The Parma Panthers are an American football team based in Parma, Italy that competes in the Italian Football League. The team was founded in 1981 by Vic Dasaro, an American veterinary student attending university in Parma.
Dasaro created the team from an amalgam of power lifters from a local high school gym, ex-rugby players, other vet students, and a mixed bunch of soccer goalies, track and field athletes, and local kids who had seen football on the occasional TV broadcast and liked the helmet and shoulderpad look. The team is now built on longtime IFL veterans and young players from the Panthers' own youth teams, with still a healthy contingent of University of Parma students.
In 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021 and 2023 the Panthers won the IFL championship by beating respectively Catania Elephants, Bergamo Lions, Catania Elephants, and Milano Seamen.PANTHERS: è poker. Per la quarta volta consecutiva Campioni d'Italia In 2021 they won their fifth title.
Italian Bowl USA
In 2023 the Panthers won the Italian Bowl played in the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio USA. The first ever Italian Bowl played outside Italy was well received by the Americans, as 10,000 fans attended the game. It was also shown on regional television in the USA. The final score was Panthers 29–13 over Firenze Guelfi.
Recent team history
2004 - After their inaugural year in Serie B (second highest level league in Italy), the Panthers win the Silver League title in just their second season. On July 3, in the presence of the beautiful stadium Ridolfi of Florence, the Panthers went against the Elephants of Catania. The season started unsteady due to delays in preparation, but thanks to the arrival of American coach Bill Piner, assisted by coach Joe Knoll, the team would go on a six-game winning streak. All of their hard work would earn the Panthers a victory in the final. For his excellent performance, Renato Costi was voted as the best QB in the Serie B league, and his brother Dario was voted best receiver and KOR. Mattia Marino leader on special teams and defense was also recognized for his play along with Luca Scurria, Nicola Palmia, Gian Luca Ferrari, Rasheed Shittu and Captain Alberto Lanzoni. All of these players were voted among the best in their individual positions. The hero of the title game was Luca Marchesi.
2005 The Panthers are back in the top flight of the Italian Football League in the (Golden League or Serie A), and returned after 12 years to the historic Stadium "Cervi" (now Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi). LB Onyeka Ossai and the American import RB/SS Andrew Papoccia (reappointed for the 2006 season, ed.), are the two foreigners in the starting lineup. The season, however, is marked by injuries to the Americans, leaving only Italian players. In spite of this, the Panthers are able to compete in league play. With a record of 2-6 (Victories against the Hogs), the season ends with promise. Players worth noting are Lanzoni, Scurria and Rasheed Shittu for the defense and Menozzi, Gennari, Antonetti and G. Ferrari on offense.
2006 - The 2006 season starts with a variation to the rule concerning American players. Any team is allowed up to five American players on their active roster and up to three American players on the field at any given time. After analyzing the athletes available the team and the Governing Body looked at the 2006 season as one aimed at survival. Andrew Papoccia had the task of interviewing and selecting staff from Member States, and the team began to work to provide what was necessary to allow the athletes to train and play in the best possible conditions. As for the situation of the coaching staff, Andrew selected Borchini and Tedeschi as offensive and defensive coordinators. Finding good knowledgeable coaches has been a problem in Parma and for the other teams spread throughout Italy. Parma exempts Coach Blackwelder. The Panthers welcome their four new and one returning import Americans to Parma. Quarterback Mike Souza, Safety Tyler Larick, Andrew Papoccia all from Illinois State University, and Tight End Luke Seely from Southwestern College, are joined shortly after by WR/CB Craig McIntyre from Eastern Washington University. With Andrew Papoccia returning to the United States for family commitments on a few occasions, the Panthers hired Running Back Eddie Pricolo from Sacred Heart University. The complete package of Americans would be referred to as the "Fab Six". In June, to try to reach the playoffs, Parma brings back Coach Piner, who substantially contributes to the success achieved by the team. After beating the Bozano Giants at home, with the support of more than 50 Panthers from past team, the Panthers open the doors of the Super Bowl for the first time in team history. In Scandiano, province of Reggio Emilia, the Panthers saw their incredible journey fall short at the hands of the Bergamo Lions, who defeated the Panthers 24 to 12 on their way to the Lions 10th national title.
