While organized tackle American football has come to a halt in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion of its lands, flag football has managed to thrive. When the IFAF European Championships begin in Innsbruck on Thursday, Ukraine will be represented in all three competitions.

IFAF asked Khomyn Yevhen, head coach of the Ukraine U17 boys, to tell his story during the buildup to the youth tournament in Austria.

“This is my third time coaching the U17 national team. We finished 4th and 7th in the last European Championships. I want to say that every competition like this is always a challenge for our team. For every coach and player from Ukraine, the opportunity to compete in international competitions is already a small victory. We are sincerely glad that we have the opportunity to train and play despite the war we are waging against the Russian occupiers. We have players on the team whose parents died in the war, who lost their relatives and loved ones. Many of the players from American football and flag football clubs serve in the army, so competing in these competitions is a privilege for all of us.

“I don't think there is another team in this championship whose players feel the thrill of the game so sincerely and appreciate every minute on the stadium under a peaceful sky without sirens. And we want to show everyone how important it is to appreciate and feel this.

“In my opinion, we have a good balance of offensive and defensive players, which was made possible by selecting players from the three main children's teams in Ukraine. Our strength is that little is known about us and we are most likely underestimated.

“In Ukraine, before flag football was recognized as an Olympic sport, there was almost no attention paid to this sport, either by the state or by the American football community. But after it was announced for the LA28 Olympics, everything changed. Participation in European championships is the highest priority competition for which all our flag football players prepare throughout the year. And participation in almost all categories - men, women, U17 boys, and U15 mix - proves that this sport is gaining popularity in Ukraine every year.

“I have been playing flag football for almost 25 years. I still remember the old rules of flag football, and we didn't even have flags, but we made them ourselves from fabric at home (it was 1999 or 2000). Then our children's team started playing American football, but it was all very weak because the adult team broke up and we trained almost on our own — a group of teenagers on a field where the grass wasn't mowed, just used for walking dogs. But all this lasted only two years and then football simply disappeared from the country for several years.

“During our student years, my friend and I started to rebuild the team with only one ball. Now our revived club is 18 years old and has more than 300 members, including flag football players, cheerleaders, and ultimate frisbee players of different age groups. So, I have been coaching for about 18 years (10 years with children's teams). This year, our club, the Vinnytsia Wolves, won five championship titles: men's, women's, U17, U15, and U13. I am the coach of the men's and U17 and U15 teams.

“I have been working with the youth team since 2021, when Ukraine first participated in the European Flag Football Championship. Since then, I have been the coach of the U17 national team.”