Reviving the gridiron tradition

Contributed by Sarah Ratchford.

Last year, after a long hiatus, the University of New Brunswick was finally ready for some football—and this year, the only goal is to get better.

Last fall marked the inaugural season of the Atlantic Football League, and both UNB Fredericton and UNB Saint John started a team—the Red Bombers and the Seawolves respectively. Between the two teams there are over 100 athletes.

The second season of the AFL, which now has five teams, will see both the Seawolves and the Bombers strive to build up their rosters and their skills.

“We wanna win the whole championship,” Lee Maloney, one of the Seawolves captains, says excitedly. “We’re recruiting players all the time and getting better. We just wanna win the whole thing. That’s our goal.”

“We’ve been recruiting, we’ve been going around and doing the local high schools, making everyone aware,” agrees Fraser Boldon, a fourth year business student who will act as president of the Bombers team. Boldon sounds just as confident in his team’s skills as Maloney, which should make for a super-charged rivalry between the campuses.

Avoiding the homesick blues

Maloney, who has played football since he was a child and has played at other universities, is excited to play in his hometown.

“It was kinda like a no brainer,” he says when asked why he chose to stay in Saint John. Maloney, who plays half back, has known head coach Dave Grandy since “back in the day,” and he says the football community in Saint John is something he wanted to stay a part of.

Ogden agrees that football games add a lot of spice to UNB Saint John’s largely commuter campus, weaving some excitement and atmosphere in for the school year.

“This has been a boom for attracting local students. We have a base of local players. Homecoming proved that people will come out and watch local players. We had 2,300 people out at the game; it’s a great way to kick off the school year.”

Boldon, too, was happy for the opportunity to stay in his hometown—with the help of Wisniewski, that is, who had been his coach since high school.

“I’d been sort of flirting with the idea of going away to play football when I graduated and he sort of roped me into the whole UNB football thing,” he jokes.

A true community builder

Both the Seawolves and Bombers are organized as club teams, which means that spots on the team aren’t restricted to just UNB students—students from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick Community College, and members of the community at large can feel free to try out as long as they’re between the ages of 18-24.

However, sports are something that not only players can enjoy, but the community as well. Larry Wisniewski, who helped get the Bombers up and running, played a part in establishing the league and is acting general manager, says sports are an integral part to drawing a university town like Fredericton together.

“A campus has to have a focal point, a place that brings it together. Athletic fields, sporting events etc., that’s what constitutes the hearth. That’s where you find the fire burning.”

Barry Ogden, who’s been coaching Fundy Minor Football in Saint John for 36 years, agrees, saying the football field is an ideal place to bring people together and unite for one cause: school spirit.

“I think one of the reasons why football is so important is it’s a social event, it’s an experience.”

The other great thing about football, Ogden says, is that it’s inclusive. It appeals to more than one type of athlete since there are so many different positions requiring different skills.

Ready for kickoff

Both the Seawolves and the Bombers have been training for the season since the end of August.

The Seawolves opened their schedule Oct. 2 in Fredericton with a win over the Bombers. They will host the Holland College Hurricanes on Monday, Oct. 11, which marks the Seawolves home opener at the newly renovated UNB Saint John Canada Games Stadium.

The next home game for the Red Bombers is also against the Hurricanes on Saturday, October 30th on the Chapman field.

AFL Blueprint for Success: a Passion for Football

Published Wednesday August 19th, 2009 by David Ritchie on page B2

They’ve ordered the uniforms and the gear. And the University of New Brunswick has put out an official press release.

So, are you ready for some football? The Red Bombers are back.

OK, not quite the way the oldies remember.

James Cress, co-ordinator of the UNB Fredericton sport club programs and listed as the liaison person to the Red Bombers operation, says: “Although the football team 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.”

Natasha Kelly, campus recreation and special events co-ordinator for UNB in Saint John and listed as the liaison person for the Saint John Seawolves, says: “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.”

The release further states: the philosophy of club teams at the university level is “to promote health and wellness, and physical skill development. These interests can be competitive, recreational or instructional in nature.”

In other words, if you’re expecting to see a rebirth of the annual knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out battles between UNB and Mount Allison Mounties, or the return of them big bad Huskies from Saint Mary’s, it ain’t gonna happen. The Axemen from Acadia aren’t coming here any time soon. And neither are the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.

