Semi-Pro Mini Football Helmets

There are about fourty semi-pro football leagues featuring over four-hundred teams from across the United States. Below is my collection of mini helmets from a tiny fraction of these teams. For more information on this level of the sport, please visit the Minor League/Semi-pro Football Headquarters.

For more information on mini helmets, please visit the Mini Helmet Collectors' Club WWW site.

The Wayne County (Michigan) Twisters originated in 1996 as a member of the Lakeshore Football League. The Twisters have advanced to the LSFL championship game twice (1997 and 1999); however, they have lost both times. For the 2000 season, the Twisters have changed their name to the Michigan Twisters. The interesting fact about this helmet is its shell color. It is the only teal colored shell that I'm aware of.

The Oakland County Coyotes are located in Pontiac, Michigan. They originated in 1998 as the North Oakland County Tigers and competed in the Mid-Eastern Football League. In 1999, then team changed its name to the Coyotes and became the only Michigan-based team to participate in the Chicagoland Football League.

No, this is not an Atlanta Falcon helmet. It belongs to the Flint (Michigan) Falcons. The Falcons were one of the best teams ever assembled in the Michigan Football League. They played in the MFL from 1992-97. During that time they won league championships in 1993 and 1994, and they were runner-up in 1996. Between 1993 and 1995, the Falcons won 30 consecutive games. Another accomplishment includes a 1996 Midwest Football Tournament championship. Flint joined the Mid-Eastern Football League in 1998 and was a play-off qualifier. They returned to the Michigan Football League for 1999.

The Flint logo may appear to be exactly like the Atlanta Falcons' logo; however, there are several distinct differences. The Flint bird had three tail feathers - Atlanta's bird has one. The Flint version has two wings - Atlanta's has one. Finally, the Flint falcon has a football in its claw while the Atlanta logo is ball-less.

The Oregon (Portland) Thunderbolts have been one of the finest semi-pro teams in the United States for years. They are a member of the Northwest Football League and have won five NWFL championships between 1989-98. In 1998, the T-Bolts posted a 16-1 record. Their only loss came at the hands of the Marlboro (Massachusetts) Shamrocks ... winner of the United States Football Association's National Championships in '97 and '98.

The Indiana Invaders joined the Michigan Football League in 1993. Intially, the team played in Fremont, Indiana and was known as the Fremont Invaders. In 1996, the team moved to Howe, Indiana, and changed its name to the Indiana Invders. In 1998 a new soccer team in the United Soccer League organized and adopted the Indiana Invaders name. Since the semi-pro football team had never registered the name, the soocer team was allowed to grab it and force the football to stop using it. The Invaders also decided to move to the South Bend, Indiana area in 1998. See the South Bend helmet below for the continuing saga.

After the Indiana Invaders were forced to changed their name and they decided to move to South Bend, the South Bend Vipers were born in 1998. A really neat logo featuring a viper peering over a large "V" was created to represent the new franchise name.

This helmet belongs to the Muskegon (Michigan) Blackhawks. They've participated in the Michigan Football League since 1991. During the 1991-92 seasons, the team was know as the Fruitport (Michigan) Blackhawks. In 1998, for marketing reasons, the team changed its name to the Lake Michigan Storm.

This helmet is a "throwback" helmet worn by the Kalamazoo (Michigan) Tornadoes from 1994-1995. The Tornadoes played in the Michigan Football League from 1994-1997. They switched to the Mid-Eastern Football League in 1998. Major accomplishments include two MFL divisional titles (1994 and 1995) as well as capturing the 1995 MFL league championship. They also won the 1995 Midwest Football Tournament, and they were the 1995 American Football Association Semi-Pro Bowl XVI national champion runner-up.

The Tornadoes switched to this helmet in 1996. Major accomplishments, while wearing this helmet, include winning the 1997 Mid-States Football Tournament, one MEFL divisional title (1998), and capturing the 1998 MEFL league championship. They also won the American Football Association Semi-Pro Bowl XIX They switched to the Mid-Continental Football League in 1999 and posted an undefeated regular season record; however, they lost in the MCFL championship game.

This helmet belongs to the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Crush. The Crush celebrated their tenth anniversary in 1998. They've participated in the Michigan Football League since 1989. Their major accomplishments include five divisional titles (1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997) and two appearances in the MFL championship game (1992 and 1993).

