The Strauman area has a long football history that goes back further than the organised league play that got under way in the late 1970s. Football was played on various pitches in the different villages. A common place to play matches between the villages was a flat area at the top of Høgåsen, which separates Sydal and Gravermark. The place is still simply called «Fotballbanen» (the football pitch), and the stones that were used to mark the goals still stand there.
From time to time it also happened that a football match was arranged with other areas, such as Laukvik. People then gathered in boats and went off to play a match. We have little documentation about these matches, other than that contemporary witnesses can tell that Strauman dominated these encounters in Laukvik.
Founding
Strauman IL was founded in 1959 with initiator Tormod Fjellvoll as its first chairman. Although work on a football pitch by the school in Sydal began as early as 1962, conditions were not suitable for organised football. From 1959 to 1972, skiing therefore dominated the sports club. From 1972 to 1977 the club was more or less inactive. Konrad Magnussen made sure to pay the membership fee every year so the club would not be struck off.
Organised football
In 1977 Arne Albertsen took charge and began the work of getting a proper football effort going. For the first time, regular football training was organised on the pitch by the school, and the club took out a loan to expand the pitch to full size. In 1979 Strauman became a member of the Norwegian Football Federation and started with mini and boys' teams. In 1981 the club fielded an A-team for the first time, in the 6th division. Arne Albertsen coached the A-team and various junior teams while also organising voluntary work and building up the club throughout the 1980s.
With players mainly from its own junior teams and some players moving home from teams such as Svolvær IL and Kabelvåg IL, the team became increasingly competitive through the 1980s. In 1986 Strauman won its section of the 6th division, but lost the qualifying matches and did not get promoted. After a mediocre 1987 season, promotion was secured in 1988 with second place in the league and victory in the qualifying matches.
In 1989 the match between Bø and Strauman in the 5th division was chosen as the «Match of the Century» by Verdens Gang, since it was a match between two neighbours and a match between Lofoten and Vesterålen. VG printed a special supplement for the match, laid on two buses of Strauman supporters, arranged with the fishermen for them to bring people to Bø for the match, printed special tickets and put on a big production around the match. Among other things, the match ball arrived by parachute, and there was a world record attempt for the longest dead-ball kick during the break. Strauman won the match 3-0.
Through the 1990s, declining population and youth numbers led to a drop in activity in the sports club. As a result, Strauman gradually became dependent on players from other villages to field a team. In the late 1990s Strauman IL entered into an agreement with FK Lofoten that gave Strauman players the chance to try out at FK Lofoten, and playing time at Strauman for FK Lofoten's talents. In Strauman IL's final season, the team functioned as FK Lofoten 3 and no longer played its home matches in Strauman. The A-team was disbanded, but was revived for three seasons from 2002 to 2004 in the 4th division.
A fresh start
Almost ten years later, Strauman IL once again fielded an A-team in the 2013–2015 seasons. The gravel pitch was upgraded and new goals were bought. The 2013 season started slowly, but Strauman found form on the gravel pitch and ended up competing for the league title. It ended with third place in the closing stretch. The highlight of the season was the 7-2 win against Svolvær IL, at home at Strauman Stadion.
In the 2015 season there was more limited sporting success, and the home matches were played at Henningsvær Stadion. Despite it being voted the world's most beautiful football stadium, it is not the same as playing at home in Sydalen.
The tables from the most recent period of A-team football in Strauman
Artificial turf in the ball cage
Since then, work has been under way to get artificial turf at Strauman Stadion. In 2020 it succeeded, through a fundraising campaign with local businesses and individuals, in financing artificial turf in the ball cage in Sydalen.
Well-known players
Cato André Hansen is clearly the most well-known player with a background from Strauman IL. He was part of the great generation that made Strauman compete for promotion in the early 1990s.
He eventually moved on to Vågakameratene, and in 1995 he was brought to Bodø/Glimt by Trond Sollied. Cato made his debut against Rosenborg and helped take bronze in the Tippeliga in 1995. His achievements at Glimt include bronze in 1995 and silver in 2003, as well as two cup silvers in 1996 and 2003. Cato eventually became captain before he was sold to Bryne in 2006 due to financial problems at Glimt. He ended his playing career as a player-coach at Stavanger IF and took them up into the 1st division. Cato played three matches for the U15 national team and, together with his fellow central defender Fredrik Kjølner at Glimt, was in the national team discussion in the 2003 season when Ronny Johnsen and Henning Berg were injured at the same time, but he was not called up to the national team by Nils Johan Semb.
After Stavanger IF, Cato continued his coaching career as assistant coach at Bodø/Glimt and was promoted to head coach in 2011 when Kåre Ingebrigtsen was sacked. He lifted Glimt out of the relegation zone in the 1st division when he took over as coach and was involved in the play-offs for promotion to the Tippeliga, but did not get promoted. Cato has since had several jobs, particularly in player development at Bodø/Glimt, and is today the general manager of Grand Bodø.
Other players
Kjetil Albertsen was sold from Strauman IL to Mjølner in the 1980s and is the only known player sale from Strauman.
Lisa Johannesen, with a background from Strauman IL, has played a number of matches for the deaf national team.
Glenn Vidar Jensen, Vegard Tønder Pettersen, Pål Tore Sivertsen and Remi Fredriksen have all played for both Strauman IL and FK Lofoten in the 2nd division.