Contact Andrew Blower on email: contactus@coventrycobras.co.uk
07855 186087
The Cobras - A History
The Cobras first started playing in August 2010, with the aim of entering tournaments during the 2010 - 2011 season. The Cobras were set up by Andrew Blower who had returned home to Coventry and introduced dodgeball to a few mates, after getting involved at the University of Derby and their team, the Derby Seahawks. The squad was formed and consisted of Andrew Blower, Kyle Weston, Jonathan Riddle, Robert Reynolds, Paul Rule and Matt Gould. Training commenced and attempts to build up local links with other more successful clubs were fruitful. The Cobras invited many Leicestershire based teams along to friendly games hosted at the Cobras training venue, the XCEL Leisure Centre. Among the teams to come along were The Minotaurs and the Harborough Hurricanes. The Cobras also visted many other clubs including the Leicester City Ligers.
The first tournament the team entered was the West Midlands open in late September 2010, after just a few training sessions in a new sport for most of the players. The Cobras impressed within their first tournament despite exiting the event after the group stages. The Cobras, determined, stepped up efforts to improve. Training has been tough but hugely successful with an hour session each week, followed by our brand new 'EXTREME' session, launched in October 2010. This resulted in a huge improvement in standards ahead of the Welsh Open, which would be the Cobras second tournament in October 2010. Matt Gould was unable to attend so Andrew arranged for Steffan Lloyd to join the team, an Wales international. Having this new power and experience benefitted the Cobras as they finished fourth, defeating many more experienced teams along the way.
An added boost for the team awaited them in the form of two new players, Chris Wildman and Kip Wise signed up and the team benefitted immediately with another fourth place finish in Glasgow. December 2010 saw the Cobras purchase a new kit and launch new sessions as the club aimed to expand further. This also saw a change in training venue to The Woodlands School and a new gym session added. December also saw the Cobras enter the East Midlands Christmas Open and drew a tough group. Despite a poor team performance overall, a few players did impress.
2011 saw a new increased effort to become an established dodgeball force and cement their place as the West Midlands no.1 team. A new Youth session was introduced in an attempt to expand the club further and introduce youngsters to dodgeball and maybe find a few new stars for the team. The Cobras had perpared and were expecting to produce another strong performance in the South Wales Open but this tournament was cancelled giving the Cobras more training time ahead of their next tournament. The new kit and training shirts had arrived, giving the club and it's representitives a new and fresh professional look. The Cobras are also trying to establish new links with schools and clubs in the Coventry area in a bid to build up the sport of dodgeball and improve the club itself.