University of Canberra Firebirds

University of Canberra Firebirds
University of Canberra Firebirds
First season	1993; 31 years ago
Head coach	; 2nd season, 9–3 (.750)
Stadium	Greenway Oval
Field surface	Grass
Location	Canberra, ACT, Australia
League	ACT Gridiron League
Bowl record	7–6 (.538)
Playoff appearances	17 ; 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014
Conference titles	7; 1994, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
Current uniform
Colors	Red and Yellow;
Website	UCFirebirds.asn.au

The University of Canberra Firebirds are an American Football club established in 1993 to compete in the ACT Gridiron league.

Based in the Belconnen area in the northern part of Canberra, the Firebirds were one of five clubs originally formed for the seniors competition and one of only two still remaining (along with the Tuggeranong Tornadoes).

Funding and support by the University of Canberra Union resulted in the club adopting the organisation's colours – yellow, red and blue. The original playing strip consisted of yellow jerseys and yellow helmets.

The Firebirds have won the most championships in ACT Gridiron history with seven Capital Bowl victories from 12 appearances. The club has also won eight minor premierships by having the best regular season win-loss record (1994, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011).

The Firebirds are six-time winners of the Charity Bowl (2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012), which is annually held in the first week of the season between the previous season's winners of the Capital Bowl and Charity Bowl. If one team holds both trophies, the opponent is the Capital Bowl runner-up.

During this period, the Firebirds under 18s team won ACT championships in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2013. The 1999 championship was as the University Rockets - a joint venture with the ACT Astros side then competing in the NSW Gridiron League.

The championship seasons

The Firebirds' first championship came in 1994 when it finished the regular season with an 8-0 record, followed by a 28-0 victory over the Belconnen Thunderbolts in Capital Bowl II. The dominance of the team was reflected in the fact that the offence scored more than 300 points, while the defence conceded only 20 points throughout the regular season. The Firebirds recorded six shutouts, with a seventh in the Capital Bowl. Quarterback Chris Laughlin was named ACT Gridiron MVP, while Tight End Bryan Hann was named Team MVP. Both were exchange students from the United States. The side was coached by John Etminan.

An 11-year championship drought ensued before the Firebirds claimed a second title in 2005 with a 15-14 overtime win against the Astros in Capital Bowl XIII. With the score tied at 7-all at the end of regulation, the Astros scored a touchdown on the first drive of overtime, with the successful PAT giving them a 14-7 lead. The Firebirds responded with a 10-yard touchdown run by slot receiver Andrew Jackson. Head coach Shawn Willis decided to go for a two-point conversion. Running a counter to the right, running back Travis Ford cut back up the middle and into the endzone for the winning points. Ford was named Capital Bowl MVP with 40 carries for 121 yards and one TD.

The Firebirds followed up in 2006 with the club’s second perfect season, posting an 8-0 regular-season record and a 19-7 victory over the Tuggeranong Tornadoes in Capital Bowl XIV. Travis Ford won a second consecutive Capital Bowl MVP with 212 rushing yards and one TD on 23 carries. He also recorded six total tackles and one interception as middle linebacker.

A third consecutive title came from the Firebirds' 12-6 double-overtime win over the Tornadoes in Capital Bowl XV. With less than three minutes remaining, the Firebirds were trailing 6-0 and faced with a fourth down and five near midfield. Quarterback Luke Job successfully ran an option left and pitched to running back Travis Ford, who ran for a 10-yard gain. After Job scrambled for another first down, he hit receiver Mark Skinner with a 21-yard touchdown pass to tie the score. Job won the game in the second period of overtime with a 20-yard scramble for touchdown around the left end.

Firebirds Head Coach Shawn Willis became the first coach in ACT Gridiron history to win four consecutive championships in 2008 as the Firebirds beat the Tornadoes 21-6 in Capital Bowl XVI. The Firebirds lost league-leading rusher and 2008 ACT Gridiron MVP Jeremy Milne to a broken leg early in the second quarter when leading 7-6, but used touchdown runs by back-up David Hicks and fullback Reece Cheater to secure the win. Firebirds quarterback Luke Job was named Capital Bowl MVP.

