Kaush Subramaniam
13 Sept 2015
Following an extensive coaching search, the Bristol Barracuda are delighted to announce the appointment of Ben Cooper as their new Head Coach for the 2015-16 BUCS Championships.
Hearing of his appointment, Ben had this to say, 'I'm delighted to be named Head Coach and excited about the opportunity to be part of an established programme that is extremely well run. There is a lot to do to be ready for the 2015-16 BUCS season, but I can't wait to get started. I look forward to working with all the coaches, staff and players to drive this great programme forward.'
Ben began his playing career as a youth player for the Bristol Aztecs in 2004, earning trials for NFL Europe in the process. He converted this into a very successful career at university, as Ben played a wide variety of positions for the University of Aberystwyth and the University of West of England while acting as a player coach for both teams. Ben's playing career also extended to the senior level, having represented both the Chester Romans and the Bristol Apache respectively. As a player, he has lined up at FB, OL, DL and LB and so understands the game of football on both sides of the ball.
Ben's broad experience of the game extends into his coaching career, where he has coached on both the senior and university level. This includes working as a positional coach and defensive coordinator at both the Bristol Apache and UWE Bullets. Ben's coaching focus has revolved around defense, and under his guidance his teams have consistently fielded championship calibre units. This includes a trip to the playoffs for the Bristol Apache in 2013, when Ben was the defensive coordinator.
Appointing the team's Head Coach continues a successful offseason for the Barracuda, who have already begun preparations for the new season of BUCS football. The team has been working hard behind the scenes and will be ready to welcome the next wave of Cuda players, starting at FRESH, on Friday 25th September. The team trains and plays at first class facilities with 3G artificial turf surface and will be competing in the newly formed BUCS Western 2A division.