ELF: Newly formed Istanbul Rams sign Kasey Crosby as defensive line coach

| American Football | 11/04/2021

The European League of Football’s latest franchise, the Istanbul Rams, have signed Turkish coaching veteran Kasey Crosby as their defensive line coach for the 2022 season.

The 35-year-old Crosby, a native of Houston, Texas, and graduate of the University of Texas, started his coaching career in Turkey in 2009 with the Istanbul Cavaliers as defensive coordinator, helping the team win the national championship before moving to the Yeditepe Eagles in 2012. The defensive minded Texan who played linebacker himself, has since been a key factor in Turkish football, leading the Eagles to four national university and Turkish Football League championships both as head coach and defensive coordinator. 

This won’t be Crosby’s first stint with the Rams. In the 2015-2016 season as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, Crosby helped the then Koç Rams win their first ever national championship and reach the final four in the IFAF Europe Champions League.

Needless to say, Crosby is excited:

“I’m excited to be part of the organisation again. To be able to see Turkish football grow to the very top level, that’s always been a goal of mine. To be back with the Rams, a team I was part of when they won their first championship and got to the IFAF final four, is special for me. It was a big step to take a Turkish team outside of Europe for the first time and this is the next step, I’ve seen football grow so much here. It’s a big deal for football in Turkey, this team will represent Turkey and I think teams will want to send their best players here to show the rest of the world what we have. I’m super excited to be a part of what’s next.”

 

Daniel Mackenzie is a Press Association graduate who works in journalism and communications in the third sector. Daniel began playing football for the London Warriors and Team Great Britain and has since played across Europe.