| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bucks County Sharks Rugby League Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | Sharks | ||
| Founded | 1997 | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) | Falls Township Community Park Bucks County, Pennsylvania (2,500) |
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| CEO(s) | Tim McCall | ||
| Coach(s) | Steve Tomey | ||
| Captain(s) | Steve Tomey | ||
| Competition | American National Rugby League | ||
| 2011 | TBD | ||
The Bucks County Sharks are a rugby league football team based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The team played in the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) from 1998–2009 and rejoined the league for the 2011 season.
Originally known as the New Jersey Sharks, the team was founded in 1997 and joined the league now known as the AMNRL for its inaugural 1998 season. Despite the name, the team was based not in New Jersey but in nearby Levittown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They adopted their current name for the 2007 season. In 2010 the Sharks suspended operations and did not compete during the 2010 season. The following year they announced their plans to return for the 2011 season.
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The team was formed in 1997 by Fred Bachaus and Phil Sipos. The Sharks were one of the charter franchises of the competition now known as the American National Rugby League (AMNRL), competing in its inaugural 1998 season. Though they played under the name New Jersey Sharks, they were actually based across state lines in nearby Levittown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.
Throughout their early years the Sharks were consistent playoff contenders, advancing to the Grand Final in 1999 and winning a minor premiership in 2002, though never winning a championship title. In 2007 they changed their name to the Bucks County Sharks, reflecting that they played in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As a result of internal factors the Sharks suspended operations following the 2009 season, and did not play in the 2010 domestic competition. They remained active outside of the competition; they played a replacement game against the New York Knights after their scheduled opponents, the Northern Raiders, forfeited before the match.[1] In December 2010, the Sharks announced they intended to return for the 2011 season.[2][3][4] On January 31, 2011, they announced they would be committing to the AMNRL, rather than the upstart USA Rugby League.[5]
For their inaugural American National Rugby League season the club adopted the colors of blue, black and white but their uniforms were predominately blue.[6] Their uniforms are similar in style to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of Australia's National Rugby League, with whom they have a team partnership association.[7] For the 2006 season the club changed their home kit to include a darker blue strip with predominately black socks and shorts. In 2010, the club, along with other AMNRL teams, adopted a new badge.
The Sharks have used several stadiums since formation in 1997, however until 2006 predominately used the Falls Township Community Park as their home ground located in Levittown, Pennsylvania. Since recent seasons however the team has used the Jack Pearson Stadium (alternatively referred to as Shark Park) located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania to play all home games.
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