VANCOUVER - As the current edition of the Thunderbirds Football team wraps up training camp and prepares for the fast approaching Canada West regular season they'll be looking to tap into some inspiration from the program's storied past by celebrating two legendary T-Birds Vanier Cup Championship Teams on opening night. The T-Birds kickoff the 2022 season by hosting the Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday, September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at Thunderbird stadium and they're thrilled to be honouring both the 1982 and 1997 National Championship winning teams during a special halftime recognition. Many familiar faces and difference makers from days gone by will enjoy an important opportunity to catch up with former teammates and coaches to rehash fond memories from momentous times in their lives while also having the chance to salute supporters of the blue and gold. 


1982 Vanier Cup Champions



Widely considered as the greatest football team in CIAU history, the '82 Thunderbirds posted a perfect 8-0 regular season record becoming the first UBC football team in 43 years to record an undefeated Western Conference season. Led by the nation's leading running attack of Kent Bowling and Glenn Steele, record setting kicker Ken Munro and a defensive unit that didn't allow a touchdown in three consecutive league games. The T-Birds won the National Championship for the first time with a 39-14 victory over the OUA Champion Western Mustangs. Steele was named game MVP rushing for a Vanier Cup record 236-yards behind a stellar performance in the trenches by an offensive line that boasted Jerry Dobrovolny and Pieter VandenBos.



Defensively, the T-Birds were dominate led by the smothering secondary of Mark Beecroft and Lou DesLauriers, President's Trophy winner Mike Emery-LB and Steve Harrison-LB were named game MVP's while CIAU QB-sack leader Jason Riley-DE  dominated the line of scrimmage. The '82 Thunderbirds experienced a historic season – WIFL champions, Vanier Cup champions, Shrum Bowl champions and Sport BC's '82 Amateur Team-of-the-Year. From that team, an unprecedented 10-players were drafted by the CFL in '83, including a record five first-round picks. Over their careers the team would be credited with 41-conference all-Stars, 21-named to the 1980's all-Decade team, 16-named to the top-100 rankings, 14-CIAU all-Canadians. HC Frank Smith, stated his team's success was a product of its tremendous sense of togetherness, caring and family, its excellent over-all ability and the fact that it executed so very well.




 

1997 Vanier Cup Champions 



The T-birds entered the '97 fall camp with 16-returning starters including CIAU all-Canadians Mark Nohra-RB and Bob Beveridge-OL and an impressive offensive line which featured fifth-year seniors Jim Cooper and David Pol. Expectations were also high for the passing game led by Shawn Olson-QB, fifth-year all-purpose veteran Dino Camparmo and second-year star receiver Brad Coutts. The defence returned seven starters, and a new coach, Dave Johnson would lead a talented defensive unit. He quickly built one of the top defensive teams in CW anchored by a stout defensive front that included Alex Charles, Tyson St. James, Daaron McField, Stewart Scherck, and CW all-Stars Casey Souter and Dan Elliott.  The secondary returned several veterans including, Ryan McWhinney CW Rookie-of-the-Year, Chris Hoople, Art Tolhurst and Curtis Galick. The T-Birds finished the season at 5-2 in a first place tie with their conference rival Calgary. They rolled into the CW playoffs with the conferences #1 ranked defence and an explosive offence that could score at will. They captured the Hardy Cup with a 39-12 victory. Then traveled to Halifax for the Atlantic Bowl championship vs. the Mt. Allison Mounties. Olson, passed for 402-yards and 5-touchdowns in a 34-29 victory.  

Their Vanier Cup opponent was the OQIFC champion Ottawa Gee-Gees, a perennial national power. The game lived up to all the pre-game hype and media predictions, as both teams were loaded with future CFL players and had championship experience on the coaching staffs. The T-Bird defense was at their best, limiting the explosive Gee-Gee offence to 7-points for 3-Qtrs, and the offence used their power run game and their dominate offensive line to propel CIAU all-Canadian RB Mark Nohra to 120-rushing yards in a 39-23 victory.  Over their careers the team would be credited with 32-conference all-Stars,19-players named to the 1990s all-Decade team, 18-CIAU all-Canadians, and 16-named to the top-100 rankings.