The Firebirds' sixth championship came with a 28-11 win over the Woden Valley Gladiators to close out a 9-1 season in 2010. Jeremy Milne was named Capital Bowl XVIII MVP after racking up 157 total yards (133 rushing, 24 receiving) and one touchdown off 17 touches (13 carries, four receptions). Quarterback Luke Job threw two touchdown passes to receiver Beau Kennett and scored another on a one-yard sneak. Linebackers Reece Cheater and James Case each recorded 10 solo tackles.

The club's record seventh title - and sixth in seven years - came the following season with an 18-12 win over the Gungahlin Wildcats in Capital Bowl XIX. Despite losing four-time ACT Gridiron MVP Jeremy Milne to an ankle injury in the second quarter, the Firebirds built an 18-0 lead with less than five minutes remaining. The Wildcats scored two late touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to snatch the win. Free safety and back-up running back Ian Lanham was named Capital Bowl MVP after rushing for 160 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, in addition to making three solo tackles. Milne ran for 80 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries before his injury.

Season records

Year	Win	Loss	Tie	Rank	Head Coach	Win	Loss	Result
2014	8	2	0	2nd	Nathan Long	1	1	Runners-up
2013	3	6	1	4th	Shawn Willis
2012	8	2	0	1st	Shawn Willis	0	1	Runners-up
2011	9	1	0	1st	Shawn Willis	1	0	Champions
2010	8	1	0	1st	Shawn Willis	1	0	Champions
2009	5	3	0	2nd	Shawn Willis	0	1	Semi-finalist
2008	6	2	0	2nd	Shawn Willis	2	0	Champions
2007	7	1	0	1st	Shawn Willis	1	0	Champions
2006	8	0	0	1st	Shawn Willis	1	0	Champions
2005	2	5	0	3rd	Shawn Willis	2	0	Champions
2004	7	1	1	1st	Shawn Willis	0	1	Runners-up
2003	4	5	0	3rd	Shawn Willis	0	1	Semi-finalist
2002	6	2	0	2nd	Shawn Willis	1	1	Runners-up
2001	2	7	0	4th	John Schofield (1-1), Shawn Willis (1-6)
2000	9	0	0	1st	John Schofield	0	1	Runners-up
1999	1	7	0	3rd	Ross Dorward
1998	3	4	0	2nd	Simon Clancy (1-0), Ross Dorward (2-4)	0	1	Semi-finalist
1997	6	3	0	1st	Simon Clancy	0	1	Runners-up
1996	-	-	-	-	No team entered
1995
1994	8	0	0	1st	John Etminan	1	0	Champions
1993	3	3	2	3rd	Ross Dorward	0	1	Semi-finalist

Team MVPs

Year	Player	Position
2014	Brent Williams	RB/LB
2013	Ian Lanham	RB/S
2012	Luke Job	QB
2011	Jeremy Milne	RB
2010	Ian Lanham	RB/TE/DE/DT
2009	Jeremy Milne	RB
2008	Jeremy Milne	RB
2007	Garry Coates	RB/WR/DB
2006	Luke Kominek (Job)	QB
2005	Chris Czerny	LG/DT
2004	Luke Kominek (Job)	QB
2003	Luke Kominek (Job)	QB
2002	Wayne Vickers	RB
2001	Chris Czerny	T/DL
2000	Simon Davis	WR/QB/KR
1999	Aaron Froud (offense)	RT
	Tim Silver (defense)	SS
1998	Nathan Long (offense)	RB
	Tim Silver (defense)	SS
1997	Adam Shain (offense)	RB
	Mike Chambers (defense)	LB

Representative honours

A number of Firebirds have gone on to represent Australia at both a Junior and Senior level.

