The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers are excited to announce that they will be holding their third and final open tryout for the upcoming 2008 season on Sunday, March 2, 2008. The roster is getting filled and the spots are few. Head Coach Rich Ingold strongly encourages all interested players to attend the tryout, because with training camp starting March 8, this will be the last chance to tryout for the 2007 American Conference Champion Pioneers.
The tryout will take place at the Wyoming Valley Sports Dome in Wilkes-Barre, PA and will begin promptly at 10:00a.m. Registration will begin at 9:00a.m. and a registration fee of $50 cash is required upon arrival. Coach Ingold will be testing athletes on the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, and individual and group drills. Coach recommends that all participants come prepared in proper attire including field turf spikes and shorts.
For directions on how to get to the Wyoming Valley Sports Dome visit their Web site at, www.wyomingvalleysportsdome.com. For more information on the Pioneers open tryout contact Coach Ingold at wbsingold@yahoo.com.
The Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Pioneers will be kicking off their seventh season in the arenafootball2 league with the start of the 2008 season. Season tickets for the Pioneers 2008 season are now on sale! For more information call (570) 970-4232 or visit the Pioneers Web site at www.wbspioneers.com.
LUBBOCK, TX: January 22, 2008 - The arenafootball2's (af2) Lubbock Renegades have a familiar surname joining their roster, as FB/LB Freddie Weinke has been assigned to the club by the af2.
"Freddie has been around various leagues and I hope his experience around the game can benefit us," said Renegades Head Coach Rodney Blackshear. "He adds depth to the fullback-linebacker position and also adds experience at defensive end."
Weinke (winky), the cousin of 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, is a 6'2" 260-pound native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who spent the 2007 season between three different arena/indoor teams. He opened camp in 2007 with the af2's Central Valley Coyotes and eventually left to join the Continental Indoor Football League's (CIFL) Springfield Stallions for seven games. Weinke collected 28 tackles and a pair of sacks, but then the Stallions folded mid-season, and Weinke ended up signing with the Sioux City Bandits of the United Indoor Football (UIF) league. The 25 year-old turned pro in 2005 out of Iowa State, signing with the Aldershot, England based Personal Assurance Knights of the British American Football (BAF) league. In 2006, he appeared in four games as a tight end with the Marion Mayhem of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL). Weinke was a Superprep Magazine All-Midwest Region selection at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was classmates with Joe Mauer of Minnesota Twins fame. Weinke's college career went unscripted after beginning his college tenure at South Dakota University. He redshirted after appearing in two games as a freshman and transferred to Iowa State. A pair of knee surgeries ended his college career at Iowa State before he could ever gain any playing time.
The addition of Weinke places the Renegades with eleven players on the 2008 roster, joining Jake Bauer (K), Jerome Braziel (DB), Chad Jackson (WR/DB), Marquis Johnson (WR), Wali Mumin (DB), Elliot Powell (DB), Ronald Redmond (OL/DL), Justin Robinson (DB), Moqut Ruffins (OL/DL) and Corey White (DB). Media members looking to interview Blackshear or seeking additional information in regards to Weinke's addition may contact Chris Due at 806-744-5858.
REMINDER: The Lubbock Renegades will host their second open tryouts in preparation for the 2008 season this Saturday, January 26th. The tryout is at Lubbock High School's Field House (intersection of 23rd St. and Avenue X) beginning with an 11 a.m. registration and workouts starting at noon. Individuals attending will be evaluated by Renegades Head Coach Rodney Blackshear through various football and strength/conditioning testing procedures. Participants are required to pay $50 to register for the camp and are requested to be prepared for workouts with their own proper workout gear, which includes cleated (for outdoor workouts) and indoor workout shoes. Cash or money orders is the only method of payment for participants (no checks please). Kickers are encouraged to attend, as this is the first tryout camp that kickers can participate in.
The Renegades are now preparing for the 2008 season and their second in the af2. Season ticket and corporate sponsorship information for the 2008 season is available by contacting the Renegades office at (806) 744-5858. Lubbock kicks off their second season on April 5th in Austin before hosting Oklahoma City for their home opener on April 12th at City Bank Coliseum. Additional Renegades info can be found online via their official site at www.lubbockrenegades.com.
