Western Canadian Championship (Gaelic football)

The Western Canadian Championship is a Gaelic football championship tournament of the Western Divisional Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, played every year in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. The championship includes Mens and Ladies' Gaelic football , two of the sports which make up Gaelic games.

Contents

History

In 2004, the first formal GAA sanctioned Western Canadian Championships were played. The Divisional Board, in order to facilitate tournaments that include unaffiliated teams (i.e. not in the Western Divisional Board), and to allow each teams host critical games (understanding the travel distances between venues), agreed that the Championship would be played out in a League format. Each member team would play each other team twice, over two tournaments. The venue for Championship games would be rotated so that each team is required to cross the Rockies only once each year. Only the 5 member clubs (5 men's & 3 ladies' teams) compete in this Championship.

To date the Men Championships have been fairly open with the closest so far being the 2006 season where each team recorded 2 wins & 2 losses. In those days the Championship was decided on points difference (sparking call for change). In 2008, Vancouver dominated, with Calgary narrowly losing both its matches against the Harps. 2008 was also the first year that 4 men's teams competed for the title with the addition of the Red Deer Éire Óg boys to the mix. 2009 saw further growth with the addition of a 5th Club, the Vancouver Celts. 2009 was also significant with Edmonton Wolfe Tones winning their first Championship.

The early days of the Ladies Championships were dominated by the Edmonton Wolfe Tones, with their vibrant club spirit and commitment to practice paying dividends. They won the first 3 Championships. However Vancouver made 2007 a year of change, adopting those self-same virtues, by gaining their first of their very own 3-in-a-row Championships. The Albertan sides have had mix fortunes in the Championship and will have to up the ante in 2010 to bring the Trophy back to the eastern foothills of the Rockies.

The Tom's

2008 was an historic year because the teams began to compete for silverware with the "Tom Butler" Cup on offer for the Men's, and the "Tom Gibbons" Memorial Cup up for grabs for the Ladies. The families' of these two Vancouver legends, the former being on hand to present his cup to the first winners, the Vancouver Harps, were kind enough to sponsor these perpetual trophies to the Western Canada Division. Fittingly, 2008 saw both the Cups returning to Vancouver with the Championships first double going the Vancouver Harps.

2010 Championship dates

The Western Canadian Championship is played out over two weekends, and the dates for these tournaments this year are:

Roll of honour

Western Canadian Champions
Season Ladies Men's
2010 Harps Harps
2009 Harps Wolfe Tones
2008 Harps Harps
2007 Harps Chieftains
2006 Wolfe Tones Harps
2005 Wolfe Tones Harps
2004 Wolfe Tones Chieftains
  1. Vancouver Harps - 4
  2. Calgary Chieftains - 2
  3. Edmonton Wolfe Tones - 1
  1. Vancouver Harps - 4
  2. Edmonton Wolfe Tones - 3

2009 WCC Results

Ladies
Vancouver Harps the record of the Edmonton Wolfe Tones winning 3 titles in a row, when they went unbeaten in the Championship. The Ladies of Calgary put it up to them on the field of play though, as it was the Harps who took the tournament honours at the Vancouver & Edmonton Tournaments. Edmonton improved on their 2008 Championship showing and the future of Ladies football game in Alberta looks much better.
Men's
Edmonton Wolfe Tones lead the way in the round-robin seriesthat were evenly contested. In the knock-out stages, they had to overcome Calgary in an eventful CHampionship Final. Red Deer competed well recording their first victory in the Championship. Vancouver's clubs had a learning season having spread their resources to field two championship Men's sides. This was tough year, but they competed admirably and will be a tougher proposition in 2010.

2008 WCC Results

Ladies
Vancouver Harps became the first team other than the Edmonton Wolfe Tones to win back-to-back titles, when they went unbeaten in the Championship for the first time ever. The Ladies of Calgary put it up to them on the field of play though, as it was the Harps who took the tournament honours at the Vancouver & Calgary Tournaments. Edmonton failed to represent in a single Championship match and there are growing concerns about the future of Ladies football in the City.
Men's
Vancouver Harps lead the way with 6 wins against their opponents. Though Calgary were unbeaten in all their games against the other teams in the Division, they succumbed to two narrow defeats at the hands of the Harps. Red Deer competed well throughout and though they only had a walk-over victory against Edmonton to show for their Championship endeavors, they made their presence felt at all the tournaments they attended.

2007 WCC Results

Ladies
Vancouver Harps became the first team other than the Edmonton Wolfe Tones to take the honors, when the Alberta sides failed to turn up in Vancouver for the second round of matches. The Ladies of Calgary & Edmonton can have no complaints on the field of play though, as it was the Harps who took the tournament honours at the Edmonton Tournament (the only one that included all 3 Western Canadian ladies teams in 2007)
Men's
Calgary Chieftains lead the way with 3 wins. The Harps & Wolfe Tones basically ended each other's chances with their draw in their first match-up. Calgary were beaten in Vancouver in the second round, but comfortably dispatched of Edmonton to secure their first title since 2004.

2006 WCC Results

Ladies
Edmonton Wolfe Tones were victorious having won 3 of their 4 games played. The Vancouver Harps had 2 wins (both at home) and the Calgary Chieftains rounded the table out with 1 win.
Men's
After 4 games played each Men's team had won 2 and lost 2. In a nailbiting, see-saw season, the Vancouver Harps topped the table by virtue of points difference, with a 9-pt victory over the Wolfe Tones giving them the necessary edge over the Calgary Chieftains.

2005 WCC Results

Ladies
Edmonton Wolfe Tones were victorious having won all of their 4 games played. Calgary Chieftains & Vancouver Harps rounded the table out with 1 win each.
Men's
Vancouver Harps were victorious having won 3 of their 4 games played. There was controversy as the Harps walked off the field protesting the actions of Calgary Chieftains players in their match-up in Edmonton. Calgary were awarded the win in this instance; Vancouver deemed to have forfeited the game.

2004 WCC Results

Ladies
Edmonton Wolfe Tones were victorious having won all of their 4 games played. The Calgary Chieftains & Vancouver Harps rounded the table out with 1 win each.
Men's
The first Men's Championship was won by the Calgary Chieftains, who were undefeated in their 4 games. It was a tense & close campaign, since the two games the Chieftains played against the Edmonton Wolfe Tones were tied. Vancouver Harps very nearly snatched the Championship, but they were unable to win their final game against Calgary.

2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008