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UBC Thunderbirds football facts for kids

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UBC Thunderbirds
UBC Thunderbirds Football Logo.png
UBC Thunderbirds logo
First season 1923
Athletic director Kavie Toor
Head coach Blake Nill
9th year, 40–30–0  (.571)
Other staff Stevenson Bone (OC), Pat Tracey (DC)
Home stadium Thunderbird Stadium
Year built 1967
Stadium capacity 3,411
Stadium surface Polytan LigaTurf
Location UBC Point Grey Campus, British Columbia
League U Sports
Conference CWUAA (1972–present)
Past associations Western Intercollegiate Football League, Western Intercollegiate Football Union, Evergreen Football League
All-time record – 
Postseason record – 
Titles
Vanier Cups 4
1982, 1986, 1997, 2015
Uteck Bowls 1
2015
Mitchell Bowls 1
2023
Churchill Bowls 3
1978, 1986, 1987
Atlantic Bowls 2
1982, 1997
Hardy Cups 17
1929, 1931, 1933, 1938,
1939, 1945, 1959, 1961,
1962, 1976, 1978, 1982,
1986, 1987, 1997, 2015,
2023
Hec Crighton winners 3
Jordan Gagner, Mark Nohra, Billy Greene
Colours Blue and Gold
         
Fight song Hail U.B.C.
Outfitter Adidas
Rivals Calgary Dinos
Simon Fraser Red Leafs

The UBC Thunderbirds football team plays for the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are part of U Sports, which is the top level for university sports in Canada.

The Thunderbirds have won the CWUAA conference championship, called the Hardy Trophy, 17 times. This is the third-highest number of wins ever! On a national level, they have won the Vanier Cup championship four times. These big wins happened in 1982, 1986, 1997, and most recently in 2015. They also played in the final game twice but lost, in 1978 and 1987.

Some amazing players from the Thunderbirds have won the Hec Crighton Trophy. This award goes to the best university football player in Canada. The winners from UBC are Jordan Gagner (1987), Mark Nohra (1997), and Billy Greene (2011).

Recent Team Adventures

After a few tough seasons from 2007 to 2010, the UBC team had a great year in 2011. They won 6 out of 8 games and made it to the Hardy Cup championship. Their quarterback, Billy Greene, even won the Hec Crighton Award that year!

However, there was a problem. A player who wasn't supposed to play was on the team for all eight games. Because of this, UBC had to give up all their wins and playoff results from that year. The school also had to pay a fine. This made it hard for the team to keep up their progress, and they didn't make the playoffs for a few more years.

Sean-ortiz
Thunderbird player Sean Ortiz in 2007.

In 2013, the team started to get back on track. They won 4 games and had a strong defense. Their running back, Brandon Deschamps, was one of only three players in Canada to run for over 1,000 yards! They lost in the semi-finals to the Calgary Dinos. In 2014, they had another tough year, winning only 2 games.

Then, in 2015, something big happened! UBC hired Blake Nill, who was a very successful coach from the Calgary Dinos. Coach Nill quickly brought in new talent, including quarterback Michael O'Connor. Michael was even ranked as one of the best young quarterbacks by ESPN!

With Coach Nill leading the way, the Thunderbirds had an amazing 2015 season. They won 6 games and finished second in their conference. In the playoffs, they surprised everyone! They beat the strong Calgary Dinos in the Hardy Cup. Then, they won their first-ever Uteck Bowl game against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. This win sent them to the national championship!

In the 51st Vanier Cup championship, the Thunderbirds played against the defending champions, the Montreal Carabins. It was a super close game! UBC scored a field goal right at the end of the game to win! This was UBC's fourth Vanier Cup, which tied them with the Calgary Dinos for the most wins among teams in their conference.

Team Rivalries

The Thunderbirds used to have a big local rivalry with Simon Fraser University (SFU). Their teams, the Simon Fraser Clan, are from the same area. They played each other in a special game called the Shrum Bowl. This game was named after Gordon Shrum.

For a while, the teams didn't play each other because SFU joined a different sports league (the NCAA). But they played a special exhibition game in 2010. After many years, they played again in 2022. Another game was planned for 2023, but it was canceled because SFU stopped its football program.

National Playoff Games

The UBC Thunderbirds have a strong record in national playoff games. They have won 7 out of 8 national semi-final games! In the biggest game, the Vanier Cup, they have won 4 times and lost 3 times.

Team Leaders: Head Coaches

Many coaches have led the UBC Thunderbirds football team over the years. Here are some of them:

  • Gordon Burke (1923–1936)
  • Maury Van Vliet (1937–1941)
  • Greg Kabat (1945–1947)
  • Don Coryell (1953–1954)
  • Frank Gnup (1955–1972)
  • Frank Smith (1974–1994)
  • Blake Nill (2015–present)

Awards and Special Recognitions

The Thunderbirds team and its players have won many important awards!

National Awards

  • Hec Crighton Trophy: This award is for the best university football player in Canada. Winners: Jordan Gagner (1987), Mark Nohra (1997), Billy Greene (2011).
  • J. P. Metras Trophy: This award is for the best lineman in Canada. Winners: Tyson St. James (1999), Theo Benedet (2022, 2023).
  • Presidents' Trophy: This award is for the best defensive player. Winners: Mike Emery (1981, 1982), Mark Norman (1986).
  • Peter Gorman Trophy: This award is for the best rookie (first-year player). Winner: Glen Steele (1981).
  • Russ Jackson Award: This award recognizes a player for their football skills, academics, and community work. Winner: Nathan Beveridge (2004).
  • Frank Tindall Trophy: This award is for the Coach of the Year. Winners: Frank Smith (1978, 1987).

UBC Team Awards

  • Michael O'Connor was named UBC Thunderbirds Male Athlete of the Year in 2016 (he shared the award).
  • The 2016 team won the du Vivier UBC Team of the Year Award.

UBC Hall of Fame

Some Thunderbirds have been honored by being added to the UBC Hall of Fame:

  • Jordan Gagner (Quarterback) was added in 2016.
  • Akbal Singh was added in 2021.

Thunderbirds in Professional Football

Many former UBC Thunderbirds players have gone on to play professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and even the National Football League (NFL)!

Playing in the CFL

As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, these former Thunderbirds were playing professionally:

Playing in the NFL

As of the start of the 2024 NFL season, these former UBC players were on NFL teams:

Images for kids

  • Sean-ortiz

    Thunderbird player Sean Ortiz in 2007.

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