Obic Seagulls

Obic Seagulls

Established	1983
Based in	Narashino, Japan
Head coach	Makoto Ohashi
League	X-League
Division	X1 Super
Colours	Navy, gold, aqua green, and white [1]
Mascot(s)	Seagull-kun
Japan X Bowl titles	9 (1996, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2010-13, 2020)
Division titles	10 (1988, 1996, 2000-2002, 2005, 2010-2013)
Website	http://www.seagulls.jp

The Obic Seagulls are an American football team located in the Narashino, Chiba, Japan. They are a member of the X-League. The Obic Seagulls have won over 17 championships during their team history (8 Rice Bowl championships and 9 Japan X Bowl championships) the most of any American football team in Japan.

Team history

• 1983 Team founded as the "Recruit Seagulls"
• 1989 Promoted from X2 to X1
• 1995 Won first Division Title
• 1996 Won first league and national title.
• 1998 Won second league and national title.
• 1999 Following an economic downturn, the team transitioned from a corporate team under Recruit Co., Ltd., to a club team.
• 2002 Recruit withdraws team sponsorship. Team became a self-supporting club team under the name "Seagulls".
• 2003 Obic Co., Ltd., becomes new team sponsor. Team name changed to Obic Seagulls.
• 2005 Won third League and national title.
• 2012 Went on record as being the 1st club team in Japan (Among currently registered X-League teams) to play in an international exhibition game (Germany/Dresden Monarchs).
• 2013 Played in an international exhibition game in Dusseldorf, Germany vs. the Dusseldorf Panthers. Became the first Japanese team to win 4 consecutive national championships dating back to 2010.
• 2014 Played in a sister cities international exhibition game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.A. vs. the APDFL(Amateur to Professional Developmental Football League) Blazers. ^[2]

Seasons

X-League Champions (1987–present)

