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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
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