Gridiron Australia Ltd P.O. Box 551 Parramatta NSW 2124 Vol 1 2007 www.gridironaustralia.org.au NEWSLETTER GA Board We are Marshall Michael Ryan Chairman, GNSW July 4th saw the release of the great new movie, We Are Marshall. Stephen Komnacki Finance, ACTG We Are Marshall tells the tragic but inspiring true story of one of the worst disasters in college sports history. In 1970, on a flight back from Russell Goodwin one of their games, a plane carrying 75 members of the Marshall Secretary, GASA University Football team, including the coaching staff and players plus fans of the team, crashes on approach to the town killing all on board. Paul Manera The only surviving members of the team included coach Red Dawson AGCA who unexpectedly decided to come home by another route so as to visit a potential draft for the team, and 4 players who did not take the trip due to injury etc. Garry Wilson Gridiron Victoria Under the direction of Coach Jack Lengyel, the only coach who wanted to take the job, the Marshall University Thundering Heard against all odds, take to the field. The opposition included Gert Boogerd the towns people, the school board and even the NCAA who did not allow for freshmen to play Gridiron West under their rules. CONT. PAGE 2 Tony Martin Welcome NSW Coach Wins Top IFAF Award AGOA Welcome to the first edition of the official newsletter of . As what will become a regular publication for all members of Gridiron Australia, we will attempt to bring you all the news of gridiron from not only around Australia, but from around the world. If you have any interesting stories or news that you would like to see included in the newsletter, then drop us a line at [email protected]

Junior Nationals

The Queensland Sundevils have again taken Peter Upham, a coach with the Sutherland out the GA Junior National Championships 2 Seahawks has won an IFAF Youth Coach of nationals running. In a thrilling game and the Year Award, one of only five awarded by capping off a great junior tournament, the IFAF for nominations received from around Sundevils defeated the ACT Monarchs 32 to the World. Peter was nominated by Gridiron 8 CONT. PAGE 2 Australia.

U.H. Coach visits Junior Peter has had a long involvement in the sport of Nationals Gridiron since first playing the sport in 1996 at the age of 17 with the Sutherland Seahawks.

Coach Rich Miano from the University of He first started out in his club’s team in the Hawaii was a guest at the recent Junior Gridiron NSW Colts under 21 competition. While Nationals, not only attending the tournament most of his playing experience has been at wide but also conducting coaching clinics and was receiver, like many players he has played just the guest speaker at the Tournament dinner. about everywhere at some time or another. “I’ve CONT. PAGE 3 played a few games at CONT. PAGE 2 NSW Coach Wins Top IFAF Award from page 1 We Are Marshall from Page 1

Quarterback and spent a lot of time as the team backup. I really enjoyed playing We Are Marshall has a great cast Corner Back during 2001 and 2002 when I really started to learn more about including Matthew McConoughey getting better as a player and I’ve logged time at Linebacker, Safety, Tight End, (Sahara, The Wedding Planner) as Fullback and Long Snapper during my time on the field”. coach Jack Lengyel and Matthew Fox (TV’s Lost) as Coach Red Dawson as Peter first started coaching in 2000 with a newly formed 6 man development well as great performances from a competition that had begun in NSW. It would be for under 18 players, and at that support cast some of who are unknown. time his state was running Colts as under 21’s, so it was going to create a third tier of football. “It was a very successful endeavour. It was the first exposure to the While the film revolves around a gridiron game for the players and my first attempt at coaching. I had one assistant but team, the film is not about football and otherwise coached every position, called all the plays, learnt about 6 man rules could have been about any sporting and helped develop it along with the other teams for our state. At that time I was team. The film tells of the emotion felt also getting into officiating in a big way so I was learning a lot about every part of by the loss of loved ones under such the sport all at once”. tragic circumstances, but also of the truly inspirational things that can be From that experience he focused on Youth Football which continues today. I spent done to overcome all odds. There is a lot of time and money with the help of others at the club who really did put their some great football action, very money where their mouth was to set up three Junior 6 man teams at the club. In humorous scenes, and scenes that will addition to this I was working hard at developing our Colts football team and by make you want to cheer. You will laugh 2003 it had come together with proper coaching, equipment and player resources and you will cry but above all you will be to begin a very successful run of four straight Colts football Championships. inspired by a story that shows what real determination can achieve. In that time I had continued to coach multiple positions, brought along several assistant coaches and by 2005 really had a great program established where I As part of the release, Civic Video is could act as the Head Coach and was delegating responsibilities to a staff. “It took giving away prizes as part of the an enormous amount of work and I have to thank my fellow coach Robert Veitch promotion. Just rent of buy We are who really stood by me during that time”. Marshall at Civic for a chance to win a full size Marshall helmet, Marshall I asked Peter how he found working with youth in the sport and what he found was Jersey and an authentic Wilson football the difference between coaching Junior and Senior football? plus DVD’s. For full details, go to www.civicvideo.com.au or visit one of “One of the hard things for me personally is coaching guys who are the same age their many stores. or older than you when involved in Senior football. Its probably why I’ve gravitated to spending more time and effort in Youth Football. I find players who are still in Gridiron Australia will also be giving school are also still in the habit of being coachable and following directions more. lucky visitors to their website, the As players age in amateur sport, its easy to start spending more time as an chance to win copies of the “We Are individual and being used to following your own free will, not spending any of your Marshall” DVD’s. For your chance to day in a chain of command environment. I also see youth football as of greater win, simply visit the Gridiron Australia service to the development of the sport in Australia, not to mention that on an website and answer the question there. individual basis you have an opportunity to benefit young men in a positive way. www.gridironaustralia.org.au

Peter currently works in Aged Care as well as running a partnership coaching Strength and Conditioning business before and after school and in the evenings. New GA Website, On Line “In the next few weeks I’ll be launching a few new elements to the business and start attacking it in a way that will hopefully mean I can do it full time.” For a great new look and style, go to www.gridironaustralia.org.au today. As part of winning the award, Peter will be attending the NFL Youth Summit to be held in Canton Ohio, from July 24-27, courtesy of the NFL.

