Chicago Wildfire
 | |
| Founded | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Division | Midwest |
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois |
| Stadium | Lane Stadium |
| Colours | Blue and Orange |
| Website | chicago-wildfire.com |
The Chicago Wildfire is a professional ultimate team that competes in the Midwest Division of the American Ultimate Disc League. Originally branded as the Windy City Wildfire, the team has been a top team in the division since its establishment in 2013. In its first year, the Wildfire had the best record in the Midwest and qualified for the playoffs in its first three seasons.[1]
History
Founding and inaugural season
In March 2012, Steve Gordon purchased the territory rights based in Chicago as part of the first wave of expansion to begin play in the 2013 season. The team found a home field at Lane Tech College Prep. The inaugural season began in April 2013, and culminated with a 14-2 regular season record. The season ended with a first round playoff loss to the Madison Radicals.
2014–2016
Going into the 2014 season, team ownership made the decision to legally change the name of the franchise to the Chicago Wildfire. The second season provided a strong 9-5 record, awarding the team second place in the division. The team ended the season with a first round playoff loss to the New York Empire.
In 2015, the organization decided to shift 5 of their 7 home games to Benedictine University, with efforts to attract a more family focused population in the surrounding Lisle, Illinois suburb. The season yielded an 8-5-1 record, allowing for a 3 place finish in the division, and a post season appearance against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds. The post season was short lived, as the Chicago Wildfire fell to the Thunderbirds, ending their 2015 season.
The 2016 season brought all 7 home games back to Lane Tech College Prep. The Wildfire tied for 5th in the division with the Detroit Mechanix, and did not make the playoffs.
Below are the prior season rosters:
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| AJ Nelson | AJ Nelson | Adrian King (73) | Adrian King (73) | Alex Champe (22) | Aiden Frank (79) |
| Alex Gareis | Alex Drlica-Wagner | AJ Nelson (51) | AJ Nelson (51) | Alex Rummelhart (23) | Alex Rummelhart (23) |
| Bill Finn | Andrew Sheehan | Alex Drlica-Wagner (4) | Alex Champe (22) | Bill Kluender (14) | Andrew Goldstein (35) |
| Bob Liu | Ben Rehmann | Alex Rummelhart (23) | Alex Drlica-Wagner (4) | Brian Rathunde (44) | Ben Macalalad (21) |
| Brett Kolinek | Bob Liu | Andrew Sheehan (15) | Alex Rummelhart (23) | CJ O'Brien (84) | Bill Kluender (14) |
| Brodie Smith | Brett Kolinek | Bob Liu (1) | Andrew Sheehan (15) | Dan Vockeroth (1) | CJ O'Brien (84) |
| Casey Degnan | Chris Vandervoort | Brett Matzuka (45) | Brett Hidaka (25) | Danny Miller (31) | Dan Vockeroth (88) |
| Craig Poeppelman | Cullen Geppert | Brian Rathunde (22) | Charlie Furse (9) | Dave Woods (7) | Danny Miller (31) |
| Cullen Geppert | Dan Williams | Brodie Smith (21) | Christian Simpson (21) | Drew Levorsen (37) | Dave Woods (7) |
| Geoff Serednesky | Dane Olsen | Cullen Geppert (18) | Dan Williams (37) | Elan Kane (15) | Drew Levorsen (37) |
| George Hughes-Strange | Geoff Serednesky | Danny Miller (25) | Danny Miller (31) | Eric Johnson (91) | Dylan Power (71) |
| Grant Zukowski | Greg Slover | Dan Vockeroth (11) | Dave Woods (7) | Jack Shey (19) | Jack Shey (19) |
| Greg Slover | James Roush | James Roush (29) | Eric Johnson (91) | Jeff Weis (9) | Jason Vallee (91) |
| James Roush | John Kolb | Jason Silverman | Geoff Serednesky (11) | Jeff Zhao (5) | Jeff Weis (9) |
| Jimmy Robin | Jonathan Helton | Jeff Robinson (43) | Jack Shey (19) | Jimmy Robin (13) | Jeff Zhao (10) |
| John Kolb | Kevin Kelly | Jimmy Robin (13) | Jeff Robinson (45) | Jimmy Sykora (42) | Jeremy Burrill (12) |
| Jon Hatcher | Michael Egan | Jack Shey (19) | Jimmy Sykora (42) | Judah Newman (35) | Jimmy Sykora (42) |
| Jonathan Helton | Neal Phelps | Jonathan Helton (00) | Joe Young (18) | Karl Kingma (2) | Judah Newman (13) |
| Joshua Shepard | Rob Greenberg | Josh Stevens-Stein (8) | Michael Egan (3) | Max Trotter (50) | Karl Kingma (2) |
| Kevin Kelly | Ron Kubalanza | Matt Stegemann (56) | Mike Pardo (24) | Michael Egan (3) | Kurt Gibson (1) |
| Kevin Yngve | Stephan Mance | Max Shepherd (35) | Mike Shiel (2) | Mike Pardo (24) | Matt Finley (32) |
| Michael Egan | Taylor Kraemer | Michael Egan (3) | Neal Phelps (64) | Neal Phelps (64) | Matt Lemaitre (4) |
| Rob Greenberg | Tim Fergus | Mike Shiel | Nick Zeman (20) | Nick Zeman (20) | Max Trotter (50) |
| Ron Kubalanza | Von Alanguilan | Neal Phelps (64) | Patrick Kaufmann (26) | Pawel Janas (55) | Michael Egan (3) |
| Zubair Abdulla | Xtehn Titcomb | Patrick Kaufmann (24) | Percy Stogdon (63) | Tommy Gallagher (17) | Mike Pardo (24) |
| Rory Gallagher | Tim Fergus (36) | Trent Kuhl (11) | Nate Goff (11) | ||
| Ryan Smith (14) | Von Alanguilan (10) | Von Alanguilan (10) | Neal Phelps (64) | ||
| Tim Fergus (36) | Yiding Hou (16) | Nick Myhre (44) | |||
| Von Alanguilan (10) | Nick Zeman (20) | ||||
| Zubair Abdulla (63) | Nicky Golini (57) | ||||
| Pawel Janas (55) | |||||
| Roddy Arcibar (22) | |||||
| Ross Barker (25) | |||||
| Simon Johansen (30) | |||||
| Tommy Gallagher (17) |
Current season
On January 1, 2017, Steve Gordon signed on Trent Kuhl as General Manager of the Chicago Wildfire. Former player and Assistant Coach Adrian King was named Head Coach, while Andrew "AJ" Nelson joined the coaching ranks as Assistant Coach. Returner Jack Shey and first time player Pawel Janas were elected as captains for the 2017 season. The Chicago Wildfire's first game of the 2017 season will be April 22nd in Pittsburgh, PA against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds.
References
- ↑ "The Tuesday Toss, Playoffs Part II: Four Teams Remain". TheAUDL.com. Retrieved 2015-07-30.