AMARILLO, TEXAS The Amarillo Dusters of arena football 2 hosted a press conference today at Randy's at the Paramount introducing additions to the 2008 Dusters roster.
Head coach Chris MacKeown introduced quarterback Robert Johnson and announced the signing of defensive back, Dwayne Slay. Both Johnson and Slay played their college football at Texas Tech Univeristy.
Johnson continued his football career playing football in Europe in 2007. Slay was a free agent signed by the Chicago Bears in 2007. He ruptured his Achilles tendon last season before the Super Bowl.
"Robert is an all around great athlete, and Dwayne is a playmaker," MacKeown said. "That's what we need to get where we want to be."
Johnson played wide receiver at Texas Tech, but won high school and junior college championships as well as a championship in the European league as a quarterback.
Slay holds the record for forced fumbles in the Big 12 at eight in a single season. He was also named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year by several media outlets.
"Both of these young men posses the quality and character that we are looking for," MacKeown said.
Johnson and Slay both said they are excited to be in Amarillo and in the community.
"I've heard good things about Amarillo," Johnson said. "I'm ready to meet more people and get involved here in the community."
Johnson and Slay will be joining Craig Fulton at River Road Middle School this Thursday morning at 7:30 to eat breakfast with the students.
Texas Tech fans, get your season tickets and catch Johnson, Slay, and the rest of the Dusters in action as they kick off the season on April 5th against the Arkansas Twisters. Call the box office at (806) 350-7277 or visit us online at www.dustersfootball.com.
New Arkansas Twisters Head Coach Chris Siegfried has filled his coaching staff for the upcoming 2008 season. The assistant coaches are Defensive Coordinator Kelly Snell, Defensive backs and Special Teams Coach Rob Green, and Line Coach Jim Beverly.
Snell is a former af2 Defensive Player of the Year who holds the league record for interceptions in one season. He also won a Grey Cup championship in the CFL in 2000 and an Arena Bowl title in the AFL in '01. He spent the '07 season as an assistant coach on defense with Rio Grande Valley. The Dorados finished the season with a league best 15-1 record led by the af2's best defense. The team set an af2 record for sacks in a season while also leading the league in scoring defense, pass defense, and turnover margin.
Green is entering his first year as a coach, but brings a wealth of arena football experience with him to the Twisters. He spent last season with the Mahoning Valley Thunder where he played just one game before a serious knee injury ended his season. He appeared in an ArenaCup championship game with Louisville in '05. He was one of the defensive specialists for that team and led the way with 62.5 tackles, 20 pass breakups, and three interceptions. Green will be charged with coaching the defensive backs and coordinating the kicking and return game.
Beverly brings 23 years of playing and coaching experience as the line coach for the Twisters. He played for Coach Siegfried when both were with Cape Fear. Beverly spent the '07 season with Charleston Southern University as the running backs coach. He was an assistant head coach with Amarillo in '06 and authored a book titled "Trench Warfare" that outlines drills, technique and philosophies for offensive and defensive linemen, fullbacks and linebackers.
The Arkansas Twisters kickoff the 2008 season on Saturday, April 5th on the road against Oklahoma City followed by the home opener the following Friday on April 11th.
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz are conducting an open tryout for the upcoming 2008 season. The tryout will be held on Compassionate Care Hospice Field at the Cox Convention Center (Exhibit Halls A-D) on Saturday, January 26th and is open for all positions. Registration will begin at 1 p.m. and the tryout at 2 p.m.
Everyone who feels they have what it takes to be a professional athlete are encouraged to participate. Detailed information and registration forms can be found at www.okcyarddawgz.com or by calling 405-228-3294.
