Johnny Bravo was founded in 1996 by Dan Ackerstein, Wes Williams and Dan “Jello” Revelle. (Note- Johnny Bravo was not named after the popular animated television series which first aired in 1997.) The team was founded on vengeance by castoffs from the top Boulder-area team, Secret Squirrel. Johnny Bravo quickly overtook their rivals and began their reign as the top elite team in Colorado, qualifying for Nationals in 1997. Bravo split into two teams (Bravo and Gun Club) in 1998 and failed to qualify for Nationals after falling to the Santa Barbara Condors in the final and Los Guapos from San Diego in the backdoor game. Bravo and Gun Club reunited in 1999 and took the name of the old Boulder team, Secret Squirrel. After a disappointing 15th place finish at nationals in 1999, the team reclaimed their Johnny Bravo identity in 2000. Bravo has qualified for Nationals every year since 2000, a feat surpassed only by Raleigh’s Ring of Fire (1997). Bravo quickly established themselves as a top tier team, placing no lower than 7th at Nationals between 2001 and 2005. In 2006 the team reached their first semifinal, falling to Sockeye in a heated game. They faced Sockeye again in the finals in 2007 and semifinals in 2008, but could not close the door on their archrival.
Following those heartbreaking seasons, many Bravo greats hung up their cleats and new leadership stepped in to run the team. Bob Krier took the reigns as coach and began to implement new systems and philosophies. Though the team struggled from 2009 to 2012, they slowly started to build a new identity under the leadership of captains Josh “Richter” Ackley, Ryan Farrell and Jack McShane. Johnny Friendship broke through to the semifinals again in 2013, falling to perennial favorite Revolver. The team entered 2014 hungry for a title. In a double-peak year, they fell in the semis again to Revolver in a tight, back-and-forth game. After a few weeks off and a poor showing at Pro Flight Finale, the team regrouped and got back to the basics, taking the Club Series one game at time. They ended up not losing around game on their way to the 2014 National Championship.
Johnny Bravo has a strong relationship with the University of Colorado’s Mamabird. Many of Mamabird‘s top players started playing for Bravo midway through their college careers. The partnership has benefited both teams as Mamabird has become a perennial national championship contender. Bravo also draws top talent from across the nation as recent graduates move to Colorado for the Rocky Mountain lifestyle and elite ultimate opportunities.
Johnny Bravo has established itself as one of the premier club teams in the country and continues to produce top talent, year after year. They realize that natural talent and athleticism can get you far but hard work and brotherhood will help you rise to the next level.
Johnny Bravo Tournament History
2017: Record (21-10) Pro-Elite Challenge (Aurora, CO) – 6th US Open Championships (Blaine, MN) – 4th Pro Championships (Burlington, WA) – 3rd Regionals (Beaumont, TX) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 9th (tie) 2016: Record (25-6) Elite-Select Challenge (Columbus, OH) – 2nd Pro-Elite Challenge (Aurora, CO) – 2nd Pro Flight Finale (Vancouver, WA) – 4th Regionals (Tulsa, OK) – 1st Nationals (Rockford, IL) – 3rd (tie) 2015: Record (21-9) U.S. Open Championships (West Chester, Ohio) – 3rd (tie) Colorado Cup (Aurora, CO) – 3rd (tie) Pro Flight Finale (Blaine, MN) – 9th Regionals (Tulsa, OK) – 2nd Nationals (Frisco, TX) – 14th 2014: Record (28-8) U.S. Open Championships (Blaine, MN) – 2nd WUCC World Championships (Lecco, Italy) – 3rd Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 8th Regionals (Tulsa, OK) – 1st Nationals (Frisco, TX) – 1st Final USAU Ranking: 3rd 2013: Record (23-7) Terminus (East Point, GA) – 5th Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 2nd West Coast Cup (Seattle, WA) – 4th Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Commerce City, CO) – 2nd Nationals (Frisco, TX) – 4th Final USAU Ranking: 2nd 2012: Record (32-9) U.S. Open Championships (Colorado Springs, CO) – 1st Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 2nd Sectionals (Commerce City, CO) – 1st Regionals (Round Rock, TX) – 2nd Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 12th Final USAU Ranking: N/A 2011: Record (19-10) Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 3rd (tie) Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 9th Sectionals (Commerce City, CO) – 1st Regionals (Commerce City, CO) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 11th Final USAU Ranking: 8th 2010: Record (26-6) Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 3rd (tie) Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 3rd (tie) Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Santa Barbara, CA) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 9th Final USAU Ranking: 7th 2009: Record (31-13) Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 5th (tie) Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 5th (tie) Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Scottsdale, AZ) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 8th Final UPA Ranking: 7th 2008: Record (43-7) Texas Shootout (Austin, TX) – 1st Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Chesapeake (Washington, D.C.) – 9th Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 2nd Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 3rd (tie) Final UPA Ranking: 4th 2007: Record (41-8) Texas Shootout (Austin, TX) – 2nd Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 7th Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 2nd Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Los Angeles, CA) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 2nd Final UPA Ranking: 2nd 2006: Record (33-14) Texas Shootout (Austin, TX) – 2nd Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 8th Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 11th Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Scottsdale, AZ) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 3rd (tie) Final UPA Ranking: 3rd 2005: Record (39-12) Texas Shootout (Austin, TX) – 1st Summer Solstice (Eugene, OR) – 12th Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 5th Labor Day (Santa Cruz, CA) – 9th Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (Sedalia, CO) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 5th Final UPA Ranking: 4th 2004: Record (27-11) Solstice (Eugene, OR) – 4th Colorado Cup (Boulder, CO) – 1st Emerald City Classic (Burlington, WA) – 6th Sectionals (Denver, CO) – 1st Regionals (San Bernadino, CA) – 1st Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 6th 2003: Colorado Cup (Colorado Springs, CO) – 1st Sectionals – 1st Regionals – 2nd Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 7th (tie) 2002 Sectionals – 1st Regionals – 2nd Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 5th (tie) 2001 Sectionals – 1st Regionals – 2nd Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 6th 2000 Sectionals – 1st Regionals – 2nd Nationals (Sarasota, FL) – 14th 1998 Sectionals -1st Regionals – 3rd 1997 Sectionals – 1st Regionals – 2nd Nationals – 9-16th 1996 Results unknown