Junior Nationals from Page 1

The Junior Nationals were again held on the Gold Coast with 5 participating teams from Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victorian and WA.

The surprise team of the competition was the WA Raiders making their first appearance at a junior nationals. After a shaky start against the ACT Monarchs, and going down heavily to the NSW wolverines 35 - 0, they came out firing on all cylinders to beat the Victorian Eagles 41 - 0. Their final game against the Sundevils proved that they had come to play in a close 8 - 6 in favour of the Sundevils, who went on to take the championship

The competition ran over 7 days with each team competing against every other team. In juniors, the national championship is decided by the overall winner and not by holding a championship game at the end of the tournament. The tournament also saw the teams and players participate in other activities including coaching clinics conducted by Rich Miano a visiting coach from the University of Hawaii. Junior Outback Squad Holds their own

Recently the National Junior Outback team participated in the Down Under Bowl against visiting US teams. Game 1 saw our team take on a combined team from UTAH/California doing it hard going down 33 - 0. Game 2 saw a much more improved team taking on a combined North and South Dakota going down with a 14 to 7 score line.

The team of 30 players from around the country, was under the direction of Head Coach Peter Toss, with Rocco Bosco, Dennis Caceres, as assistant coaches and Dianne Gooding from the ACT as the team trainer. Players were chosen from competing teams in the 2006 GA Junior Nationals held on the Gold Coast.

The Down Under Bowl which commenced in 1989 and now in its 19th years, is a great event which offers Australian players and teams the opportunity to gain experience playing visiting US teams and is run by ISSI. Team Leaders of the squad (pictured) were Warren Zirkler, Damien Molloy, Jayden Pilling, Simon DeDonato and Matt Bondin, each received a copy of the We Are Marshall Video featured on the front page. MVP’s for the tour were Warren Zirkler (ACT), Damien Molloy (Qld), Jayden Pilling (NSW), Simon DeDonato (Vic), Matt Bondin (NSW).

Positions Vacant U.H. Coach visits Junior Nationals From Page 1 State Head Coach Adelaide. GASA is currently seeking applications Rich Miano currently coaches the secondary and will for the position of Head Coach of the begin his ninth season as an assistant coach on the SA Fire, for the 2008 senior nationals. University of Miami Warrior’s staff. Applications should be in writing stating experience and qualifications Rich, a former NFL safety, built his playing career by for the position, along with a broad being an overachiever. He has brought that same grit coaching plan for lead up to the and determination to the field now as a coach. Nationals. Rich, who walked-on to the Warrior football team in Applications to be received no later 1982, quickly made a name for himself. By the time his than close of business 30 July 2007 at collegiate career ended in 1984, Miano was a two-time Unit 3/4 Williams Avenue Plympton all-Western Athletic Conference pick. SA 5038 or [email protected] That type of work ethic and attitude is what the 43-year-old secondary coach tries to instill in his young Warriors. In the past seven seasons, he has built the secondary out of overachieving walk-ons like Nate Jackson and Jacob Espiau who established News from around the themselves as impact players and earned all-WAC honors as walk-ons. country This section will be dedicated to what In the last eight seasons, the secondary has recorded 83 interceptions, including is happening in across the country in all 12 of the team’s total in 2000. They have recorded 14 defensive touchdowns, the gridiron community. If your state compiled 254 pass break-ups, and 45 forced fumbles. has any interesting stories, then let us know and we’ll let the everyone else Rich’s coaching career blossomed from a successful playing career and a certain know. willingness to help others. The Kaiser High School graduate was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets in 1985 and enjoyed an 11-year career in the National Football League. Rich played for Warrior head coach June Jones in Atlanta AGCA Enters into an in 1996. Agreement with Football Between each NFL off-season, Rich returned to Honolulu and held camps and Canada clinics for aspiring young football players and trained with some to help improve The AGCA has entered into a deal their skill level. with Football Canada to use their Coaching Educational resources to Working with players like Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Fuamatu- deliver the AGCA Coaching Ma‘afala during the off-season has helped Rich develop into a player’s coach. His Accreditation Program. The AGCA experience, knowledge and love for the game are all aspects of Rich’s success can now offer level 1,2 and 3 as a player and coach as well. Accreditation for Gridiron Coaches All over Australia. The AGCA is also He was certainly a highlight at the junior nationals, one that will be remembered looking into the possibility of doing the by many of our young aspiring players. course by correspondence to provide access to coaches who live in Rich was accompanied at the junior nationals by his beautiful fiancee, Lori Bennett regional areas. and their son, Richard James Kalanikupa‘a. The currently reside in Hawai‘i Kai.