Essex Blades
{{BCAFL team |
name = Essex Blades |
logo = Essexblades.jpg|
year = 2001-2002 |
colors = Black & Red |
universities = [[University of Essex]] |
stadium = Boundary Road Stadium, University of Essex |
division = Southern Conference-Eastern Division |
record = 19-25-3 |
playoff record = 1-2-0 |
no_play_apps = 2
| no_div_champs = 1
| no_conf_champs = 0
| no_league_champs = 0
| play_apps= 2005, 2007
| div_champs = 2007
| conf_champs = n/a
| league_champs = n/a
}}
The '''Essex Blades''' are a member of the [[British Universities American Football League (BUAFL)]]'s Southern Conference-Eastern Division. The Blades have shown steady improvement since entering the BCAFL in 2001-02, earning the first playoff appearance in team history in the 2004-05 season, while, also becoming BCAFL Team of the Year.
==Varsity Teams==
The Blades most storied rivalry is with the [[UEA Pirates]], due partially to their proximity and with whom they play an annual "Derby Day" match for the "Pride of East Anglia" (PEA) Bowl. which is equivalent to other universities' Varsity fixtures and which is a non-BCAFL affair.
The Pirates won the first 11 league and bowl encounters between the two, however Essex finally gained the upper hand in 2006, winning both the league fixture and PEA Bowl V. The series currently stands at 3-11-0 in the Pirates' favour.
===Results===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Home/Away
! Score
! W/L/T
|-
| 2000-01
| Away
|
| L
|-
| 2001-02
| Home
|
| L
|-
| 2002-03
| Home
|
| L
|-
| 2004-05
| Away
| 27-28
| L
|-
| 2005-06
| Home
| 25-14
| W
|-
| 2006-07
| Home
| 36-7
| W
|-
|}
==Blades In BCAFL==
In 1998 it had looked like Andrew Laing, long time player/coach from Norwich was going to move to Essex for a new job. He mentioned to some people that he had A Plan to start a BCAFL team at the [[University of Essex]] (this was a bit of a strange thing to say, as he had never even visited Essex University). About the only part of this plan Andy seemed to have clear was the team would be called "The Tempests" because he knew where he could borrow some shirts with that name on them. The job fell through, and Andy chose to stay in Norwich for another year.
In September 1999 Rob Seal did leave Norwich and began studying at Essex. Rob had heard rumours that Andy was trying to start a team, so contacted the [[UEA Pirates]] trying to get in touch with him. Andy, forgot to reply to Rob's email and the whole idea seemed to have lost any momentum.
In April 2000 Andy's wife did get a job in Essex, and he persuaded her to move to Chelmsford, because he thought that was where Essex University was. Andy then discovered that Essex University was in Colchester and again the idea seemed to lose momentum.
November 2000 and Martin Boffey (UEA 1998-2001, Blades 2001-2003) comes to visit Andy and mentions off hand the old plan to start a team at Essex. Andy suddenly (and for no apparent reason) kicked into action. He printed some quick posters up and he and Martin went to the campus and put them up. A week passed and then some phone calls and emails began to come in from prospective players (For the record Ado Cooper was first, with Rob Seal not far behind). Andy agreed to meet Ado a week later and a second round of posters went up announcing an un-official practice.
10 guys turned up for the first practice, the only equipment was two balls, and there was no kit. After the practice, a team meeting was held and a committee was elected (Rob Seal was elected president, Ado Cooper Secretary, Simon Wesley treasurer and Darren Over Social Secretary). Also the team name was chosen and "The Blades" was created. The ten guys also agreed to play a "friendly" against UEA set for Dec 2000 (just three weeks on).
===Season-by-Season Record===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Win
! Loss
! Tie
! Finish
! Playoffs
|-
| 2001-02
| 0
| 7
| 1
| 5th
| N/A
|-
| 2002-03
| 0
| 8
| 0
| 5th
| N/A
|-
| 2003-04
| 3
| 4
| 1
| 3rd
| N/A
|-
| 2004-05
| 5
| 3
| 0
| 3rd
| Lost Wildcard against Birmingham Lions
|-
| 2005-06
| 4
| 3
| 1
| 3rd
| N/A
|-
| 2006-07
| 8
| 0
| 0
| 1st
| Beat Brighton (home). 2nd round lost to Bristol (home)
|}
==Coaching==
Now becoming a fully established franchise in the South East Division the Blades have seen many members of coaching through their doors.
===Current Coaching Staff===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
! Years
! Extra Coaching
|-
| Head Coach
| Neil O'Hare
| 5
| Offensive Coordinator
|-
| Defensive Coordinator
| Matt Roberts
| 5
|-
| Special Teams Coordinator
| Matt Excell
| 2
| Quarter Backs
|-
| O-Line
| Tarquin Stephenson
| 2
|
|-
| D-Line
| James R. Martin
| 2
|
|-
| Line Backers
| Duncan Flack
| 2
|
|-
| Strength and Conditioning
| Mike Barks
| 1
|
|-
| Special Teams Assistant
| Tommy Clark
| 1
|
|}
===Head Coaches===
====Andy Laing - 2000-03====
Record 0-15-1
Bio
Installed the disastorous triple option and was fired for being inept.
