Last Updated on Friday, 28 August 2009 16:11 Written by James Zimolka Sunday, 14 June 2009 19:25

Derby Boys, the Dynamic Duo

Foxboro, MA – Whenever I hear about a flag football tournament close by, I always have the urge to swing by and check it out. This one had a little more significance as the thrill of playing on the same field where the New England Patriots practice adds to the excitement.

It felt like I was just here at Gillette Stadium as It was just a few months ago when the Patriots hired FlagMag to organized the Bell Bowl ($50,000 per team) flag football tournament at the stadium. The surroundings are amazing with Patriot Place Mall, the practice fields and the stadium. This tournament happened to be a 5-Man No Contact flag football tournament with 45 youth teams.

As I walked in, there were parking attendants, and as I entered the Patriots practice dome there was a flag football souvenir stand, music, and then out through the other side were eight spectacular playing fields alongside Gillette stadium - a maginificant view on a sunny saturday. As I walked to the scorer’s table I noticed some familiar faces. It was the Derby Boys - the English dynamic duo. No not Beckham and Rooney, this was Austin and Butch, the English boys from Derby England. They were the organizers and tournament directors for this youth event. The british boys have come a long way since their first flag football debuit in 2003 when they played for team England at their first World Flag Football Championships in Freeport, Bahamas.

Austin played QB and butch played o-line. The two were University buddies who managed Team England Flag Football and traveled and played in France, Bahamas, Domincan Republic and the USA. These two flag football junkies have covered quite a bit in the sport in six years. They’ve managed, played, organized and marketed flag football to its highest level.

Austin and Butch both moved over from England and lived in Boston learning the basic fundamentals of flag football through internships with the Boston Metro Flag Football League. Some six years Later, Austin has a large youth flag football league, 500 strong, in Peadbody, Lynn, Danvers and Revere. Butch is running flag football leagues and sporting events in his new home, the Dominican Republic. Butch was the tournament organizer for FlagMag at the 2004 World Flag Football Championships in Puerto Plata,DR and fell in love with the place he now calls his home. He has done it all in the sport, including playing QB, which he claims to be his best position. At a slim 370lbs he is arguably the largest flag football QB playing. It seems like it was just yesterday when the Derby Boys were playing and now they have moved on, running and organizing events.Not to shabby for two englishmen who love the sport of flag football

Is Butch really the largest Flag Football QB? Should we call guinness book of worldrecords??

What do you think of an Englishman running and organzing flag football events in the USA???

Do you have an interesting flag football story?drop me an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jim Zimolka

FlagMag.com President