And if you’re expecting to make the trek down to College Field on a beautiful fall day with wine skins nestled underneath the jacket and listening to Dave Morell exclaim over the PA, “brought down by a host of tacklers,” it ain’t gonna happen, either.

But the Atlantic Football League (AFL), might be the next best thing.

The league makes its debut Saturday, Sept. 26. It will be played under the lights at Chapman Field at 7 p.m.

And two teams with virtually all university players will be pounding each other on the defensive and offensive lines, quarterbacks will be looking for that quick aerial strike to receivers and running backs will be zigging and zagging looking to find paydirt.

The plan is to invite Red Bombers alumni to mingle with the current guys sporting the red and black colours, talk a little football from yesteryear, maybe partake in a beverage or two, and really make a day/night of it.

It’ll seem just like the old days.

Well, sort of.

But just because it’s not CIS football with six-figure budgets and guys aren’t coming in from all parts of the country, that doesn’t mean the AFL concept is doomed to failure.

Just because it’s low-budget (upstart costs: $40,000, operating costs: $10-$12,000), doesn’t mean we’re talking about a rinky-dink league.

Just because guys like Larry Wisniewski, Barry Odgen, Terry McIntyre, Dan Fougere, Pat O’Brien aren’t appearing on TV every other day and hogging the limelight, that doesn’t mean they aren’t working behind the scenes and spending the hours doing what needs to be done with regards to setting up a league schedule, drafting a constitution, finding places to play and practice, securing fund-raising, ordering gear and the like and overseeing game-day responsibilities.

Just because the coaches and support staff are volunteers, that doesn’t mean they’re any less committed, or capable. Consider this coaching staff which is in place for the Red Bombers: Mike Dollimore, Mike DeMello, Peter Ayer, Jeff Taylor, David Knott, Jamie Edwards. All have played at a high level. All have made significant contributions to football in this area both at the high school and minor levels.

Just because players are going to be asked to pay to play to help defray costs ($200 for members of the Red Bombers), that doesn’t mean they can’t play, or haven’t suited up for credible programs.

And just because admission costs are going to be reasonable ($5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, free for kids), that doesn’t mean the product won’t be worth watching.

If you haven’t already guessed: the No. 1 criteria behind this project and what will make or break it: a passion for the game of football. Simple as that. That, my friends, is priceless.

They’re giving themselves three years. Right now, it’s the teams out of UNBF and UNBSJ and a team out of Moncton with players no doubt hailing from Universite de Moncton and Atlantic Baptist University.

High school football rules big-time in Moncton, the Maritime senior team there has been dominant for years, so guaranteed there won’t be any lack of talent in that area.

There’s talk of teams coming out of UPEI in Charlottetown and Dalhousie University in Halifax maybe even as early as 2010.

When football was a varsity sport at UNB, there were six high school teams in N.B., all based in Moncton. Now there are 17 teams.

Minor football is a going concern in most areas. Twenty years ago, there was nothing.

So, there’s a feeder system in place.

“If we can have financial viability, a steady flow of kids who want to play and students who are willing to contribute to making it work, that’s what will make it successful,” says Wisniewski, who is listed as Red Bombers’ GM and league board member.

“We’re not looking to bring back CIS football. That’s not the intent of what we’re trying to achieve here.”

The AFL will involve players between the ages of 18-24. For the Red Bombers, the talent pool will come from kids attending either UNB or St. Thomas University, with perhaps the odd exception, says Wisniewski.

“We’re looking at this as a developmental tool for youngsters in university or planning to attend university. If a guy comes out who might be working this year but plans to attend university the next year and still wants to play football, he’d be a guy we might consider. You might get one or two guys like that. Everybody else will be going to UNB or St. Thomas.”

Because of that, training camp won’t begin until the week of Sept. 7 when the kids return to school. There’s room for 50, but Wiz says the roster will likely be around 40.

The Seawolves will also be university-based.

Players will hail from the UNB in Saint John campus or the N.B. Community College. Like the operation up here, the Seawolves will function as a club team.

Dave Grandy, who coached at Saint John High School and the senior Wanderers, is the head coach.

“We want to give guys from the area who are looking to go to university and play some football,” says Wiz. “I’ve gotten calls from guys who could play at the CIS level but really don’t want to move. Guys who haven’t been recruited just want a chance to play. That’s what we’re all about.”

David Ritchie can be contacted at ritchie.david@dailygleaner.com or at 458-6484. His colukn appears each Wednesday.

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