The Brussels Black Angels
The American football team Brussels Angels actually originates in 1987 from the Waterloo All Stars because, at the time, they benefited from installations located in Waterloo. The team was founded by José Braga.
After a stay in Forest then in Uccle, where the team acquired its name of Brussels Angels, it finally settled in Woluwe Saint Lambert (better infrastructure, access and organisation, stadium of 9000 seats, etc).
It is thus in 1989 that the Brussels Angels American Football Club was really created. At the time there were 17 players and the team participated in the Belgian championship organised by the Belgian Football League (BFL), itself founded in 1985 by a small group of Belgo-American amateurs.
Under the impulse of coach Shariar Broumand, the sixth year of competition in second division saw the team winning the title of Champion of second division which allowed it to participate in the first division championship (2nd Division).
During the 1994 season the team officially became an ASBL. In constant progression, the Brussels Angels will finally reach the championship’s final in 1996 and will reiterate this achievement in 1997 and 1998 unfortunately without ever winning the much dreamed of title of Champion of Belgium. Being semi-finalist will nevertheless allow the Angels to participate in the European competitions in 1997 and 1998. The two following years (1999 and 2000) saw the best Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg teams compete in a Benelux championship, where the Angels took part thanks to their high level of play. Twice the team will reach the semi-finals.
The new millennium then sees the arrival of two new coaches, Tuck MacRae and Rob Lake, followed in 2001 by Karl Heineman and Blake Turvey. The year 2001 corresponds also to the creation of a new committee with the aim to boost the team and renew its players and the results will not be long to come with a title of Belgian Champions in 2003. This coincide with the arrival of two new coaches, Tom Munson and Morris Jablonka, to replace Blake Turvey and Rob Lake.
In 2004, the Black Angels see the arrival of Anthony Walker to replace Karl Heineman. A year later, Don McDougall, and Georgy Baudart enhance the coaching staff while Stefan Rose takes care of the conditioning and physical drills. 2005 is also the year of the creation of a Junior team lead by Cyrille Bouron, Romuald Derys, Christian Gaytant, James Gendarme and Patrick Leroy.
After the departure of Anthony Walker in 2006 and Tuck McRae a few months later to their home country, Don McDougall helped by Georgy Baudart and Morris Jablonka would see experienced players assisting them until 2008. In the meantime, the Junior team wins the Belgian Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Gharun Lacy arrives in 2009 to complete the coaching staff.
With a new decade coming, the Brussels Black Angels American Football Club decides to opt for a more stable coaching staff. Romuald Derys, Cyrille Bouron, Patrick Leroy and Christian Gaytant, all former players from the Brussels Black Angels, helped by Gharun Lacy lead the team to the playoffs in 2010 and to the Belgian Bowl in 2011. The Black Angels welcome Jerome Bohbot the next year while Gharun Lacy had to leave. In 2012, the team undergoes a rebuilding era and the results of the effort are already seen in 2013 with another participation in the playoffs.
In 2013 Alexi Forest, long time respected president of the BBA, is awarded the title of “Président d’Honneur”. The precidency itself is passed on to Christian Gaytant.