The Great Britain American Football national program has announced Adam Lillis as the new head coach of the Development team and Michael Davies as head coach of the Academy team, completing a refreshed coaching structure aimed at strengthening the pipeline for future national team talent.
New structure, clear pathway
As part of a broader reorganization, the Great Britain Academy—formerly the U17 squad—will now include players up to age 18, allowing more flexibility in scheduling games against U16, U17, and U18 opponents. The Development team replaces the former U19 national team and will focus specifically on bridging the gap between the Academy and the Men’s Performance squad. Both teams will align closely with BAFA’s U19 Regional Series, which operates across five regional franchises in the UK and provides competitive 11-a-side gameplay for emerging athletes.
Experience and vision for development
Adam Lillis brings a decorated coaching background to the Development role, having worked with the University of Kent Falcons, City University Wolfpack, and the East Kent Mavericks, in addition to previous experience within the Great Britain Men’s program. His leadership earned him Adult Contact Coach of the Year at the 2024 BAFCA Coaching Awards. Lillis emphasized the importance of a seamless pathway, stating, “I’m really looking forward to working with Kev as the Men’s Performance head coach and having an impact on this new pathway… The goal is that Coach Davies will coach up these players in the Academy and when they reach 18, they’re in a really good shape to join Development.”
Michael Davies continues his tenure guiding the nation’s youngest contact players, moving from Great Britain U17 to lead the reformed Academy team. Also active with the University of Warwick Wolves and Coventry Phoenix, Davies stressed the value of early exposure to structured play: “If we can bring them into 11-a-side football at 14 years of age, by the time they reach 18 they’ve had four years of experience using the same terminology, the same types of playbooks.”
Looking ahead to trials
The national program will hold trials later this month, with the Men’s Performance, Women’s Performance, and Development teams competing for spots on January 24 at the University of Derby, while the Academy team will try out on January 31 at the University of Salford and February 7 at SGS College in Filton. With a clear structure and dedicated leadership, Great Britain is building a sustainable future for American football talent across the UK.
Source: British American Football