Believe it or not we are already at the halfway point of another fantastic season in the European League of football. 

With Week 7 behind us let’s take a look at some of the standout players so far this season and hand out some hypothetical hardware for the mid-season season awards. Today we’ll be focusing on the often overlooked "Specailist of the Year" and the "Coach of the Year" awards.

Specialist of the Year

KR- Aaron Jackson Berlin Thunder

Aaron 'Action' Jackson has been one of the league's best kick returners since entering the ELF in 2023. This year has been no different as he's scored two kick return touchdowns so far this year averaging 32 yards a return, while leading the league with over 500 return yards. 

Other candidates:

KR Devan Burrell - Wroclaw Panthers

Last year’s best kick returner has 439 yards and a touchdown this season for the Panthers, still making a huge impact for his squad on special teams.

K Lenny Krieg - Stuttgart Surge

The Surge’s kicker has been huge for them this season making 5 of his 8 field goals including burying several kicks from long distance. He’s also hit 89% of his point after attempts.
 

Coach of the Year

Rip Scherer - Madrid Bravos

The first year head coach of the expansion franchise has already built one of the league’s most exciting contenders through the halfway point of the season. The longtime NFL and NCAA coach's entrance to the international game has been a smashing success as he's led the Bravos to an excellent 4-1 record in the ELF’s ultra competitive Western Conference. The 72-year old coach hopes to keep the Bravos success going as they have thier eyes set on a playoff-spot come September. 

Other candidates:

Chris Calaycay - Vienna Vikings

Calaycay has the Vikings sitting at 7-0 despite dealing with several injuries at key positions. His ability to make game day adjustments and develop young players is evident every season in the Austrian Capital.

Jordan Neuman - Stuttgart Surge

The Surge made another big jump from year one to year two under Neuman as they are undefeated through the first half of the season at 5-0. Neuman’s squad hopes to get back to the title game this season and finish first place after losing a narrow game to the Rhein Fire in last september.