included former Bilbao Cougars players and newcomers to the sport.[4][5]

During its early years, the club focused primarily on flag football and played exhibition games at the Zubi Alde Sports Centre in Portugalete. In May 1999, the team won a flag football tournament held in Barcelona, defeating all three of its opponents, and later competed in the Catalan Flag Football League during the 2000 season.[4]

In July 2000, the club hosted the Catalonia Select Team in an exhibition match in Santurtzi. Although the visitors won the game, the event contributed to the development of American football in the region. The following year, the Coyotes participated in competitions organised by the Catalan Federation, competed in the 1st Madrid Community Trophy and played a friendly match in Oviedo. On 14 and 15 July 2001, the club organised the inaugural Spanish Flag Football Championship in Santurtzi with the support of the Provincial Council of Biscay and the Barcelona Dragons. Fourteen teams took part in the tournament, which was broadcast by Canal Plus Sportmanía.

Team photo of Santurtzi Coyotes

After establishing its first seven-a-side tackle football team, the club began competing in leagues organised in Madrid because of the limited number of American football clubs in northern Spain. In 2003, Santurtzi won the Madrid championship and qualified for the national Final Four tournament held in Seville, where it finished as runners-up. Later that year, the team played a friendly match against the Vilafranca Eagles during the Catalan club's 15th anniversary celebrations.[6]

The Coyotes joined the inaugural LNFA 2 season in 2004, organised by the Spanish American Football Association (AEFA). Although the team did not qualify for the national final, Santurtzi was selected as the host city for the championship game. The club remained in LNFA 2 until 2010, when it adopted the eleven-a-side format and entered the top division of Spanish American football. During the same season, the Coyotes made their debut in the Copa de España against the Valencia Firebats.[4]

In 2011 and 2012, the club competed in the LNFA with a squad that combined experienced players with younger athletes. During the 2012 season, Aitor Trabado joined the coaching staff, and the club expanded its structure by introducing junior tackle football and re-establishing its flag football programme. The flag football team participated in tournaments in Oviedo and in the Spanish Flag Bowl.[7]

In 2019, Santurtzi left the National American Football League to compete in the Northern American Football League.[8][9]

Cameron jordan playing with Coyotes in 2023 trip to Santurtzi

In April 2023, NFL defensive end Cameron Jordan attended one of the club's training sessions during a visit to the Basque Country and participated in practice with the team.[10][11][12][13]

For the 2025 season, the Coyotes competed in the Aragonese conference of LNFA 2 and qualified for the league playoffs for the first time in several years. During the same year, the club organised the inaugural Santurtzi Summer Flag tournament, which featured Santurtzi Coyotes, Donosti Txipis and Rucasa Berserkers.[14]In the 2026 season, the team again qualified for the league playoffs.[4][15]

Several Santurtzi Coyotes players and members of the coaching staff have represented Spain in national team training camps and international competitions. The club is currently the only active American football team based in the province of Biscay, following the disappearance of Bilbao Cougars, Bilbao Steel Knights, Abanto Mineiros and Bilbao Akerrak.

Identity

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Coyotes helmet

The club adopted the name Coyotes in keeping with the tradition among American football teams of using animal names. Its crest depicts the head of a coyote in orange and black, colours that have been associated with the club since its foundation.[4]

The club's colours are orange, black and white. Orange is the primary colour of the home uniform, while white is mainly used for the away uniform. Black is used for helmets, trousers and uniform details.

Honours

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Throughout its history, Santurtzi Coyotes has competed in national and regional competitions in both tackle and flag football. The club's main achievements include finishing as runners-up in the Spanish Final Four in 2003, winning the Northern Junior League in 2016 and 2017, finishing as runners-up in the National Junior League in 2017, earning promotion to LNFA Serie A in 2017 and winning the Northern 7×7 League in 2019.[4]

References

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  1. ↑ "LNFA 2 | 2025-2026 - Federación Española de Fútbol Americano". Federación Española de Fútbol Americano - Página oficial de la Federación Española de Fútbol Americano (in European Spanish). 2025-12-11. Archived from the original on 2026-05-17. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  2. ↑ "Liga Masculina Tackle 24-25 – Federacion Aragonesa de Futbol Americano". fafa.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2025-12-13. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  3. ↑ "Dónde jugar - Federación Española de Fútbol Americano". Federación Española de Fútbol Americano - Página oficial de la Federación Española de Fútbol Americano (in European Spanish). 2022-10-01. Archived from the original on 2026-05-19. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Historia – Coyotes Santurtzi". coyotes-santurtzi.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2026-05-15. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  5. ↑ SL, TAI GABE DIGITALA (2017-02-03). "Coyotes de Santurtzi". naiz (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  6. ↑ OSORIO, S. (2017-02-06). "Los Coyotes de Santurtzi se rinden al espectáculo de la Superbowl". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  7. ↑ Rosa, Tamara de la (2012-02-05). "Los Coyotes aúllan de nuevo". Deia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  8. ↑ gijonmariners (2008-10-12). "HISTORIA". Gijón Mariners (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  9. ↑ OSORIO, SILVIA. "Los Coyotes de Santurtzi suben de escalón". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  10. ↑ "Cameron Jordan photo in X(Twitter)". X (formerly Twitter). 2023-04-15. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  11. ↑ Mundo NFL (2023-10-19). Cam Jordan y su viaje al País Vasco | Going Global NFL. Retrieved 2026-07-28 – via YouTube.
  12. ↑ García, Mikel (2023-04-15). "Una estrella de la NFL sorprende a los Coyotes de Santurtzi". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  13. ↑ "video-santurtzi". El Correo (in Spanish). 2023-04-15. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  14. ↑ "RESUMEN DE LA TEMPORADA 25-26 – Coyotes Santurtzi". coyotes-santurtzi.com (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2026-05-15. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
  15. ↑ Clupik. "Playoff 25/26 ya definidos". Federación Aragonesa de Fútbol Americano (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-07-29.

Other references

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Team web page

FAFA Coyotes Category:American football teams in spain Category:Basque-American history Category:Flag football teams Category:Spanish-American culture Category:Coyotes

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