Now at ARU Phantoms where the triple option has been revived, unfortunately for them.
====Kevin Sharman - 2003-05====
Record 8-7-1
Bio
Coach Kevin Sharman lead the team to their first win, first winning season and first play off appearance. They were sadly knocked out by the Birmingham Lions at the first stage, who then continued to the College Bowl XIX.
Sharman took the decision to step down after the season to pursue other endeavours.
====Neil O'Hare - 2005-Present====
Record 13-4-1
Bio
The Current Blades HC. O'Hare has a gleaming resume of titles and awards won as both a player and a coach, mainly with Tiptree Titans and Colchester Gladiators. He is a disciple of former [[Kutztown State University|Kutztown State]] and Colchester Gladiators Coach George Baldwin and installed his variant of the Wing-T system to keep the Blades winning record, whilst narrowly missing out on a Playoff berth in the 2005-06 campaign. The 2006-07 campaign saw a breakout year for the Blades winning their first ever division title with an undefeated 8-0 regular season. The Blades went on to win the first playoff game in team history before bowing out to eventual College Bowl champion Bristol in the conference semi-finals.
==Current Players==
{| class="toccolours" style="border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
|colspan=7 align="right" |{{Tnavbar|Essex Blades Roster|plain=1|nodiv=1}}
|-
|valign="top"|
'''Quarterbacks'''
* 7 Steve Montgomery
*10 Alex Robinson
'''Running backs'''
*28 Phill Pearson
*29 Matt Excell
*38 Leo Beckford
*39 Tom Wright
'''Receivers'''
*9 Dmitry Kovalev
*13 Matt Bellamy
*81 Tom Clarke
*88 Tom Reeve
*85 Mike Revell TE
*84 Nick Petri
*89 Adam Pearson TE
|width="25"|
|valign="top"|
'''Kickers/Punters'''
* 39 Tom Wright Kick off
* 24 Jamie Doyle P/FG
'''Offensive line'''
*54 Steve Ditmore T
*60 Martin Le Page G
*62 Adam Burrows T
*66 Oli Cowell-Smith G
*68 James Groombridge T
*74 George Meighan G
*75 Tom Handscomb C
*77 Pete Hannon G
'''Defensive line'''
*34 Christian Tshiala
*58 Mike Barks DT
*70 Chris Baker DT
*71 Ben Fousset DE
*91 Rich Pione DE
*99 James Morgan DE
|width="25"|
|valign="top"|
'''Linebackers'''
*13 Drew Hood
*25 Darren Dennis
*40 Paul Chin
*44 Thomaz Abraham
*51 John Ellis
*52 Steve O'Callaghan
'''Defensive backs'''
*20 Rich Yardsley CB
*22 Chris Mayhew CB
*24 Jamie Doyle FS
*32 Karl Gallagher CB
*33 Ross Gabriel SS
*35 Oli Knott CB
|width="25"|
|valign="top"|
'''Injured reserve'''
*37 Eberechi Esesonu RB
==Awards==
===2006-07===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Award
! Position (if applicable)
|-
! Mike Revell
! Rookie of the Year
! TE
|-
! Mike Barks
! Line MVP
! DL
|-
! Tom Handscomb
! Most Improved Player
! OL/DL
|-
! Steve O'Callaghan
! Special Teams MVP
! LS
|-
! Rich Yarsley
! Defensive MVP
! CB
|-
! Matt Excell
! Offensive MVP
! FB
|-
! Leon Beckford
! Overall MVP
! RB
|-
! James Morgan
! Players Player
! DE/LB
|-
|}
===2005-06===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Award
! Position (if applicable)
|-
| Leo Beckford
| Rookie of the Year
| RB
|-
| Steve O'Callaghan
| Line MVP
| OL/DL
|-
| Phill Pearson
| Most Improved Player
| RB
|-
| Gareth Waterhouse
| Special Teams MVP
| K/P
|-
| Darren Dennis
| Defensive MVP
| LB
|-
| Matt Excell
| Offensive MVP
| RB
|-
| Gareth Waterhouse
| Overall Team MVP
| K/P/LB/QB/DL...
|-
| Gareth Waterhouse
| Player's Player
| K/P/LB/QB/DL...
|-
| Chris Stewart
| Publicity Award
| OL
|-
|}
===2004-05===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Award
! Position (if applicable)
|-
| John Bragaglia
| Overall Team MVP
| OG/DT
|-
| George Askew
| Defensive MVP
| DE
|-
| Matt Excell
| Offensive MVP
| RB
|-
| John Bragaglia
| Line MVP
| OG/DT
|-
| Mike Thompson
| Special Teams MVP
| DB
|-
| Jon Finney
| Most Improved Player
| C
|-
| Steve O'Callaghan
| Rookie Of The Year
| OT
|-
| Mike Thompson
| Players' Player
| DB
|-
|}
==External links==
*[http://www.bcafl.org BCAFL]
*[http://www.essexblades.com/ Essex Blades] Official Site
[[Category:British Collegiate American Football League teams]]
[[Category:University of Essex]]