Coach spotlight

oscar vickers - defensive line, special teams - punt

Let’s start at the beginning. How did football find you?

I’d watched the Super Bowl when Carolina played Denver [Editor: the Broncos defeated the Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50 in 2016] and managed to last a quarter. The year after, I watched the whole thing and thought it looked like fun. I then got an advert for a team on Instagram and up popped the Giants. It’s easily the best sport I’ve ever played, and I’ve never looked back since.

And what attracted you to coaching football?

In my 2nd year of uniball I broke my arm, which meant I was unable to play for an extended period. Having graduated from the Giants Academy, I reached out to Ted & Paul [Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, respectively] regarding a coaching position, to keep me around the sport and stop me losing my mind. Watching the players develop was more rewarding than playing, and so when I was forced to hang up the pads, it was a no brainer.

There are other Teams closer to you. What keeps you in Sheffield?

The close knit nature of the team and the Giants community kept me around previously and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

With 2023, obviously going into a rebuild there were no expectations this year, we just wanted to play football and see where it took us. The first few fixtures were tough for a variety of reasons, but the back half with plenty of home fixtures has been incredible. I often refer to it as Fortress Norton because it truly is incredible how much noise a handful of airhorns can make and it really makes a difference.

How is this season going for you personally?

Personally it’s been a year of development. I approached Coach Eli and Matt regarding the open DL position following Matt’s promotion to Head Coach, and was admittedly shocked when they agreed! The level of trust they have placed in me, especially by letting me lead the punt unit, means a lot to me and I hope to have repaid their faith.

That’s great. How has it been working with Coach Eli?

Eli’s a delight to work with. He gives me autonomy to plan and run indies, allows me to lead and contribute to classroom sessions and on gamedays trusts us to manage our units and tell him what we’re seeing. It’s a level of freedom I haven’t been used to, but it’s one I’ve loved having. Tell us about your involvement with the Giants Academy.

I started with the Academy back in 2019, the year before Covid hit. I was a lot skinnier back then, so was a Swiss army knife player, trying every position on defence. After Covid, I had bulked up, and cemented myself as a Linebacker, and was honoured to be named a captain. To then go back and coach was a nice way to give back to the team.

And yet there’s more. You’re also involved with Giants Flag. Tell us about that.

I can’t stop talking about it! To be back playing football has been the highlight of my week, and the tournament this weekend puts us in a great spot to build and grow going into our first full season next year. The vibe is like nothing else I’ve been a part of, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you could choose one highlight as a Giant, what would it be?

The highlight would have to be my first win as temporary DC at the Academy. It was a tough one, as I was completely on my own but the players responded well. It was a tight game, ending on a game winning kick return by one of my Defensive Ends, Girey. The feeling of watching him break the last tackle and knowing we’d won was like nothing else.

What are your thoughts on the game against Northants today?

Obviously the away game against Northants ended in a way no one expected, and the positive news about Josh’s recovery is the most important takeaway from that game. Coming off the back of a huge win against Chester, we’re all fired up and focused on ending the season 5-5 to provide a solid foundation for next season. And what does Oscar Vickers do when he’s not involved with football in some way?

If you ask my friends and family, they’d probably say nothing! I enjoy playing games with my mates, and I’m often in the gym or walking up in the peaks.

Finally, tell us something about you that fans of the Giants won’t know.

I’m only 21, I suppose? A lot of the guys always seem shocked when they find out how young I am (and I’m equally shocked by how old some of them are) I’m also a big lover of 00s pop music as anyone who’s had to share a car with me will know!

Coach Info

Name: Oscar Vickers

Favourite NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

COACHING:

Role/Unit: Defensive Line, Special TeamsPunt

Previous Clubs: University of Leeds (Linebackers Coach)

Years Coaching: 2

Giants Coaching Debut: 2023 v Northants

Knights, 2022 for Giants Academy v Nottingham Caesars

PLAYING:

Position: Linebacker

Number: 66

Clubs: University of Leeds, Sheffield Giants Academy, Sheffield Giants

Years Playing: 3 (5 seasons)

Giants Playing Debut: 2022 v Tamworth

Phoenix, 2021 Giants Academy v Manchester Titans