About the Whaling City Clippers

The Whaling City Clippers are the Greater New Bedford Area’s only semi-pro football team.  The Clippers are proud members of the New England Football League, the nation’s largest and most successful semi-professional football league. 

The Clippers are comprised of former high school, college and professional athletes from around the surrounding areas.  Players are not paid and are considered amateurs, many of whom also maintain full-time employment.  The team is dedicated to representing the area in a positive manner, through cooperation, teamwork and a winning attitude. 

Under second-year General Manager, Michael Arguin, the Clippers hope to bolster their success on and off the field. The Clippers seek to expand their community service efforts and reach out to more Sponsors for support for the upcoming season.

History

Founded in 2004, by team president, owner and CEO Jim Gatenby, the Clippers are now entering their seventh season of existence.  The Clippers have reached the playoffs in four of their previous five years, winning back-to-back NEFL AA Division Championships in 2007 and 2008 and a semi-final NEFL A Division berth in 2010.  

The team advanced to the elite AAA Division in 2009 but finished with a loosing record after suffering a number of setbacks, including the untimely loss of their Head Coach, the late Anthony "Butch" Fermino. The season ended and and the team subsequently lost a number of key players to retirement, and other opportunities.

In 2010 the Clippers were forced to regroup. Founder, Jim Gatenby stepped aside due to personal reasons and left the team in the care of Mike Arguin as the new General Manager. The 2010 Clippers took to the field with a relatively new group of young and untested players who came together as a team, practiced hard and steadily improved. The team made it to the playoffs and defeated the Woonsocket Wardogs and Southern Connecticut Sting, before falling to the evential Division Champion Connecticut Panthers.

2011 Season

The Clippers enter the 2011 Season with their sights set on the New England Football League's AAA Division, adding depth and experience to the 2010 team. The 2011 Clippers are eager to continue the rebuiling process and reclaim their rightful position among the elite teams in the NEFL.

The Clippers are under the direction of a new coaching staff, including Lenny Sylvia at Defensive Coordinator, Adam Mello at Offensive Coordinator, Derek Bouchard at Special Teams Coach, and with special advisor Michael Kondracki. This season also sees the return of most of the players who made the 2010 season a success as well as the addition of many key aquisitions along with the return of some familiar faces. The Clippers hope to continue their winning ways.

We are greatful to the City of New Bedford, Mayor Scott Lang, and the New Bedford Public Schools for their continued support of the Whaling City Clippers.