The Yard Dawgz have signed players from open tryouts in the past. The 2008 Yard Dawgz were assigned kicker Ben Scott and WR/DB Jared Smith following their performances in the tryouts held in mid-December. In 2007, several players were signed from the tryout including WR/DB Pierre Velazquez and backup QB Jared Romo. The most notable tryout signing is former University of Oklahoma athlete, Howard Duncan, who was assigned to the Yard Dawgz in 2005. Duncan is now on the active roster for the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League and started all 16 regular season games for the Destroyers in 2007. He was part of an offensive line that allowed the least amount of sacks in franchise history (13) and helped lead the Destroyers to the 2007 National Conference Championship.
The Yard Dawgz compete within the arenafootball2 league with regular season games being played April through July at Ford Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
LUBBOCK, TX: January 21, 2008 - The arenafootball2's (af2) Lubbock Renegades added to their defense with the assignment of defensive back Justin Robinson for the 2008 season by the af2.
"Justin has raw talent when it comes to the indoor game but he brings a lot of speed," said Renegades Head Coach Rodney Blackshear. "He also comes from a passing conference (Mountain West) so he should be experienced in pass coverage."
Robinson is a speedy 5'8" 168-pound defensive back from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turns pro after completing his college eligibility in 2006 at Brigham Young University. At BYU, Robinson was a solid two-year letterman after transferring in for the 2005 season from Independence Community College in Kansas. In his first season (2005) at BYU, he garnered 55 tackles (38 solo) and claimed the program's Defensive Rookie of the Year honor. Robinson played in 13 games his senior season and claimed 41 tackles (33 solo) and four interceptions as a cornerback. Two of the interceptions helped him claim the Defensive MVP award at the 2006 Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon. During an NFL draft workout at BYU, he impressed scouts with the best 40-yard dash time, best vertical jump and the top standing broad jump. He was also clocked near 4.3 seconds in the 40, and had a 37.5-inch vertical jump and the longest standing long jump of the day at 10-feet-4 inches. At ICC, Robinson was a 2004 All-Kansas Jayhawk Junior College Conference (KJCCC) honorable mention recipient as a defensive back and as a special team specialist, after leading the KJCCC in interceptions (five) and finishing second in average kickoff return yards (28.1). He also competed on the ICC track team.
The addition of Robinson places the Renegades with ten players on the 2008 roster, joining Jake Bauer (K), Jerome Braziel (DB), Chad Jackson (WR/DB), Marquis Johnson (WR), Wali Mumin (DB), Elliot Powell (DB), Ronald Redmond (OL/DL), Moqut Ruffins (OL/DL) and Corey White (DB). Media members looking to interview Blackshear or seeking additional information in regards to Robinson's addition may contact Chris Due at 806-744-5858.
The Renegades are now preparing for the 2008 season and their second in the af2. Season ticket and corporate sponsorship information for the 2008 season is available by contacting the Renegades office at (806) 744-5858. Lubbock kicks off their second season on April 5th in Austin before hosting Oklahoma City for their home opener on April 12th at City Bank Coliseum. Additional Renegades info can be found online via their official site at www.lubbockrenegades.com.
The Tulsa Talons, of the af2, have officially been assigned, WR/LB Prentiss Elliott. He joins the Talons for his first year of arena ball.
Elliott, (6-1, 195 lbs), a rookie from Oklahoma State University, was heavily recruited as one of the best running backs in the state, before making his decision to attend OSU. There, he played in 12 games as a true freshman in 2004 and was named the Cowboys' third-leading receiver. Elliott recorded 19 receptions for 304 yards, 18 punt returns for 178 yards and 88 yards rushing. He was named SBC Big 12 Conference Player of the week, where he totaled 131 yards on four returns, including a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown, in Oklahoma State's win over Baylor.
"Prentiss is truly a gifted athlete who we are excited about having on our team. He has size, speed and the ability to catch any ball that is in the area. The Talons understand Prentiss' past and believe he is committed to placing 100% of his efforts toward making our team, said Henry Primeaux, General Manager and Co-Owner.
Prior to Elliott's college career he attended Tulsa High School for Science and Technology. He gained notoriety all over the state with his 2,515 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns as a prep senior. He was named All-District and All-State by both the Tulsa World and Daily Oklahoman.
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