History of the entire Raiders Football Program

1992 – In the beginning there was simply the desire to play.

On the 15th of September 1992, the birthday of the Raiders, a group of “greenhorns” met for the first time (Not just in the athletic sense, but more so in a media, marketing, and overall organisational sense.) After months of preparations, Gerwinn Wichmann, along with the help of Ines Wichmann, Antony Kurz, Lair Berhard und Andreas Bachlechner, founded an American Football Team. The Raiders owed this joyous occasion a debt of gratitude due to a a swift but efficiently gathered initial financial basis. With a handshake a 10 year long relationship with LIV!NG RESTAURANTS was sealed, and from this came the name AFC Papa Joe’s Raiders West. From this point on every individual wanted to ensure that the team would be no “flash in the pan.” What the “greenhorns” were lacking in experience, they made up for with a “never say die” attitude and tireless enthusiasm. 

1993 – Starting like a Rocket

Very quickly the successes began to pile up, which seemed hard to believe even for the founding members of the team. The entire first season was a huge success. In the third division the team did not experience a single loss having won all their games by a combined 158-11 tally. In the same year the Raiders were named “New Comer Team of the Year 1993.” With this success the Raiders were given the opportunity to ascend into the second division.

Das erste Team der Raiders

v.l.n.r: [liegend] Hepperger Christian #49, Farbmacher Gerhard #70, Themessl Markus #34, Augeri J.P. #56 v.l.n.r: [kniend] Bauer Thomas #60, Miculic Mario #45, Bitschi Norbert # 82, Purin Gerhard #68, Pesserer Marko #98, Palz Stefan #27, Dieplinger Daniel #12, Torggler Michael # 50, Steger Manfred #10 v.l.n.r: [stehend] Kurz Antony Präsident), Schöpf Thomas #84, Pröller Christian #55, Steindl Harald #88, Scheit Stefan #20, Wichmann Gerwin #79, Parth Marko #78, Wolsfeld Max # 65, Fröhlich Wolfgang # 69, Juen Emanuel #66, Mumelter Jürgen # 30, Kranebitter Künther #33, Kuen Martin #58, Bell David (Assistant-Coach), Lair Bernhard (Headcoach)

1994-1995 – Learning isn’t always a bed of roses

In the following two years (’94 and ’95) we had to painfully accept just how hard life and the game of American Football can be. In fact, during this two year time frame, we were only able to win 2 out of a total of 16 games. In 1994 the “Raiders Roses” were founded as the Raiders Cheerleaders. Also in this year the very first youth team (the Junior team) was christened, who in ’95 happened to achieve a second place finish in the Junior Championship. These years were without doubt a bitter time in which we learned a lot. From this difficult time though, the attitude and the fighter’s spirit of the Raiders was crystallized. The motto of “That which does not kill me, only makes me stronger” was embodied and it was clear that no one was thinking about giving up. No, we had not yet begun to fight! 

Der erste Nachwuchs der Raiders - Jänner 1995

v.l.n.r: [sitzend] Baldauf Thomas, Kornmüller Lukas, Seirer Florian, Schwitzer Oliver, Birkfellner Bernhard, Kiyohito Yamamoto, Matthias Praxmarer, Biedner Rudolf, Graf Michael, Kuen Martin v.l.n.r: [stehend] Grünwalder Markus, Palz Stefan (Assistant-Coach), Alfreider Ingo, Becker Stefan, Hüttenberger Markus, Pröller Andreas, Scheit Jürgen, Dieplinger Benjamin, Moisi Martin, Graf Rudolf (Nachwuchsreferent), Wichmann Gerwin (Nachwuchs-Coach)

1996 - When the rain clears the sun comes out

In 1996 the Juniors reached only a third place finish, but it was this group that really allowed the fighter’s spirit of the First Team to sink into their team attitude. And with this the chaotic start of the founding years disappeared, and in its place a solid and unceasing attack, especially in the case of the defence. The results: 6 wins, 0 loses and a combined scoring tally of 185 – 70. The semi final game was lost to a completely underestimated underdog team of the Amstetten Thunderbolts. At the Tivoli Stadium the final score was a miserable 22-0. Well, you have to learn to roll with the punches, and we got the message… 

