Washburn: the Bombers then and now

Christopher Cameron – Sports Editor of The Brunswickan - September 29, 2010

It was the fall of 1978 when Oromocto native, Mike Washburn took to the football field for tryouts for the UNB Red Bombers.

Already in his third year of university, Washburn had no prior football experience, but knowing a few players and the coach he figured he would tryout. Although not much was expected from him, he was a natural and an instant success on the field. He credits his athletic abilities to his dad.

“I was pretty lucky my dad was a gym teacher,” said Washburn. “I also played a lot of hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball. When you do that you start to become fairly coordinated. Playing hockey allowed me to be used to the contact and I played softball so my hand-eye coordination was pretty good. I took some of those skill sets and incorporated them on the football field.”

Washburn continued to play for the Bombers into his fourth and fifth years of university, when he was drafted into the CFL by the BC Lions. He played four years in the league, playing a year with the Lions and three with the Montreal Alouettes, then the Montreal Concordes.

After suffering a neck injury, he returned home in 1986, ready to start another life. When he returned, UNB was “Bomber-less” as the program was cut after his last season. A few years before he finished with the Red Bombers, there were talks of dropping the program, and that was what had happened. Although in recent years when the wrestling team and others were cut there were uproars, Washburn says back then there was no students arguing football leaving campus.

“When they cut the program it was when exams were finishing in April or May, so there was not a lot of student body around the university,” he said. “There was no groundswell against it. If it had of been done over the Christmas holidays then it would not have happened possibly. There was always a good feeling with the football program on campus.”

Although the club was sitting around a .500 record, it was generally known amongst the players, coaches and community that the program had to improve or it needed to be stopped.

That being said, Bombers football is back on campus. It is no longer a varsity sport, but with the newly formed Atlantic Football League there is now a team to rally behind. Washburn believes this is great for UNB, the students and the Fredericton community.

“I think it is really good, right down to the grassroots level,” said Washburn. “I think that if people really drilled down and looked at what football will do from a commerce perspective there are kids at UNB right now that would not be there without this club football team. It is a step in the right direction. It is positive for the whole brand of athletics and academia at the university.”

This weekend the Bombers will take on the UNBSJ Seawolves in the campus matchup. This will be the first all UNB homecoming football game in the history of the school. Aside from this being on homecoming weekend, this is also the first time these teams have met since last year’s league final. Washburn sees this as being a momentous game for the league and UNB homecoming history.

“It is going to fun,” he said. “I imagine the crowd will be a good size and the neat thing about the football crowd is unless it’s pouring rain, you’re still going to have a big crowd. People just like to go and take part and get into it. Both teams will want to win that game with all the stories surrounding it being on homecoming and the rematch of last years final. It should be a good game all around.”

UNB Teams to Compete In Inaugural Season of Atlantic Football League

August 17, 2009
UNB News Release: 09-113

Two club football teams from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) will take the field in the first season of the Atlantic Football League (AFL).

The UNB Fredericton Red Bombers club football team and the UNB Saint John Seawolves club football team join the Moncton Raiders in the AFL, a league four years in the making.

UNB’s team tryouts will take place toward the end of August and first part of September. UNB students in Fredericton and Saint John; St. Thomas University students; and members of the Fredericton and Saint John communities between the ages of 18 (before the end of 2009) and 24 are welcome to try out.

“Although the football teams will not compete at the varsity level, UNB’s campus recreation departments are pleased to offer students an opportunity to play football while attending UNB,” says James Cress, coordinator of the UNB Fredericton sport clubs program.

Club teams are mainly student-run organizations with support from campus recreation departments. UNB students make up at least 65 per cent of the club roster, allowing for some broader community participation as well.

“The sport club program at UNB is an important part of student life on campus,” said Natasha Kelly, campus recreation and special events coordinator for UNB Saint John. “Our club teams contribute to the health and happiness of our students and allow everyone to get involved in friendly competition, which increases school spirit.”

UNB alumnus Mike Dollimore will coach the UNB Fredericton Red Bombers club football team. The team will play home games at UNB Fredericton’s Chapman Field. Tryouts will take place the first week of classes, Sept. 7 to 12.

“I’m really looking forward to the buzz this will bring to campus,” says Dollimore, who played varsity football for UNB in the 1970s. “We had great community support when I was a student athlete and I hope current students will be able to share in that excitement.”

Dave Grandy, head coach of the Saint John High School football team and the Saint John Wanderers senior football team, will also coach the UNB Saint John Seawolves club football team. The team will play home games at the Millidgeville #1 field in Saint John. Training camp is scheduled to begin August 30.

The league’s first game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 at UNB Fredericton’s Chapman Field, where the Red Bombers will play the Seawolves.

The UNB Fredericton Red Bombers club football team will be a member of UNB Fredericton’s Campus Recreation Sport Clubs Program, which has over 20 clubs. The UNB Saint John Seawolves club football team will join 10 existing club teams on the Saint John campus. Preferring to offer football at the club level, UNB has no immediate plans to offer football at the varsity level.

UNB would like to thank the many volunteers and supporters who have helped to make the introduction of club football a reality, including Pat O’Brien, AFL Commissioner; UNB alumnus Barry Ogden, General Manager and President of the Saint John Seawolves club football team; and Larry Wisniewski, General Manager of the Fredericton Red Bombers club football team.

The philosophy of the sport clubs programs is to promote health and wellness, and physical skill development. Sport clubs are designed to serve individual interests in different competitive sports and recreational activities. These interests can be competitive, recreational or instructional in nature. Clubs may represent the university in competition or may conduct intra-club activities.

Students and members of the community who are interested in trying out for either UNB club football team should contact:

Fredericton Red Bombers — James Cress, 458-7041, jcress@unb.ca; or Larry Wisniewski, 458-7436, wisn@unb.ca

Saint John Seawolves — Natasha Kelly, 653-2728, nkelly@unb.ca; or Barry Ogden, 849-4650, bogden@sympatico.nb.ca

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For more information, contact:

Fredericton Red Bombers: James Cress Coordinator of Sport Clubs (506) 458-7041 jcress@unb.ca

Larry Wisniewski General Manager Fredericton Red Bombers club football team (506) 451-1182 (h), (506) 458-7436 (w), (506) 471-7422 (cell) wisn@unb.ca

Saint John Seawolves: Natasha Kelly Coordinator of Sport Clubs (506) 653-2728 nkelly@unb.ca

Barry Ogden General Manager & President Saint John Seawolves club football team (506) 849-4650 bogden@sympatico.nb.ca

Atlantic Football League: Barry Ogden (506) 849-4650 bogden@sympatico.nb.ca