South Wales Warriors

American football club
name = South Wales Warriors
founded = 1993
helmet


city = Sully, Vale of Glamorgan
h_pattern_h =_af
h_pattern_la =
h_pattern_b =_black_nzfc_shoulders
h_pattern_ra =
h_pattern_p =
h_pattern_s =_af
h_helmet =000000
h_leftarm =008800
h_body =008800
h_rightarm =008800
h_pants =000000
h_socks =000000
h_title =Home kit
a_pattern_h =_af
a_pattern_la =
a_pattern_b =_black_nzfc_shoulders
a_pattern_ra =
a_pattern_p =
a_pattern_s =_af
a_helmet =000000
a_leftarm =FFFFFF
a_body =FFFFFF
a_rightarm =FFFFFF
a_pants =000000
a_socks =FFFFFF
a_title =Away kit
uniform =
owner =
chairman =
manager =
coach =Tim Macy
mascot =
division_hist =
*British Senior League
**Division Two South West (1996-1998)
**Division Two South (1999, 2001-2004)
*British American Football League
**Division Two South West (2005-)
hist_misc =
* Tiger Bay Warriors (1993-1999)
hist_yr =2001
hist_misc2 =
no_league_champs =0
league_champs =
no_div_champs =0
div_champs =
no_conf_champs =3
conf_champs =1999, 2007, 2008
no_playoffs =6
playoffs =1996, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006
stadium_years =
*Canton Rugby Club, Cardiff (1996-2005)
*The Bridge Field (Bedwas RFC) (2006-2007)
*Sully Sports & Leisure Club, Sully (2008)
website =http://www.southwaleswarriors.co.uk/

The South Wales Warriors (formerly the Tiger Bay Warriors) are an American Football team currently competing in the South West Conference of British American Football League (BAFL) Division 2. They play their home games at the Sully Sports & Leisure Centre, at Sully, near Barry. In the 2007 season the South Wales Warriors recorded a 9 wins to 1 loss record and were crowned champions of their conference, but failed to gain promotion after losing their playoff semi-final to the eventual divisional champions, the Norwich Devils.

History

Tiger Bay Warriors (1993 to 2000)

The club was formed in 1993 as the Tiger Bay Warriors, and started out as a Junior Flag team.cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/Tiger%20Bay%20Warriors.htm | title=Teams: Tiger Bay Warriors | publisher=Britball Now | accessdate=2008-03-10] They were accepted into Junior Division Two Touch and recorded a 4-0-0 record in the regular season (including one postponed game against the Gloucester Gladiators which was awarded to the Warriors) before narrowly losing the bowl game 6–8 to the London Capitals. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Results/1993results.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1993 Season | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-02-27] [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1993TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1993 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-02-27]

The following two years saw the Warriors playing at Youth Kitted level. The 1994 season saw them top the BYAFA South East Division with a perfect 8-0 record and reaching the playoff semi-final. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1994TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1994 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13] In 1995, they recorded a 2-3 season in the Southern Division but still managed to reach the playoffs, losing 0–8 to the London Capitals in their quarter-final. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1995TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1995 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

The decision was then taken to move up to senior level, and the Warriors were duly admitted to the Southwest Conference of the British Senior League's third division. Their experience in their previous youth tournaments seemed to serve them well as their first season at this level saw them post an 8-2 record, finishing second in their conference. They went on the reach the playoff semi-final before losing to the eventual divisional champions, the Winchester Rifles. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1996TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1996 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2007-04-13 | accessdate=2008-03-13] 1997 saw them reach the playoffs once again after finishing second in their conference, only to be forced to withdraw from their playoff match against the PA Knights due to an acute player shortage. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1997TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1997 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

As with the year before, the Warriors finished the 1998 regular season in second place, tied with the Southern Sundevils with a 7-1 record but with an inferior points difference. As a result they lost home advantage for their playoff match and this proved crucial as they went down by a single point to the London Mets. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1998TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1998 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13] The following year, they once again finished the regular season with a 7-1 record tied with the Hertfordshire Stags and the Sabres, but they avoided last season's disappointment by finishing top on points difference. This paid off as they made it all the way to the divisional play-off final before losing a tight final game against the Chester Romans by just two points. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1999TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 1999 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