2007 - Starting the season as last year's runners up, the Panthers had to deal with some key losses before the season even started. Both of the Costi brothers hang up their cleats and are soon followed by Zambelloni and Shittu, while Andrew Papoccia is sworn in as the new head coach. The team, however, is strengthened by the arrival of Maschi, Polenghi, Ummarino and Menozzi on offense, and Papasodero on defense. League rules only permit two American players on the field at the same time and the team is surprised by the return of Souza and McIntyre. The 2007 season starts off with a bang. First the Panthers got a mercy rule win at Napoli and follow it up with a win against the Dolphins. Parma then goes on to lose in the last minute against the Giants and their game against the Warriors is one for playoff position. The game is won in the second overtime and it's off to Rome with first place in the standings locked up. The Marines are a solid team, and the season favorites are able to defeat the Panthers. An injury to McIntyre forces Papoccia to play against the Rhinos, where the Italian-American ace excelled in rushing, receiving and returning kicks. A Panther's landslide victory is a historic accomplishment and means Parma is third place going into the playoffs. The playoffs would be against the winner of A2, but the Hogs were full of injuries and had to deal with several players leaving the team. They forfeit the game and the Panthers are automatically in the semifinals against the Marines. This time Souza and his fellow Panthers do not repeat their errors from their previous game against the Marines. Parma's victory brings the team back to the Super Bowl. Gavesi is signed before the game, a young rookie who is not only a talented receiver, but is a fool proof field goal kicker, which makes all the difference at this point of the season. The final in Scandiano is a repeat of the previous year: Panthers vs Lions. The final is a game of beauty and cannot be determined within regulation. It would take until the second overtime for the pluricampioni of Bergamo to win with a score of 55 to 49. The Panthers held the lead almost the entire game and had nothing to feel down about by the time of the final whistle. Writer John Grisham was in the stands, author the book "Playing for Pizza", which is based on the Parma Panthers. Aristide De Pascalis and Marco Tunnera are the two MVP's of the season and give the team hope for a promising future. The 2007 season marks the arrival of the Parma Panthers in the IFL, and possibly even on the European scene.
2008 - After two seasons, the Panthers replaced the American duo of Souza-McIntyre. To do so, the Panthers sign from Harvard University QB Danny Brown (later replaced by Thomas Zetts due to injury), WR Corey Mazza and RB/LB Ryan Tully. The Panther's season debut is against the Lions, the defending champions of Italy. The presence of John Grisham brings national notoriety since, Grisham is both an author and has links to television. After the first 3 games, the Panthers find themselves with a record of 1-2. With 7 consecutive victories, the Panthers fail to close in on the leaders and end the season in third place entering the play-offs. The semi-final sees the black-silver in a rematch against the Lions, and once again the ending is bitter. With the Panthers only a few minutes from victory, they see their chances at the final fade away. 2008 is also the first time the Panthers participate in a European competition, with a series of performances that make the case for them to be in the final of the EFAF Cup. In Berlin, the Panthers lose to host Adler but are proud to have reached this milestone. Lastly, the season ends with a farewell to the Lanfranchi stadium, with the Panthers moving to the new XXV Aprile Stadium.
2009 - The American trio signed for this season is made up of Ryan Tully, the return of Craig McIntyre and the arrival of QB Joe Craddock from Middle Tennessee State. The team also sees the debut of young Michele Canali (DE), Alessandro Canali (DB) (whose season unfortunately ends prematurely due to injury on the first day), Nicola Francani (CB) and Matteo Grigolo (WR). The seasons starts with the Panthers imposing its will on the Hogs and the Lions (with black-silver becoming authors of a sensational comeback, recovering from 7-26 to win 30-26). After losing to the Marines, the Panthers have back-to-back victories over the Doves and Dolphins. The Panthers go on Easter Saturday to Bolzano, to face the league leading Giants. Incredibly, with less than two minutes left the game is tied with a score of 28-28. With time winding down, Parma scores the go ahead touchdown to go up 35-28. Bolzano does not give up, and with 14 seconds left the Giants manage to score a TD to bring them within one point. The Giants do not attempt the extra point to tie, but opt to go for the 2-point conversion, which will be repeated twice because of penalties. At the end, the Giants successfully convert the 2-points conversion, putting them ahead of Parma 36-35. Parma performs the miracle however, and makes a field goal at the end of regulation and establishes themselves as the owners of the top spot. Many injuries were suffered however, and would lead the Panthers to be defeated against the Rhinos and the Elephants. With a final win against the Warriors, the Panthers were headed to a play-off game against the Marines. They would next play Ostia in the semifinal, where the two teams would fight for every point. A couple of turnovers would see the Panthers fall to Ostia by a score of 42-40. In European play, the Panthers cannot overcome the group stage, finishing with a victory and a defeat. The season also sees the appendix of the European championship in group B, in which the Italian team took fourth place. Among the 40 player squad, three players from the black-silver would stand out: Tommaso Antonetti (OT, national team captain), Michele Canali (DE) and Tommaso Monardi (QB, author of a thrilling performance in the final for the third-fourth place).