Welcome to our English section
Our imports players recruiting for the 2022 French and European championships is now OPEN.
If you’ve expressed interest in our club, please contact us.
A Brief History…
The Thonon les Bains » Black Panthers » were founded in 1987 by current club president Benoit Sirouet and his predecessor Jérôme Garnier. Since its creation, the club has grown from a small band of football enthusiasts to an organization that features both flag and tackle teams in several age categories. The senior team currently competes in France’s first national division or the “Casque de Diamant” – literally translated as the “Diamond Helmet”. The season runs from February until June and features a 10 game schedule, a national semi-final, and a championship game, all played under NCAA rules. In 2007, both the junior and senior squads reached their respective finals for the second time in club history. National Champion 1st division : 2013, 2014, 2019 – European Champion : 2013 (EFAF Cup), 2017 (EFL).
About the city…
Thonon les Bains is nestled between Lake Geneva (the largest lake of western Europe) and the northern Alps. With 35000 residents, it is the largest of the French cities on the shores of the lake. Its central location provides an ideal springboard for brief sightseeing excursions: Thonon is only a 20 minute drive from Switzerland and a one hour drive from northern Italy. Geneva’s international airport (50 minutes) offers several low cost flights to major destinations across the continent.
Our infrastructures…
Today, with the support of the city of Thonon, the club benefits from some of the finest facilities of any American football squad in all of Europe. While field-time is at a premium throughout Europe, our squad benefits from exclusive use of a beautiful grass field with an adjacent locker room. Over the years, the club has made solid investments in field equipment and now boasts of three sleds in addition to all the requisite light practice material (shields, bags, ropes, etc). Only a stone’s throw from the field are the club’s office, clubhouse and bar, a small video room, and the equipment room.
