Thonon Black Panthers

The Black Panthers of Thonon, commonly referred to as Thonon Black Panthers, is a French American football club based in Thonon-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie) and founded in 1987 by Benoît Sirouet, Nicolas Schpoliansky and Frederic Mériguet.

Jérôme Garnier quickly joined the three founding members and became the first President of the Club.

The first Head Coach of the team was called Jolly Bruno, former player of Blue Angels of Joinville le Pont.

Now chaired by Benoît Sirouet, the club has led since 2017 by Fabien Ducousso also known as Coach Hippo.

Teams
The club has four different teams of American football and three flag football.
 * The elite team in the first French division, the Diamond Helmet since 2005.
 * The reserve is playing in the Romande League of American Football, the NSFL since 2011.
 * Juniors, champions of France in 2011.
 * Cadets since 2010.
 * As three teams flag football (-15 years, -18 years, and +18 years).

Seniors

 * France's Championship Elite (Diamond Helmet)
 * Champion (5): 2013, 2014, 2019, 2023, 2024
 * Vice Champion (7): 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022
 * France's Second Division League (Golden Helmet)
 * Champion (1): 2004
 * CEFL Bowl
 * Finalist (1): 2023
 * EFL Bowl
 * Champions (1): 2017
 * EFAF Cup
 * Champions (1): 2013
 * Finalist (1): 2009

Juniors
Champion ** (3): 2004, 2011, 2012
 * Junior Championship of France

Vice Champion ** (3): 2006, 2007 and 2008

Flag

 * Championship of France 16
 * Champion (1): 2002
 * Vice Champion (2): 2008, 2009
 * France Championship -16
 * Champion (2): 2005, 2006
 * Vice Champion (1): 2008
 * Regional Championship 16
 * Champion (2): 2008, 2009
 * Vice Champion (1): 2011
 * Regional Championship -16
 * Champion (5): 1998, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2006
 * Vice Champion (1): 2009, 2011

Staff

 * Benoit Sirouet 🇫🇷 Founder, former player and current president
 * Nicolas Schpoliansky🇫🇷 Founder
 * Frederic Mériguet🇫🇷 Founder
 * Jérôme Garnier 🇫🇷 Former President
 * Jolly Bruno (player) 🇫🇷 Former Head Coach
 * Larry Legault 🇨🇦 Head Coach, Team HC France, former HC of Gaiters of Bishop's

Notable players

 * Damon Thomas 🇺🇸 Former player, WR Wayne State Wildcats, Buffalo Bills
 * Dimitri Kiernan 🇫🇷 player, former coach (Carabins CIS 🇨🇦)
 * Tory Cooper 🇺🇸 RB, Citadel Athletics NCAA D-1 AA
 * Jason Jackson (player) 🇺🇸
 * Patrick Hall (player) 🇺🇸 RB
 * Stephan Neville 🇺🇸 RB (Stonehill College NCAA DII)
 * Baylen Laury 🇺🇸 RB
 * Maxime Sprauel 🇫🇷 Player (ex Carabins, CIS, 🇨🇦)
 * Alex Sy 🇫🇷 Former player (ex Carabins, CIS, 🇨🇦)
 * Bastien Pereira 🇫🇷 Player (future Carabins, CIS, 🇨🇦)
 * Fred Wells Jr 🇺🇸 Former player, RB / WR (Northern Michigan University, NCAA D1-AA)
 * Jimmie Russell 🇺🇸 Former player, QB (Bethune-Cookman University NCAA D1-AA)
 * Brandon Minch 🇺🇸 Former player, DE / FB (Wesleyan University, NCAA DIII)
 * Chris Dolan, United States Former Player, OL/DL University of Maryland NCAA- D1,
 * John Allanach, Canada Head Coach, former player LB (Mount Allison Mounties, CIS, 🇨🇦)
 * Sundee Jones, Canada Head Coach, former player RB (Mount Allison Mounties, CIS, 🇨🇦)

Media
The Black Panthers of Thonon-les-Bains were the first in France to broadcast all of their regular season games live on the Internet. The BPWEBTV created in 2010 was well-received, and broadened for the 2011 season.