Unfortunately the Warriors were unable to build on this success. After losing several key players and the services of Head Coach Rob Mota, they were forced to withdraw from the league in 2000.

outh Wales Warriors (2001 to present)

In 2001, the team was reformed as the South Wales Warriors and were re-admitted into the British Senior League to compete in Division Two South. After a year out of action, they found the going tougher and finished with a 2-5-1 record. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2001TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2001 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13] The following two seasons repeated this pattern, with the Warriors finishing with 3-6 and 5-5 records in 2002 and 2003 respectively. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2002TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2002 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13] [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2003TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2003 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2005-12-20 | accessdate=2008-03-13] However, 2004 saw a vast improvement and they finished second in their group with a 7-2-1 record, making the playoffs for the first time since reforming. Unfortunately, they were knocked out at the first stage, losing their quarter-final 6–30 to the Chiltern Cheetahs. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2004TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2004 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2006-01-02 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

This feat was repeated in 2005, finishing the regular season in second place before losing their playoff quarter-final. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2005TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2005 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2006-01-02 | accessdate=2008-03-13] In 2006, the Warriors once again finished in second place, cliching their spot on the last matchday of the regular season with a 27–21 win away to the Andover Thrashers. They were drawn at home to the Essex Spartans for their wildcard playoff. However, the visitors complained to BAFRA (British American Football Referee's Association) that the pitch at Bedwas RFC was too short, and therefore did not comply with league rules. After consultations between the two teams, the game was played as normal but the BAFL decided afterwards that the Warriors would forfeit the game, and therefore the game was awarded to the Spartans as a 1–0 victory. [cite web | url=http://www.bafra.org/newsflash/200634.htm | title=BAFRA Newsflash - Issue 34/06 | date=2006-08-28 | accessdate=2008-03-13] [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2006TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2006 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2006-01-02 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

The 2007 season saw the Warriors get over their playoff disappointment in the best possible way, winning their group with a near-perfect 9-1 record to win their second ever conference championship. A tight 13–7 quarter-final win against the Cambridgeshire Cats set up a semi-final tie away to the Norwich Devils, who came into this game on the back of a perfect 10-0 regular season and a quarter-final win against the Cornish Sharks. Unfortunately for the Warriors they were unable to beat an impressive home team, going down 28–43. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/2007TABLES.xls | format=XLS | title=BAFL 2007 League Standings | publisher=Britball Now | date=2007-11-17 | accessdate=2008-03-13]

enior team season records

Ground

Shortly before the start of the 2008 season, the Warriors announced that they would be playing their home games at Sully Sports & Leisure Centre, located in the village of Sully, just outside Barry. They share this ground with a number of local sports teams including Sully rugby club and a baseball club. [cite web|url=http://www.bafl.org.uk/artman2/publish/WARRTB/Sully_Sports_Welcomes_the_Warriors.asp|title=Sully Sports Welcomes the Warriors|date=2008-04-22|publisher=South Wales Warriors|accessdate=2008-04-23] For the 2006 and 2007 seasons, the Warriors played their home matches at the Bridge Field, located in Bedwas, Caerphilly, which they shared with Bedwas rugby club

Before this, the team were based in Cardiff with most of their games played at Canton rugby club, and a few games also being played at Llanrumney Leisure Centre. Whilst operating as the Tiger Bay Warriors, the team also played at Channel View Leisure Centre and Roath Park, which is still used by the team today as a training ground. [cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/SouthWalesWarriors.htm | title=Teams: South Wales Warriors | publisher=Britball Now | accessdate=2008-03-13] [cite web | url=http://www.southwaleswarriors.co.uk/cgi-bin/swwarriors/baseweb2.exe?vid=72367&src=717 | title=South Wales Warriors: Find Us | accessdate=2008-03-13]

References

External links

* [http://www.southwaleswarriors.co.uk/cgi-bin/swwarriors/baseweb2.exe South Wales Warriors Official Web Site]