BURNLEY Tornados American Football team make no apologies for making the most of winning last year’s junior team of the year award.

As chairman Ivan Jackson put it: “We are going to milk this award for everything we can get!”

And that is exactly what they have done.

The Tornados don’t believe in playing down an award which they admit was something of shock given the fact that the club was only formed some three year previous.

The Grassroots awards logo sits proudly on the club’s website’s home page and on flyers it is sending out to schools as it looks to recruit the next group of players.

“We are extremely proud of this award so why not tell everyone about it,” said Tornados general manager Tracey Stewart. “It was unexpected as we are a fairly young club but I suppose that is what made it all the more special.”

The Tornados picked up their prize after the club’s youth team reached the Britbowl finals and won the Lancashire Rosebowl – a feat they repeated this year.

The club, on the back of that success, is now building for the future.

As well its youth team (for 14 to 16-year-olds) and flag team (11-15), it has set up a junior team (17-19) and a senior side (over 18s) who recently played their first game.

The club is currently on a recruitment drive – and Stewart believes that advertising the fact that they have won the award can only enhance its reputation.

“It shows that we are in it for the long haul,” she said. “It is a privilege to have the backing and support of the Lancashire Telegraph and such an award can only help us as we plan for the future.”