Saarland Hurricanes
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| Founded | 1982 |
|---|---|
| League | German Football League |
| Team history | Saarlouis Hurrikans (1982–1984) Dillingen Hurrikanes (1984–1989) Dillingen Steelhawks (1989–1996) Saarland Hurricanes (1997–present) |
| Based in | Saarbrücken, Germany |
| Stadium | Ludwigsparkstadion |
| Colors | Red and Black |
| President | Tobias Bagusche |
| Head coach | Al Molde |
| Championships | German Junior Bowl: 2013 |
| Division titles | none |
| Cheerleaders | Hurriflames |
| Website | www.saarland-hurricanes.com |
The Saarland Hurricanes are an American football team from Saarbrücken, Germany. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland, which the club is named after. The club was formed in 1996 in a merger of the two local sides Saarbrücken Wölfe and Dillingen Steelhawks.
As its greatest success, the team has won promotion to the German Football League twice, in 2000 and 2010. In this league, it qualified for the play-offs once, in 2005. On junior level the club earned its greatest success in 2013 when it won the German Junior Bowl for the first time.
The earliest club the current Hurricanes link their past to are the Saarlouis Hurrikans, a team from Saarlouis, which was formed in 1982. This team played in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1983 onwards, but relocated to Dillingen in 1984 and became the Dillingen Hurrikanes.
In between, in 1983, another American football club was formed, the Saarlouis Wölfe, but never reached above local league level and folded in 1989, with its players joining the Dillingen Hurrikanes. Meanwhile, the Dillingen Hurrikanes continued playing in the 2nd Bundesliga until 1986, when its division folded and the club had to step a level down. In 1989, after the Wölfe had folded, the club was renamed Dillingen Steelhawks.
Also in 1989, the Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were formed as another American football club in the Saarland.
The Dillingen Steelhawks continued competitive league football in the tier-three Regionalliga, at times alongside the Ghostbusters. The team remained at local level until 1993, when it won promotion to the central division of the 2nd Bundesliga. At this level, it lasted for only one season, but bounced back in 1995 and returned to the second level for 1996.
The Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were renamed Saarbrücken Wölfe in 1991 but were unable to rise above the third tier of the league system. By the end of 1996, both the Saarbrücken and the Dillingen club had come to the conclusion that, as individual clubs, no further improvement was possible and agreed on a merger.
The team, now as the Saarland Hurricanes and still playing in the 2nd Bundesliga, had some instant success, winning its division in 1997 and 2000. In 1997, the Stuttgart Scorpions proved too strong, winning both promotion/relegation matches and barring the Hurricanes from the elite league. In its second attempt, in 2000, the side overcame the Landsberg Express in the first game of the promotion round 40-22. Landsberg did not field in the second game and the Hurricanes were qualified for the German Football League for the 2001 season.
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