This helmet belongs to the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Gargoyles. The Gargoyles played an independent schedule during their first year of competition in 1998.

The Southern Michigan Timberwolves have competed in the Mid-Continental Football League since 1994. During that time, the T-Wolves (based in Monroe, Michigan) have been one of the very best semi-pro teams in the United States. They have won MCFL titles in 1996 and 1997 plus they were the MCFL runner-up in 1995.

The Metropolitan Wolverines are located in Denver, Colorado and have competed in the Colorado Football Conference since 1994.

The Chicago Mavericks are located in Illinois and have competed in the Mid-States Football League since 1999.

Other Mini Football Helmets

My High School Alma Mater ... The helmets on the left are the designs worn by the East Kentwood Falcons since the late 1970's. The helmet on the right is the new Falcon helmet from 1999. EKHS features one of the top high school football programs in West Michigan.

My College Alma Mater ... These helmets show the famous wing design worn by the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Wolverines. UM competes in the Big Ten Conference for most sports, and they also compete in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

My Employer ... These are the various helmets worn since the late 1970's by the Western Michigan University Broncos. WMU is an NCAA Division I-A university which competes in the Mid-American Conference for sports such as football, basketball, and baseball, and they also compete in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

My Hated In-state Rival ... These are a couple of the various helmets worn since the 1980's by the Michigan State University Spartans. Even though UM fans will always regard the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as bigger rivals than MSU, the Spartans are still a hated enemy. The helmet on the left was worn during the George Perles football era. This helmet only had the block "S" on the right side of the helmet. I believe this was done to copy the Pittsburgh Steelers helmets since Perles was a former assistant coach with the NFL team. The helmet on the right is the current Spartan helmet.

My Favorite Arena Teams ... To the left is the helmet of the Detroit Drive. The Drive competed in the Arena Football League from 1988-93. They won an amazing 82% of their regular season games (46-10) and 86% of their play-off games (12-2). During the six seasons that the team played in Detroit, they played in the Arena Bowl every season! The Drive won AFL championships in '88, '89, '90, '92 and lost the championship in '91 and '93.

The Grand Rapids (Michigan) Rampage helmet is on the right. The Rampage began play in the AFL in 1998. They play at the new Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids.

My Favorite NFL Team ... The mini on the left is the current helmet design of the Detroit Lions. A "throwback" mini version is on the right. My last remaining goal in life is to live long enough to see the Lions play in a Super Bowl. Boy, I hope that I can stay healthy for at least another 50 years or more ... ha ha.

My Favorite MLB Team ... Hey! Who says that minis helmet collecting only involves football helmets? The mini on the left is a batting helmet of the Detroit Tigers. The mini on the right is a catcher's mask.

Division I-A Schools ... The state of Michigan has five NCAA Division I-A schools. The top row (left to right) shows the Michigan (Ann Arbor) Wolverines and the Western Michigan (Kalamazoo) Broncos. The bottom row consists of the Eastern Michigan (Ypsilanti) Eagles (formerly the Hurons), the Central Michigan (Mt. Pleasant) Chippewas, and the Michigan State (East Lansing) Spartans. UM and MSU compete in the Big Ten Conference; CMU, EMU, and WMU compete in the Mid-American Conference.

My Favorite USFL Team ... The Michigan Panthers played in the United States Football League from 1983-84. The USFL was a spring professional league that had some success until they decided to switch to a fall schedule and compete head-to-head against the NFL. The Panthers won the USFL's first championship in 1983 with a victory over the Baltimore Stars. The Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders in 1985 and the team played for one season in Oakland before the demise of the entire league. The helmet design of the Panthers was (and still is) one of the most creative ever. Their color scheme of plum and champaign with a touch of blue was very unique.

My Favorite WFL Team ... Remember the World Football League from 1974-75? This league was a failed attempt at a professional football league. The Wheels didn't even play their games in Detroit. They played at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. Needless to say, the Wheels didn't attract very big crowds. Nor did they play very good football as the team posted a 1-13 before financial problems forced the franchise to close shop before the 1974 WFL season had completed. There are a couple of unique things about the Wheels' helmet. First, they were one of only a couple WFL teams that wore colored facemasks rather than the conventional gray masks of the early 1970's. Second, notice the extra wide red stripe on the shell.