1997 – Tears, sweat, and acceptance

Before the ’97 season no one would have thought that the Salzburg Bulls and the Raiders would completely dominate the second division. The Raiders gave everything, but very clearly lost two times to the Bulls during the regular season. The conclusion to the semi final game, on the other hand, is best described, most specifically, as criminal. It would have been for the Second Division Championship and it was without doubt the most excited minutes of the then still young Raiders. Overtime! The Raiders lead by 7 points and it was a 4th and long for the Bulls. Passplay, the ball was batted away and we thought we had knocked off the Bulls…oh, no!…Flag…Pass Interference! The Bulls ended up evening the score and went on to win the game. And with the result of this game, it meant that the Bulls were atop the second division and would be Champs thereof. As a silver lining to the incredible effort displayed in that season though, 8 players were named to the Austrian National Team. The youth program surpassed all expectations for the year. The Junior team won the Austrian Junior Cup. Also new teams were added to that of the youth program: The Students (u. 13 Yrs.), the Youth (u. 16 Yrs.), and the Juniors (u. 19Yrs.).

1998 - The Raiders are first class

Through the ascension into the First Division and the incredible efforts of the previous year, the Raiders were now playing in the highest Football League in Austria. Remembering very distinctly the first season in the second division, with the idea in mind that we didn’t want merely to survive, the Raiders made a very simple goal for the ’98 season. This goal was simply not to finish last. But, not to worry, a last place finish was not to be! A change in the coaching concept was carried out in that the Raiders requested that Quinton Roland become the Head Coach. Having just freshly climbed into the First Division, we completed a solid season and finished as the 7th of an 8 team division. In regards to the youth program, it was full steam ahead. The Juniors again won the Austrian Junior Cup, and the Students and Youth teams both placed at season’s end in the middle of the pack.

1999 – For the first time reinforcements from the USA

In this year the Raiders left behind our iron clad ways. The meaning here is that they would no longer continue to play without the help from any professional players. The reason for this was two fold. We wanted to learn from the pros, but of course we also wanted to climb to the peak of our division. Marcus Cameron from New York was brought over as a guest player. The results of this decision were outcomes against other first leaguers that were very close. A few of the tangibles coming from this season were a completion of the season in the middle of the pack, but also a noticeable increase in the effort put forth by Raiders players. This was most notable in regards to improved technique and a broader understanding of the game itself. As of this year the Youth Program made a step forward by playing now without the help of players coming from other teams in the area. All of the Youth teams placed somewhere in the middle of the standings. In the fall of that year a Junior cheerleading squad was founded. 

2000 Many innovations and a Championship Title

At the beginning of the season the program’s name of “Papa Joe’s Raiders West” was changed to “Papa Joe’s Tyrolean Raiders”. And the same went for the cheerleaders, now going by the name of “Tyrolean Raiderettes” instead of the original “Raiders Roses.” The best season to date was rung in by a victory over the defending champion Graz Giants. The quick climb to the top of the Austrian League was a result of several factors. The Raiders tipped their hats to the efforts from a handful of guest players from the USA, but also to the hard work from the members of the entire Raiders Football Program. In the regular season 7 times out of 8 the Raiders left the field victoriously. The only loss was to the Chrysler Vikings Vienne. The Playoff game against the Cowboys from Klagenfurt was little contest and for the first time the Raiders found themselves in the Austrian Bowl. Due to the loss the Vikings handed the Raiders earlier in the season, the Raiders stood clearly as outsiders and enormous underdogs in this game. Yet the Raiders had done their homework! After an unexpected 14-0 lead for the Raiders and an exciting to the finish game, the Vikings won a very close 34-28 game and thus Austrian Bowl XVI. The chance at revenge though was but a few months away. In the Fall, the Raiders and the Vikings stood pitted against each other once more on the field. This time however it came in the form of the Youth League Championship games. All three games featured the Raiders vs. the Vikings. Two of the three Championship went to Tirol (the Students and the Youth), and the Junior Championship went to the Vikings.