Current Firebirds captain Sam Babic represented Australia in 2001 and 2003. He was selected as a center for the national team after his performances at the Gridiron Australia national championships in both years.

Travis Ford and Garry Coates were members of the Australian under 18s squad that played games against US all-star squads at the Down Under Bowl on the Gold Coast in 2004.

David Hicks, John Tolsher, Ben Collett, Garry Coates, David Wilkins and Jason Ray were all named in the Australian under 18s side following the 2006 National Junior Championships on the Gold Coast.

Sunny Dhindsa, John Tolsher, Sam Zielke, David Wilkins, Matt Lang, and Beau Kennett were all selected for the Australian Outback Junior Representative Squad that toured in Arizona and California in August 2008.

Linebacker James Tolsher was part of the Australian team for the World Cup qualifying match against New Zealand played in Canberra in January 2009. New Zealand won the match 12-7 to secure a place in the International Federation of American Football 2009 Junior World Cup.

Statistical leaders

Rushing yards

Career:

6,233 - Jeremy Milne

3,806 - Ian Lanham

3,102 - Andrew Jackson

Season:

1,646 - Jeremy Milne (2011)

1,638 - Brent Williams (2014)

1,533 - Ian Lanham (2013)

Game:

297 - Adam Shain (1997)

248 - Jeremy Milne (2011)

238 - Ian Lanham (2013)

Passing yards

Career:

7,286 - Luke Job

807 - Matt Cottrell

Season:

1,087 - Luke Job (2014)

1,022 - Luke Job (2012)

834 - Luke Job (2011)

Game:

230 - Luke Job (2009)

166 - Luke Job (2012)

158 - Luke Job (2014)

Receiving yards

Career:

1,368 - Mat Hatcher

940 - Beau Kennett

663 - Todd Pendergast

Season:

550 - Matt Hatcher (2004)

439 - Luke Freeman (2014)

437 - Beau Kennett (2012)

Game:

118 - Craig Sconce (2006)

113 - Tim Simpson (2011)

107 - Ronnie Carr (1997)

Receptions

Career:

80 - Beau Kennett

77 - Matt Hatcher

44 - Todd Pendergast

37 - Ross Dorward*

Season:

32 - Beau Kennett (2012)

31 - Luke Freeman (2014)

25 - Ross Dorward (2000)

Touchdowns

Career:

74 - Jeremy Milne

43 - Ian Lanham

42 - Luke Job

Season:

23 - Brent Williams (2014)

18 - Jeremy Milne (2008)

17 - Jeremy Milne (2011)

Game:

5 - Jeremy Milne (2010)

5 - Brent Williams (2014)

5 - Ian Lanham (2014)

Tackles (combined)

Career:

407 - Tim Silver*

259 - Dan Simpson

250 - Sam Babic

Season:

73 - Dan Simpson (2007)

64 - Reece Cheater (2011)

58 - Dan Simpson (2009)

Sacks

Career:

14.5 - Chris Czerny

11 - Sam Babic

8.5 - Brendan Morrissey

7.5 - Andrew Cumpston*

Season:

4 - Chris Czerny (2002)

4 - Sam Babic (2002)

3.5 - Chris Czerny (2005)

3.5 - Dan Simpson (2007)

Interceptions

Career:

16 - Ian Lanham

11 - Dan Simpson

9 - Jonathan McCaskill

9 - Tim Silver

Season:

6 - Joel Hennessy (2008)

5 - Dan Simpson (2004)

5 - Dan Simpson (2006)

5 - Jonathan McCaskill (2006)

5 - Ian Lanham (2014)

Game:

4 - Jonathan McCaskill (2006)

3 - Dan Simpson (2006)

3 - Nathan Long (2007)

(*) indicates that a player’s record may be higher and is likely to be adjusted as pre-1997 interception and pre-1998 tackle statistics become available.

External links

University of Canberra Firebirds website