Welcome from the Head Coach
Hello, and welcome to Oxford and to the Oxford Lancers, the University's American Football Club. My name is Carl Marshall and I have the honour and privilege of being the Lancer's first Head Coach.
As you may know, Oxford has a strong tradition in American Football having fielded a team, originally called the Cavaliers, in the student leagues for the past 25 years. With recent changes imposed by the current University League requiring the team to start anew and break our 20 year old ties with the Oxford Brookes University, the Lancers are having to work extra hard to re-establish our foundations so that we can return to representing the University in national (and international) competition and bring back the League Championship title which was last held here in 2000.
We preach a team ethos here, and this is key to the sport itself. Together, everyone achieves more than any one of us will alone, and our game and spirit encourages this both on and off the field. The years you will spend among the club and its members are likely to be remembered fondly for the rest of your life, and friendships and bonds made here often last a long long time.
My own background in the sport is grounded in the UK student game, having been first introduced to it in 1997 whilst studying at the University of Lancaster. 6 years playing with, and then coaching, the Lancaster Bombers instilled a love and desire for the sport that remains to this day. My drive has seen me involved both on and off the field with the sport at all levels from club to international teams. This is my second stint as Head Coach of the Oxford team, and the most challenging due to our current status as a new team. However, I believe in the strength, tenacity and determination of Oxford and it's members and expect that we will achieve great things in my time here.
I look forward to helping you develop within the sport and grow within the team, and my door is always open to any Lancer, past, present and future.
Go Lancers!
Carl Marshall