We are delighted and very proud to see that a member of our family at the Kent Phoenix, Oliver Zarembski, has been announced as one of the Season IX winners of an Under Armour Next sponsorship for the 2026 season.

Last Summer Oliver took part alongside over 2,000 young people aged 16 to 20 in a series of athletic, agility and mental tests at Under Armour Next in the Battersea Power Station, London.  Having finished in the top ten nationally, he was invited to the Stage Two Training Camp and subjected to a series of gruelling tests as those top ten participants competed for a twelve month UA Next sponsorship.

Over the last few weeks Under Armour have been posting a series of films about the Season Nine camp on their Instagram (see photo above). The ten athletes from across England competed in a whole variety of sports under the watchful eye of UA coaches and special guests Paddy Pimblett from the UFC and the manager of Arsenal FC’s men’s team Mikel Arteta. Only four would win that sponsorship contract and we were delighted to hear Mikel Arteta call out Oliver’s name yesterday evening!

Oliver, having won his 12 month sponsorship, is now an Under Armour athlete with the ultimate bragging rights! As well as having lots of cool gear to wear, UA will work with Oliver to develop his skills, his athletic ability and provide opportunities for him to meet people to help him fulfill his dream of a professional career in American Football. We can’t wait to see what comes next.

Oliver joined our under 19’s squad, the South-East Legion, in 2024. Despite not playing American Football before, he quickly established himself as a talented Running Back and a popular member of the squad. Last season, Oliver was named as one of our Team Captains and ran for 928 yards at an average of 6.3 yards per carry and caught 16 passes for another 152 yards across our ten games. He scored 18 touchdowns as the Legion went undefeated during the regular season and won the Division Two Southern Conference Championship.

Under Armour Next is currently recruiting athletes for their Season XI competition. Find out more here.

If you would like to give the great sport of American Football a try, please do contact us. Who knows? You might be the next Oliver Zarembski!