Division Champions

Final Stage/Semifinals Berth

Wild Card /2nd Stage Berth

Season	Division	Regular Season				Post Season Results	Awards	Head coaches
		Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
1988	East	1st	5	0	0			Eiichi Nakata
1989	East	2nd	3	1	0			Mitsuru Taisha
1990	East	5th	1	3	1			Mitsuru Taisha
1991	East	5th	1	3	1			Mitsuru Taisha
1992	East	2nd	3	1	1			Mitsuru Taisha
1993	East	3rd	3	2	0			David Stant
1994	East	2nd	4	1	0			David Stant
1995	East	1st	5	0	0	Won semi-finals match (Asahi Beer) 33-27 Lost Tokyo Super Bowl XIX (Matsushita Denko) 20-54		David Stant
1996	Central	1st	4	2	0	Won Wild Card match (Sanwa Bank) 27-0 Won semi-finals match (Matsushita Denko) 22-13 Won Tokyo Super Bowl XX (Onward) 30-10 Won 50th Rice Bowl National Championship game (Kyoto) 19-16		David Stant
1997	Central	3rd	5	2	0			David Stant
1998	Central	2nd	4	2	0	Won Wild Card match (Nissan Prince Tokyo) 56-21 Won semi-finals match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 21-16 Won Tokyo Super Bowl XXII (Asahi Beer) 45-24 Won 52nd Rice Bowl National Championship game (Ritsumeikan) 30-16		David Stant
1999	Central	2nd	4	2	0	Won Wild Card match (Mycal) 37-7 Lost semi-finals match (Kashima) 13-20		David Stant
2000	Central	1st	6	0	0	Lost semi-finals match(Asahi Soft Drinks) 15-23		Makoto Ohashi
2001	Central	1st	5	0	0	Won Wild Card match (Fujits) 24-14 Lost semi-finals match(at Matsushita Denko) 7-10 OT		Makoto Ohashi
2002	Central	1st	5	1	0	Won semi-finals match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 30-0 Won Tokyo Super Bowl XVI (Fujitsu) 14-7 Lost 56th Rice Bowl National Championship game (at Ritsumeikan) 13-36		Makoto Ohashi
2003	Central	2nd	4	2	0	Lost Wild Card match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 9-16		Makoto Ohashi
2004	East	2nd	4	2	0	Won Wild Card match (Kashima) 10-3 Lost semifinals match (Matsushita Denko) 7-10		Makoto Ohashi
2005	East	1st	6	0	0	Won Semifinals match (Asahi Beer) 13-7 Won Japan X Bowl XIX (Matsushita Denko) 25-16 Won 59th Rice Bowl National Championship game (Hosei) 47-17	Kevin Jackson (MVP)	Makoto Ohashi
2006	East	1st	4	1	0	Won Wild Card match (Naigai Denki) 74-13 Lost semifinals match (Onward) 13-17		Makoto Ohashi
2007	East	2nd	6	1	0	Won Wild Card match (Kashima) 19-13 Lost semifinals match (Matsushita Denko) 26-29		Makoto Ohashi
2008	Central	2nd	6	2	0	Lost Wild Card match (Panasonic) 14-20		Makoto Ohashi
2009	East	2nd	7	2	0	Won 2nd stage match (IBM) 21-7 Lost 2nd Stage match (Panasonic) 20-23		Makoto Ohashi
2010	Central	1st	8	1	0	Won 2nd stage match (Suita) 56-2 Won 2nd stage match (IBM) 55-27 Won Final stage match (Kajima) 28-21 Won Japan X Bowl XXIV (Panasonic) 20-16 Won 64th Rice Bowl National Championship game (at Ritsumeikan) 24-0		Makoto Ohashi
2011	Central	1st	7	0	0	Won 2nd stage match (All Mitsubishi) 49-0 Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 20-13 Won Final stage match (Kajima 45-20 Won Japan X Bowl XXV (Fujitsu) 24-17 Won 65th Rice Bowl National Championship game (Kwansei Gakuin) 38-0		Makoto Ohashi
2012	Central	1st	9	0	0	Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Beer) 69-7 [3] Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 29-12 [4] Won Final stage match (Nojima) 24-10 [5] Won Japan X Bowl XXVI (Kajima) 27-24 [6] Won 66th Rice Bowl National Championship game (at Kwansei Gakuin) 21-15 [7]	Noriaki Kinoshita (MVP)	Makoto Ohashi
2013	Central	1st	6	1	0	Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Beer) 21-7 [8] Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 34-10 [9] Won Final stage match (Kajima 21-12 [10] Won Japan X Bowl XXVII (Fujitsu) 24-16 [11] Won 67th Rice Bowl National Championship game (Kwansei Gakuin) 34-16 [12]	Noriaki Kinoshita (MVP) Kealakai Maiava (ROY)	Makoto Ohashi
2014	Central	2nd	7	2	0	Won 2nd stage match (Nojima) 44-21 [13] Won 2nd stage match (at Elecom) 45-0 [14] Lost final stage match (at Fujitsu) 17-27 [15]		Makoto Ohashi
2015	East	3rd	5	2	0	Won 2nd stage match (IBM) 34-26 [16] Won 2nd stage match (Asahi Soft Drinks) 52-9 Lost final stage match (at Fujitsu) 6-27		Makoto Ohashi
2016	Central	1st	8	1	0	Won Quarterfinals match (Elecom Kobe) 35-0 [17] Won Semifinals match (Panasonic) 9-6 OT [18] Loss Japan X Bowl XXX (at Fujitsu) 3-16		Naoki Kosho
2017	Central	3rd	7	3	0	Won Quarterfinals match (at Nojima Sagamihara) 41-22 [19] Lost semifinals match (at Fujitsu) 0-7	Taku Li (ROY)	Naoki Kosho
2018	Central	2nd	8	2	0	Won Quarterfinals match (at Nojima Sagamihara) 42-25 [20] Lost semifinals match (at Fujitsu) 10-13		Naoki Kosho
2019	X1 Super	2nd	10	1	0	Lost semifinals match (at Panasonic) 14-24		Naoki Kosho
2020	X1 Super		2	0	0	Won Japan X Bowl XXXIV (Fujitsu) 13-7 Won 74th Rice Bowl National Championship (Kwansei Gakuin U.) 35-18		Makoto Ohashi
2021	X1 Super	3rd	5	2	0	Lost semifinals Match (at Fujitsu) 10-17		Makoto Ohashi
2022	X1 Super Div. B	2nd	3	1	1	Won Quarterfinals Match (Nojima Sagamihara) 21-9 Lost Semifinals Match (at Panasonic) 10-30		Makoto Ohashi
2023	X1 Super Div. B	2nd	7	1	0	Won Quarterfinals Match (Elecom Kobe) 17-7 Lost Semifinals Match (at Fujitsu) 17-24		Hiroshi Ono
2024	X1 Super	3rd	8	1	0	Won Quarterfinals Match (Nojima Sagamihara) 20-14 Lost Semifinals Match (at Panasonic) 5-24		Hiroshi Ono
Total			190	46	4	(1988–2024, includes only regular season)
			53	20	0	(1988–2024, includes only playoffs)
			243	66	4	(1988–2024, includes both regular season and playoffs)

