Back in 1983, at Oslo Handelsgymnasium, is were the saga starts. Fresh out of junior high you enter one of the most conservative gymnasiums in the country and what do you get - American football !

Amongst the preppiest guys and girls in Oslo you find the biggest wet dream of a sport, ever, and with an established program and 3 other schools in Oslo competing for the top spot. Small scale but real.

It was taken out of a college film from the USA. Our QB had the money and the girl. Our team were sponsored by Dobber and drove to games in a big Chevy van. Our parties were great and the competition were great. Ullern - Ris - Berg.  How could a dude resist! A bottle of Whiskey to the school janitor and the great vorspiels on school grounds could start.

From 1983 - 1985 we had a college experience, in Oslo.

In 1985 we had no youth to pick up the legacy so we went out into the open market and established first Oslo Raiders, then Westside Vikings in 1986.

The founding fathers, Henrik Dahl, Finn Jarle Mathisen together with Oslo Trolls were imperative in building the first stepping stones of the Norwegian football federation. With a federation in place there could be a Norwegian series and other teams could develop.

Asker Lynx - Kolbotn Kodiaks - Oslo Trolls - Bergen Storm. Hank Jones - Mark Troupe, our first Head coaches brought skills, tradition and a lot of good times for everybody involved.

The early years were powerful in friendship and football. Or trips were legendary in every form (They still are ). The football was spiced with plays like statue of liberty - trippel reverses and other basic plays...no hurry to get out of the backfield.

We played run oriented football because nobody could really throw the ball that well and

 5 - 2 and 5 - 3 defence schemes. We played a very physical form of football and the hits were hard.

Up until 1990, the club struggeled to beat our long time nemesis, Oslo Trolls in the championship game. This year however we managed to establish a 3 year winning streak under the watchfull eye and mouth of Head Coach Mark Troupe.

What follows is a brief account of the main events in the Vikings 22 year old history. We hope you will enjoy our magazine and that you stay tuned in for the future of the Mighty hordes from up north, The Oslo Vikings.

Gaute Moseby Engebretsen

President
Oslo Vikings

1986 - first called the ‘Westside' Vikings; the team was founded through a merger of three high school programs from OHG, Ris and Ulleren.
1987 - St. Olaf College makes a visit to Oslo during that year and the Vikings play evenly against the Valerenga Trolls for the first time with the game ending 12-12.

1988 - the Vikings return the favor and visit St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota near Minneapolis and St. Paul. In the championship game the Vikings fall for the third year in a row to the Valerenga Trolls.

1989 - club development grows and the Vikings field a junior program for the first time. The Vikings face another university squad visiting from the United States and are defeated in the game by Bethune College. Another loss in the championship comes against their bitter rival, the Valerenga Trolls.

1990 - a breakthrough season for the Vikings. The early stage of NoAF has been dominated by the Valerenga Trolls, but steady improvement finally yields results and a long sought victory is achieved. The Vikings win the first of their seven senior Norwegian Championships.

1991 - Luther College from Decorah, Iowa in the USA makes a visit to Oslo. Running back Nicolay Aslaksen makes the roster for the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks of the NFL sponsored World League. The Viking seniors are back-to-back Norwegian Champions after beating the Asker Lynx in the finals.

1992 - three-peat! The last season the team is formally known as the Westside Vikings ends in success as the senior team wins its third Norwegian title, once again defeating rival Valerenga Trolls in the Championship game.

1993 - the streak of Norwegian Championships for the Oslo Vikings ends as the Valerenga Trolls reclaim the senior crown. Despite the loss in the finals, the club continues its effort in expansion and development hosting a junior camp and a recruiting session.

1994 - a trip to Herlev, Denmark proves worthwhile as the Vikings participate in their first European competition, winning the HydroTexaco Bowl. The Oslo Vikings suffer a loss in the Norwegian Championship to the Valerenga Trolls.

1995 - another international breakthrough for the Oslo Vikings as they travel to Finland and win a huge upset over the heavily favored Espoo Colts. However, the season again ends in disappointment as the Vikings are downed once again by the Trolls in the finals.

1996 - for the first time an American head coach, Joe Murawa, is hired to lead the Oslo Vikings. The result however is the same as the senior team loses to the Valerenga Trolls in the Norwegian Championship. Two other notable events occur as Spring Bowl I is hosted in Oslo and the Vikings Juniors win the title.

1997 - the Vikings grow the club, adding the Viqueens cheerleading squad and a reserve team. Spring Bowl II opens the season as the Vikings finish as the winners; however the finals are again won by the Valerenga Trolls. The Oslo Vikings enter Eurocup competition for the first time.
1998 - it is the beginning of the glory years for the Oslo Vikings. Head Coach Val Gunn leads the senior Vikings to their first championship since 1992 and ends the streak of five consecutive NoAF titles by the Valerenga Trolls. The Oslo Vikings score win over the Roskilde Kings in the Eurocup.

1999 - a dominating squad goes undefeated in the league and wins the Norwegian Championship for the second time in a row beating upstart Eidsvoll 1814s. Unbeaten, the Oslo Vikings advances past group play and nearly defeats the London O's in the finals of the Eurocup held in Brussels, Belgium. EFAF ranks the Vikings #6 in Europe and the team narrowly loses to visiting Doane College from Crete, Nebraska in the USA 0-6.

2000 - another three-peat comes the way of the Vikings as they crush the Eidsvoll 1814s in the championship game 69-21. The Oslo Vikings play in the Eurobowl for the first time and even though they do not advance out of group play, the team proves itself well in games against top level opponents.

2001 - is a letdown for the Oslo Vikings after winning three championships in a row. Once again the Vikings reach the finals of NoAF but are defeated 7-24 by the Eidsvoll 1814s. In a positive note, the Viqueens win in the first ever Norwegian Cheerleading Championship.

2002 - the last of the seven senior league Norwegian Championships is won by the Oslo Vikings. Led by quarterback Terry Kleinsmith, the Vikings top the Valerenga Trolls 24-21 in the finals.

2003 - at the senior level, for the first time in 17 years the Oslo Vikings do not make it to the Norwegian Championship game. Valerenga Trolls defeat the Eidsvoll 1814s in the finals 41-31 to earn their first title in six years. The Oslo Vikings junior program wins the Norwegian Championship.

2004 - a discouraging pattern of failing to reach the NoAF title game occurs as the Oslo Vikings fail to reach the finals for the second year in a row. Eidsvoll 1814s win their second ever Norwegian Championship in a barnburner over the Valerenga Trolls 55-48. The Viqueens cheerleaders provide positive news as they place first in the Moskva Cup.

2005 - for the third year in a row the Vikings do not make it to the Norwegian Championship game. It is a time of disappointment and transition for the club.

2006 - Val Gunn returns as head coach for the Oslo Vikings and the senior team reaches the Norwegian Championship game, but is defeated 34-19 that is highlighted by a spirited second-half comeback. Interest is renewed and goals are set for the future of the organization which includes a return to European competition as the Oslo Vikings announce they will participate in the EFAF Cup for 2007. 

2007 - Val Gunn takes the Vikings through an historic football program that includes EFAF cup victory over Berlin Thunder as a definite high of the season. Great practice games against Seinajoki crocodiles, Monarchs, Gøteborg and the Bulldogs. A narrow loss to the Amsterdam Crusaders stops our progress in the EFAF cup and we loose the Norwegian Championship 27 - 30 to 1814s.