The first Student Bowl Champions - November 2000

Students Team

2001 – the Euro Bowl

The Raiderettes capture their first championship in the category of dance. In cheering they won second place and the Raiderette Juniors did a fine job gaining 3rd place. Within the course of the season the Raiders played in the highest level of amateur play in Europe. It wasn’t until the end of the regular season and further onto the quarter finals that the Raiders were playing their best football. With a victory in the Papa Joes Cup and excellent play against an American College team the Raiders wrapped up the regular season. Austrian Bowl XVII is and remains to be an entity of its own self. All in all 2001 was a very educational season. The crowning achievement would be that again of the Youth Program where the Students won a championship.

2002 – 10 Years of the Raiders

The Raiderettes brought home again the Championship in the category of dance. In cheering they were again 2nd place and the Raiderette Juniors were once more 3rd place. With these successes they underscored their consistent and ever improving form, with these successes serving as a reward for their unwavering efforts and realizing that their diligence is worth it. For the Raiders First Team, however it was actually an incredibly dramatic season! In the past the Raiders had always been rather lucky when it came to injuries, but this year they had an unbelievable amount of players who went down. At one point during the season there were up to 12 starters injured. This being the case, a 10th place finish in the Euro Bowl and a 3rd place finish in the Austrian Championship wasn’t all that bad. The distinction the players received during Austrian Bowl XVIII speaks for itself. The reason that the season didn’t end up in absolute chaos was due to the incredible input from several Junior players on one hand, and on the other, the efforts by head coach Carlos Barocio helped carry the Raiders though this tumultuous season. In regards to the Youth players, the Juniors and the Minis were unbeatable. For two years the Minis were simply the whipping child of the league, this year however, they were the true champions. In the last game of the year the Junior team danced toe to toe with the Vikings and hung in there to the bitter end where they were narrowly edged by the Vikings.

2003 – Onward into the new decade of Raider Football!

In 2003 the Raiderettes won the title for the third time in a row after a grandiose performance. The Seniors and Juniors won the championship for dance and the Juniors accomplished a 4th place finish in cheering. Noteworthy is the fact that the total number of energizing cheerleaders had grown to over 60! In the fall the first Pee Wee Cheerleader team in Tirol was founded. The youngest of which were between the ages of 7 and 11. The ultimate goal of the Raiders First Team, which of course is to be crowned the Austrian Bowl champions, remained for yet another season unaccomplished. Although in the EFAF-Cup they didn’t just manage to play exceptionally well, they carried this out in front of a home town crowd. Sadly though, the Carlstad Crusaders left the field as the victorious team under a tremendous down pour of rain. After realizing certain aspects of the Raiders Program that were missing, it was once again time for change. Still down trodden from the disappointing end to the season and decimated by a total of 20 players hanging it up, at the immediate conclusion of the season a new course was set for the future: A Second Raiders team was formed as well as a new philosophy in coaching and in practicing/preparation. Also in the Youth Program it just seemed like it just wasn’t the year for the Raiders. Even though all the youth teams mixed it up with the front of the league, there were to be no titles this year.

2004 – Ascension to the peak!!

Again the Raiderettes were the champs of dance and the only thing missing was a championship for cheering. The Juniors were also champs of dance as the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree! It was actually supposed to be a year for reconstruction and rebuilding for the First Team, when something happened, something that eclipsed the hopes of even the boldest of optimists. Geoff Buffum returned to Innsbruck as head coach, and due to an early season injury, overtook the role of QB also. The Raiders stormed through the regular season with only a single loss against them. Success also followed in the EFAF-Cup with easy victories over the Stockholm Mean Machines and the London O’s. On June 25, 2004, the Raiders won their 1st ever championship, defeating the PA Knights of England 45-0 in front of over 4,500 fans to win the EFAF Cup title. The next week, the Raiders defeated the Graz Giants (score?) to return to the Austrian Bowl for the 1st time since 2001. The game was played at a neutral site, Sitzenheim Stadion in Salzburg with temperatures over 40 degrees! The Raiders scored a major upset 28-20 over the EuroBowl champion Vienna Vikings to win their first Austrian Bowl title! The youth program grew steadily with consistent improvement, but in regards to a championship this year wasn’t to be the time.