Head coaches

Coach	Years	Record
Eiichi Nakata	1988	5-0 (1.000)
Mitsuru Taisha	1989-1992	8-8-3 (.500)
David Stant	1993-1999	39-13 (.750)
Makoto Ohashi	2000-2015	129-28 (.822)
Naoki Kosho	2016-present	37-11 (.771)
Makoto Ohashi	2020-2022
Hiroshi Ono	2023-present

Current Import Players

Jersey #	Name	Position	Years with the team	Alma Mater	Achievements
#8	Jason Smith	CB	2022-present	Auburn
#17	Tyler Kulka	QB	2023-present	Lawrence Tech
#85	Holden Huff	TE	2018-present	Boise State	2x All X-1 Super Team member (2022 & 2024)

Former Import players

Name	Position	Years with the team	Alma Mater	Achievements
Cardell Rawlings	DL	2022-2023	Wingate	All X-League Super team member (2020)
Sean Draper	CB	2022	University of Iowa	3x All X-League Team member (2019-20 & 2022)
Byron Beatty Jr.	DE/LB	2012-21	Colorado	4x All X-League Team member (2013, 2016, 2019 & 2021)
Jimmy Laughrea	QB	2020-21	UC Davis
Jason Fanaika	DL/LB	2019	Utah
Skyler Howard	QB	2018-19	West Virginia
Kevin Jackson	DE	2005-2018	Hawai'i	10x All X-League Team member (2005-2014) 2x JXB MVP (2005 and 2013) X League MVP (2005)
Ikaika Woolsey [21]	QB	2017	Hawai'i
Kealakai Maivai	OT	2013-2017	UCLA	X-League Rookie of the Year (2013), 3x All X-League Team member (2013, 2016-17)
Jerry Neuheisel [22]	QB	2016	UCLA
Frank Fernandez	C	2012-2015	Harvard	2x All X-League Team member (2008 and 2011)
Karl Noa	DE	2009-2011	Hawai'i	All X-League Team member (2011)
Jabali Miller	CB	2005-2006	San Jose State

References

1. "X-League profile, Obic Seagulls". X-League. April 17, 2015. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
2. Casagrande, Michael (August 15, 2014). "Japanese football team 'awestruck by trip to Alabama practice, Nick Saban intrigued by guests". al.com. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
3. Marantz, Ken (November 5, 2012). "Seagulls storm to record-setting victory". xleague.com. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
4. "Seagulls shrug off Challengers to stay unbeaten". xleague.com. November 20, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
5. Marantz, Ken (December 3, 2012). "Seagulls set down Rise, earn shot at 3-peat". xleague.com. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
6. Marantz, Ken (December 18, 2012). "Obic holds on for 1st 3-peat in league history". xleague.com. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
7. Marantz, Ken (January 5, 2013). "Seagulls pull of thrilling comeback for 3rd straight Rice Bowl victory". xleague.com. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
8. "Sugawara leads Seagulls over stubborn Silver Star". xleague.com. November 6, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
9. "Seagulls strike fast, hard in rout of Challengers". xleague.com. November 19, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
10. Marantz, Ken (December 1, 2013). "Champion Seagulls soar back into Japan X Bowl". xleague.com. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
11. Marantz, Ken (December 12, 2013). "Seagulls hold on to deny Frontiers, win 4th straight Japan X Bowl". xleague.com. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
12. Marantz, Ken (January 4, 2014). "Obic runs wild to foil KGU again, win record 4th straight Rice Bowl". xleague.com. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
13. Marantz, Ken (November 10, 2014). "Slingin' Sugawara, Seagulls bounce back to rout Rise". xleague.com. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
14. "Seagulls pour it on to deny Finies, sail into semifinals". xleague.com. November 23, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
15. Ikezaka, Hiroshi (November 30, 2014). "Four time defending champion Obic Seagulls eliminated from X-League title chase". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
16. Ikezaka, Hiroshi (October 31, 2015). "Obic outplays IBM in second-stage opener". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
17. Marantz, Ken (November 13, 2016). "Unbeatens Fujitsu, Obic progress into semifinals in similar style". xleague.com. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
18. Marantz, Ken (November 29, 2016). "Obic emerges from deluge with OT win ticket to Japan X Bowl". xleague.com. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
19. Marantz, Ken (November 12, 2017). "Seagulls ride massive wave of rise turnovers into semifinals". xleague.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
20. Marantz, Ken (November 12, 2018). "Howard helps seagulls soar toward peak, turn back Rise to reach semifinals". xleague.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
21. Nagatsuka, Kaz (April 24, 2017). "New Seagulls QB Woolsey makes fine connections in debut". xleague.com. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
22. Nagatsuka, Kaz (May 17, 2016). "Former UCLA Quarterback Neuheisel embracing Japanese challenge". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved May 31, 2016.

External links

• Official website (Japanese)