Meet a team of young American footballers who we've picked to be our team of the month.

Jo Barnes meets Marcus Price, the man behind the South Wales Rebellion...

NPL: So, what sport do you compete in?

Marcus Price: We compete at flag football, which is a form of American football. The reason for playing flag football is purely a cost factor because then we don't have to get kitted out with pads, helmets and the like.

NPL: What ages do you coach?

MP: We've been around for more than three years. There are two groups. The juniors range in age from 11 to 14 and the youths are 14 to 17. Boys and girls can play but our team is made up of boys. I am keen to start a cadet team from kids aged from seven to 11.

NPL: Have you been successful?

MP: We are current British champions and have been for two years.

NPL: So, is there much of a league locally or do you have to travel to games?

MP: We travel extensively throughout the UK. We usually go to nine or 10 major tournaments every year. If you win a tournament you get points and the top four teams then go through to a final which is when the champions are crowned. I also take the boys to about five American football coaching session every year when they are able to put on the pads, helmets and full American football kit and experience the game as they see it on television. These sessions are coached by qualified NFL coaches.

NPL: How many in each team?

MP: You need a minimum of five to compete in our league and we are always looking for new players. At the moment we have got 11 in our junior squad and a youth squad of about 16. It's great because we are getting kids off the streets and giving them something to focus on.

NPL: Tell me about training?

MP: We train every Sunday from 10am to 12.30pm and at the moment we use Rumney RFC, although we are planning to train in Newport in the near future. Most of our players are from Newport. They come from all over the city.

NPL: What's the season?

MP: Our season runs for six months with the final in July. We have already been to two tournaments this season and there are a lot more to come! We are also hoping to travel to Scotland in November to compete against the Scottish national team. I've been asked to create a Welsh team but I would need a bigger squad for that.

NPL: How did it all start?

MP: We started off with just three kids. We are part of the South Wales Warriors, which is the senior team. The boys find out about us mainly through word of mouth and we do put out fliers as well.

NPL: What do the boys think about it?

MP: They are incredibly passionate about it, especially because they are British champions. They are very focussed and they have a great team spirit. It is great to see new boys joining and making friends with the rest of the team. Every year we have an awards ceremony and Christmas lunch. We get as many parents along as we can. We honour each individual player's performance and team performance. It's a really good social occasion and the boys really enjoy it.

NPL: What do they need to do to play?

MP: They need to register with the British YAFA. All our coaches are registered as well.

NPL: So what happens when the boys get too told to play for you?

MP: The windows of opportunity are quite good for them in this sport. The NFL are keen to develop the sport in this country. The boys have the opportunity to go on to play for Great Britain and I drum it home to them that this could be their future. We are already seeing the fruits of our labours with six or seven boys who have come through now playing for our senior team.