Die ersten Österreichischen Staatsmeister der Raiders - 17.07.2004 in Salzburg

v.l.n.r: [liegend] Buffum Richard (Assistant Coach), Grein Florian, Hoheneder Andreas, Hatzl Robin, Schnellrieder Josef v.l.n.r: [knieend] Burns Graeme, Alfreider Daniel, Pizzolo Charles, Eitzenberger Markus, Hörtnagl Bernhard, Smith Wade (Assistant Coach), Süß Robert, Sailer Christian, v.l.n.r. [stehend 1.] Sudati Daniele, Buffum Geoffrey (Head Coach), Binna Oliver, Oliveira Alexander, Trconic Andreas, Ballard Benjamin, Eitzenberger Thomas, Werner Stefan, Pircher Claudia (Teammanagerin), Gheri Claudia (Physiotherapeutin) v.l.n.r. [stehend 2.] Rieder Josef, Steirer Christoph, Kruder Michael, David Aaron, Hansen David (Defense Coordinator), Becker Stefan, Dieplinger Jakob, Süß Michael, Skradski Viktor, Wanker Andreas (Präsident), Wichmann Gerwin (Vizepräsident) v.l.n.r. [stehend 3.] Goller Harald, Seirer Florian, Steirer Mario, Ganarin Franz, Erhart Christian, Schneider Thomas, v.l.n.r. [stehend 4.] Rosier Christopher, Dieplinger Benjamin

2005 – No chance for repeat

After four championships in a row, the Raiderette Seniors, in the category of dance, had to give up there position on top! Their second place finish was put into perspective somewhat as the Raiderettes for the first time were the champions in the category of Cheer! Another highlight from this year was the Raiderette Juniors Silver medal in the category of dance. The Raiders entered the season with high hopes, coming off their 1st championship season, they set their sights higher as they moved up into EuroBowl competition. After a 20(!)-hour bus ride to Barcelona Spain, the Raiders won their 1st EuroBowl game in 4 years and also defeated the Badalona Drags in the return game in Tivoli. This season, the Raiders would only lose to 1 team, but the revenge-minded Vienna Vikings would knock them off 4 times in one season. It was the Vikings who ended the Raiders EuroBowl hopes in the semifinals and also won in Austrian Bowl XXI. Very clear progress was made in this year for the youth program. With increasing participation and excitement it’s easy to see improvement, but the time was for a championship for the Raiders lay still in the future. At the end of the season the program’s name of “Papa Joe’s Tyrolean Raiders” was changed to “SWARCO RAIDERS Tirol”. And with this change yet another era has begun.

2006 - A wild ride to the top!

After 7 exceptionally successful years (6 x Gold, 7 x Silver und 2 x Bronze) a phase of restructuring was also taking place with the Raiderettes. A mere two teams appeared at the Cheerleading championships. Not to down play some success however, the Raiderette Seniors won a silver medal in Cheering and a bronze metal for the Peewees. The Raiders began the 2006 season determined to regain the Austrian Championship, and embarked on the most tumultuous season in club history. Two American players left the team within a week of arriving in Innsbruck, and the Raiders started the season 0-2. The Raiders travelled to the 2-time EuroBowl champion Braunschweig Lions in the 1st round of the EuroBowl and surprised everyone by leading most of the game before falling 21-12. Two weeks later, in the return game in Innsbruck, the Raiders shocked all of Europe by dominating the Lions with a 40-13 victory. The EuroBowl dreams were shattered a month later, when the Paris Flash scored 3 touchdowns off 3 Raiders turnovers in less than 6 minutes en route to a 27-17 victory. After this defeat, the Raiders were able to pick themselves up and win their last two Austrian league games to qualify for Austrian Bowl XXII and another battle with the Vienna Vikings. Despite being heavy underdogs, the Raiders used an explosive 4th quarter to turn a close game into a 43-19 route and earned their 2nd Austrian Bowl title. The success carried over into the youth programs where all 4 Raider teams made the playoffs. The minis were able to capture the gold medal in front of 500 fans in Innsbruck, while the juniors won the silver.

2007- A year of transition