Akarika Dawn
Encyclopedia
Akarika Dawn is an American
athlete and coach
who has played both American football
and rugby league
. He currently plays for the Jacksonville Axemen
of the USA Rugby League
(USARL). His position is second row.
Dawn played college football
for the University of Colorado
Buffaloes
as a linebacker
. He later had a brief stint with the Austin Wranglers
of the Arena Football League
(AFL) and then tried his hand at rugby league, playing for the Jacksonville Axemen
in Jacksonville, Florida
and then the Burleigh Bears
in Australia
. Since 2010 he has played for Jacksonville and has been named to the United States national rugby league team
.
. He attended Kempner High School
in nearby Sugar Land, Texas
, where he played high school football
. In 2002 he enrolled at the University of Colorado at Boulder
, where he committed to play for the Colorado Buffaloes football
team. He played inside linebacker for the Buffaloes from 2002–2005. In his senior year he appeared in all twelve games, including two starts; he finished his career with 180 tackles (120 solo), 73rd in school history. He graduated in 2006 with a major in Black Studies and Ethnic Studies.
of the Arena Football League
(AFL) in the 2007 season
. He served as a linebacker/fullback and made three tackles during his brief AFL career. He was waived in February 2007.
Later that year, at the suggestion of his agent Nick Attewell, Dawn decided to try his hand at rugby league football, despite having never played the sport before. He committed to trial in Australia
in July 2007, and familiarized himself with the game by signing with the Jacksonville Axemen
of the American National Rugby League
(AMNRL), the United States' premier competition, for the early part of their season. He played three weeks in Jacksonville and quickly became a standout, impressing coach Spinner Howland. In July he trialed with professional clubs in Australia's National Rugby League
, becoming the second Axemen player to do so after Apple Pope
. He was ultimately signed by the Burleigh Bears
to play in the Queensland Cup
.
After his stint in Australia, Dawn returned to the United States, where he coached high school football in his hometown of Houston. In 2010 he returned to rugby league, signing on again with the Jacksonville Axemen, and soon became one of the team's most popular players. That year he was named to the United States national rugby league team
, playing in the 2010
Rugby League Atlantic Cup in Jacksonville. Dawn continued with the Axemen in the 2011 season.
Dawn is currently employed as a teacher and varsity defensive backs and corners coach at Clear Springs High School
in League City, Texas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete and coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
who has played both American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. He currently plays for the Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville Axemen
-Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players...
of the USA Rugby League
USA Rugby League
The USA Rugby League is a semi-professional rugby league football competition based in the United States. The league was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken with the established American National Rugby League , plus expansion franchises...
(USARL). His position is second row.
Dawn played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He later had a brief stint with the Austin Wranglers
Austin Wranglers
The Austin Wranglers were an arena football team based in Austin, Texas. They played four seasons in the Arena Football League from 2004 to 2007 and spent one season in AF2, the AFL's developmental league, in 2008. They made playoff appearances in the AFL in 2006 and in AF2 in 2008...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
(AFL) and then tried his hand at rugby league, playing for the Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville Axemen
-Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and then the Burleigh Bears
Burleigh Bears
The Burleigh Heads Rugby League Football Club are one of the oldest rugby league football clubs on the Gold Coast, Australia. Originally formed in 1934 playing out of Rudd Park, the club relocated to Pizzey Park in 1971, their current home ground....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Since 2010 he has played for Jacksonville and has been named to the United States national rugby league team
United States national rugby league team
-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
.
Early life and college career
Dawn was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He attended Kempner High School
Kempner High School
I. H. Kempner High School is a public high school in Sugar Land, Texas, USA and a part of the Fort Bend Independent School District.It was named after Isaac Herbert Kempner, the founder of Imperial Sugar, through which the city of Sugar Land received its name...
in nearby Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
, where he played high school football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. In 2002 he enrolled at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, where he committed to play for the Colorado Buffaloes football
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
team. He played inside linebacker for the Buffaloes from 2002–2005. In his senior year he appeared in all twelve games, including two starts; he finished his career with 180 tackles (120 solo), 73rd in school history. He graduated in 2006 with a major in Black Studies and Ethnic Studies.
Later career
After college Dawn was signed by the Austin WranglersAustin Wranglers
The Austin Wranglers were an arena football team based in Austin, Texas. They played four seasons in the Arena Football League from 2004 to 2007 and spent one season in AF2, the AFL's developmental league, in 2008. They made playoff appearances in the AFL in 2006 and in AF2 in 2008...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
(AFL) in the 2007 season
2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
. He served as a linebacker/fullback and made three tackles during his brief AFL career. He was waived in February 2007.
Later that year, at the suggestion of his agent Nick Attewell, Dawn decided to try his hand at rugby league football, despite having never played the sport before. He committed to trial in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in July 2007, and familiarized himself with the game by signing with the Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville Axemen
-Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players...
of the American National Rugby League
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL), the United States' premier competition, for the early part of their season. He played three weeks in Jacksonville and quickly became a standout, impressing coach Spinner Howland. In July he trialed with professional clubs in Australia's National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, becoming the second Axemen player to do so after Apple Pope
Apple Pope
Apple Pope is an American rugby league player who currently plays for the United States national team. He has also played for the Jacksonville Axemen. His position is hooker.-Career:...
. He was ultimately signed by the Burleigh Bears
Burleigh Bears
The Burleigh Heads Rugby League Football Club are one of the oldest rugby league football clubs on the Gold Coast, Australia. Originally formed in 1934 playing out of Rudd Park, the club relocated to Pizzey Park in 1971, their current home ground....
to play in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
.
After his stint in Australia, Dawn returned to the United States, where he coached high school football in his hometown of Houston. In 2010 he returned to rugby league, signing on again with the Jacksonville Axemen, and soon became one of the team's most popular players. That year he was named to the United States national rugby league team
United States national rugby league team
-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
, playing in the 2010
2010 Atlantic Cup
-Canada vs Jamaica:-United States vs Canada:...
Rugby League Atlantic Cup in Jacksonville. Dawn continued with the Axemen in the 2011 season.
Dawn is currently employed as a teacher and varsity defensive backs and corners coach at Clear Springs High School
Clear Springs High School
Clear Springs High School is located in League City, Texas on Palomino Lane, next to Creekside Intermediate School. It is a part of the Clear Creek Independent School District ....
in League City, Texas
League City, Texas
League City is a city in Galveston County and Harris County in the U.S. state of Texas, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 45,444; in the 2006 census estimate, the population was listed as 67,200. The 2010 Census places the population of League City...
.