Ilya Kravtsov, Author at American Football International

All posts by Ilya Kravtsov

After being involved in bringing American football to his hometown of St. Petersburg, Russia, Ilya would go on to play in the Japanese X-League, helping his side Tokyo Bullseyes advance all the way to the top tier of the league and become the only non-corporate team in X-1. He's currently the defensive coordinator of St. Petersburg Griffins, as well as the head coach of St. Petersburg Valkyries.

RIP Alexander Kovrigin – the Man Who Introduced the Game to the USSR – 1958-2021
By Ilya Kravtsov on March 2, 2021
The American Football community in Russia is in mourning as the news was announced last weekend that Alexander Kovrigin, the “Man Who Introduced the Game...
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New champion crowned in Russia as Moscow Spartans win first ever title
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 15, 2018
The Moscow Spartans have finally joined the ranks of only three teams that have managed to beat the dominant Moscow Patriots for the Russian title...
More leagues in Russia and neighboring countries for 2018, but will the quality grow?
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 1, 2018
The offseason is coming to a close in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Baltic states, and in a surprising development, the forces that seemed...
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Moscow Patriots confirm dynasty, dominate St. Petersburg Griffins in Russian Final
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 14, 2017
There was plenty of speculation coming into the Russian championship final as to what kind of team the Moscow Patriots really were at this point...
LIVE STREAM: Russia – Championship Game – St. Petersburg Griffins v. Moscow Patriots – Sat. Sept. 2 @ 3p (2p CEST, 8a EDT)
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 1, 2017
The 2017 season has seen plenty of qualitative growth for the Russia-based League of American Football. The level of play, fan exposure and outreach have...
First-ever Regions Cup a resounding success in Russia, as the playoff bracket is set in LAF
By Ilya Kravtsov on August 13, 2017
The Perm Steel Tigers have advanced to Russia’s 20 team League of American Football – LAF – semifinals after winning the new Regions Cup tournament. They...
Russia Premier Division; Moscow’s Patriots and Spartans, St. Petersburg Griffins lead the pack at season’s midpoint
By Ilya Kravtsov on June 25, 2017
As the regular season in Russia has reached the halfway point, the three major contenders have separated themselves from the pack, while the battle for...
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A new season kicks off in Russia with a lot of familiar faces in different places
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 11, 2017
The 2017 season of the Russia-based League of American Football has kicked of last week with several games featuring many of the most prominent players...
LIVESTREAM: Russian Championship Pits Moscow Patriots And Moscow Spartans The Russian Finals preview and livestream
By Ilya Kravtsov on October 8, 2016
So after the drama of the playoffs, it comes down to the final showdown of the Russian League of American Football between the most historically successful...
LIVE STREAM: Moscow Spartans, Nizhy Novogorod Raiders are two unexpected names in the Russian semifinals
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 24, 2016
The second round of playoffs in Russia produced two very unexpected results, when the Moscow Spartans held on to a victory over the St. Petersburg...
Playoffs kick off with a bang in Russia
By Ilya Kravtsov on August 19, 2016
The first round of the playoffs in the League of American Football of Russia has exceeded all the possible expectation. Having pitched together the teams from...
Regular season wraps up in Russia with the undefeated Moscow Patriots topping the table
By Ilya Kravtsov on August 3, 2016
The regular season in Russia wound up last weekend with all five division leaders finishing with unbeaten records. With the playoffs looming, we take a...
Start Of Russian League of American Football features new teams, tight games
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 26, 2016
With the first weeks of Russian League of American Football (LAF) season behind us, it is time to take a look at the first results...
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Russian League of American Football Begins 2016 Season This Weekend
By Ilya Kravtsov on April 28, 2016
American football kicks off the 2016 season this weekend in Russia as the reigning champions, the St. Petersburg Griffins play host to the Jaroslavl Rebels. New...
Sports Overcomes Politics In Russia And Eastern Europe
By Ilya Kravtsov on January 31, 2016
The growth and development of American football throughout the world is not without its inherent problems and politics. At times, it is impossible to distinguish...
Breakthrough 2015 Season Wraps Up in Russia
By Ilya Kravtsov on November 13, 2015
Football has been rapidly growing in everywhere in Russia for the past ten years, going from a couple of teams in Moscow to a sport...
St. Petersburg Griffins Dethrone Moscow Patriots, Take First Russian Title
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 10, 2015
Historically, the Moscow Patriots have been a household name in Russian American Football, but the St. Petersburg Griffins outlasted the powerful Patriots to claim their first...
LIVE STREAM: Russian Championship Final – Moscow Patriots Face the St. Petersburg Griffins
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 5, 2015
The final game of the season is set in Russia, and it features a truly marquee matchup in the Russian Championship between the St. Petersburg Griffins...
Moscow Patriots and St. Petersburg Griffins Win in the Russia Semifinals
By Ilya Kravtsov on September 1, 2015
The St. Petersburg Griffins and defending champion Moscow Patriots will face each other again in the Russian championship final. St. Petersburg Griffins 35 – Moscow...
Russia’s Defending Champions Retake their Lead as Regular Season Heads to the Finish
By Ilya Kravtsov on July 17, 2015
As the Russian season marches towards the playoffs, let’s take a look at the key match ups of the past week. St. Petersburg Griffins 24...
Russian American Football Superleague Has Rivalries Weekend
By Ilya Kravtsov on June 12, 2015
Russia Superleague The Russian Superleague saw 12 teams in action this past weekend and there were plenty of rivalries in the four divisions. Simferopol Taurus...
St. Petersburg, Ural, Sevastopol Make Statements in Week 2 of the Russian Championship
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 21, 2015
Russian Championship Week 2 Week 2 of the Russian Championship might have been too early for the games to have any playoff implications, but it...
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Russia’s SuperLeague’s Rousing Opening Weekend
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 15, 2015
The Russian SuperLeague kicked off this past weekend with eight of the league’s 15 teams in action. Growth has forced an exciting new structure of...
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Growth Forces Russian Championship to Revamp Structure, 2015 Season Begins May 9
By Ilya Kravtsov on May 8, 2015
While quantitative growth of American football that Russia has witnessed in the recent years has delighted the fans of the game, it has also raised...
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Hockey Pads to the FAFR: The History of American Football in Russia
By Ilya Kravtsov on February 23, 2015
The history of American football in Russia (or USSR back then) started in the late 1980s, at the height of the warming of relations and...

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