Over 140 Former af2 Players in AFL Camps
January 14, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - Arena Football League training camps open this week, and 145 of the 663 players set to participate in an AFL camp were once on an af2 team, the af2 League office announced today. Of that group, 84 played in af2 during the 2003 season.
Overall, the Columbus Destroyers lead all AFL teams with 17 former af2 players on its training camp roster. With regards to the class of 2003, the Austin Wranglers brought up the most af2 blood with 11 players in its camp.
With 17 players in various AFL camps, including 14 who played in af2 in the 2003 season, the defending ArenaCup Champion Tulsa Talons lead all af2 teams in players sent to the AFL. The complete list of former af2 players now playing in the AFL is listed below.
In addition to the players moving up to the AFL, 17 former af2 coaches and two former af2 players are currently employed as coaches in the AFL. This season one former af2 head coach is opening his first AFL camp, as Skip Foster (Tulsa 2001-03) guides the expansion Austin Wranglers. Other current AFL head coaches with past af2 head coaching experience include: New Orleans' Mike Neu (Augusta 2000), Columbus' Earle Bruce (Iowa 2001), Grand Rapids' Bob Cortese (Wichita 2003) and Las Vegas' Frank Haege (Quad City 2000-01).
Other former af2 head coaches that now work in the AFL include: Carolina Defensive Coordinator Ron Selesky (Albany 2002), Columbus Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Pete Costanza (Columbus 2002, Albany 2003), Dallas Line Coach Jon Norris (Tulsa 2000), Grand Rapids Assistant Coach Rick Frazier (Norfolk 2003), Indiana Assistant Head Coach and Director of Player Personal Mark Stoute (Mohegan 2003), New Orleans Defensive Coordinator Kevin Porter (Pensacola 2000, Macon 2001-03), Orlando Defensive Coordinator Brett Munsey (Tennessee Valley 2001) and Philadelphia Defensive Coordinator James Fuller (Bakersfield 2002-03). Austin Defensive Coordinator Jeff Jarnigan, New Orleans Line Coach Tres Sullivan, Orlando Line Coach Willie Fears and Philadelphia Offensive Coordinator John Zinser all have assistant coaching experience in af2. Carolina Defensive Backs Coach Maurice Blanding and Colorado Offensive Coordinator Brian Partlow each have af2 playing experience. Also, six officials have been promoted to the AFL from af2 for the 2004 season. They are as follows: Rusty Baynes, Jerome Boger, Jimmy Buchanan, Matt Jordan, Rick Podrazza and Kelly Saalfeld.
All AFL teams must make final roster cuts by Monday, February 2. The AFL regular season begins on Thursday, February 5 when the Detroit Fury host the San Jose SaberCats at The Palace of Auburn Hills at 7:30 p.m. ET. NBC's second season of AFL coverage begins on Sunday, February 8 with five games.
About af2
Entering its fifth anniversary season in late March, af2 serves as a grassroots, developmental arena football league for players, coaches and officials with 26 teams in small- to mid-size markets throughout the United States. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans' Bill of Rights as the AFL.
The following is the list (as of 1/14/04) of former af2 players who are currently in AFL training camps:
PLAYER CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST af2 TEAM
Adams, Terrell* Philadelphia Memphis
Adrine, Bruce* Georgia Tennessee Valley
Alfred, Jermaine* New Orleans Macon
Allner, Mitch* Austin Tulsa
Anderson, Nick* Columbus Albany
Argiriadi, Tim New Orleans
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Avery, Chris Grand Rapids Norfolk
Badon, Adesola Georgia Tallahassee
Baker, Henry Chicago Albany
Balous, Johnnie* Austin Tulsa
Bandy, Nate* Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bees, Bob Las Vegas Richmond
Bell, Herman Detroit Birmingham
Berger, Jason* New Orleans Macon
Bironas, Rob* Carolina Charleston
Boden, Chris* New York
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bonner, Cornelius Las Vegas Carolina
Borchers, Bill* Columbus Memphis
Bouie, Ken Columbus Peoria
Brown, Mike* Orlando Charleston
Browner, Brent Austin Quad City
Bullard, Thaddeus* Las Vegas Florida
Burnett, Will* New York Albany
Burns, Travis* Grand Rapids Norfolk
Burt, E.J. Orlando Cape Fear
Canonico, Eddie* Dallas Cincinnati
Caraway, Michael* New Orleans Macon
Carpenter, Dwaine Columbus** Rochester
Carter, Frank Las Vegas Quad City
Carter, Kahlil* Orlando Arkansas
Certain, Ernest Tampa Bay Tallahassee
Church, Walter New York Peoria
Clark, Aleric* Austin Tulsa
Coe, Cornelius Los Angeles Quad City
Cook, Charlie* Indiana Mohegan
Crear, Joseph* Orlando Memphis
Daniels, Brandon* Austin Tulsa
Dennis, DaShane* Chicago Cape Fear
Demary, Silas Los Angeles Norfolk
Dematteo, Cosmo* New York
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Derr, Zac* Detroit Mohegan
Dicken, Billy Detroit Quad City
Dodson, Tony* Austin Tulsa
Dupree, Lincoln New York Peoria
Enneking, Chris* Grand Rapids Wichita
Ferguson, Jason* Grand Rapids Cincinnati
Fish, Dustin* Grand Rapids Wichita
Fleshman, Lindsay Chicago Roanoke
Fontaine, Tacoma* Austin Tulsa
Franklin, Donvetis New York Carolina
Freeman, Jimmy* Las Vegas Tennessee Valley
Gibson, Demond Columbus Peoria
Gispert, Keith Chicago Augusta
Gooch, Ira* New Orleans Quad City
Goolsby, Brian* Grand Rapids Wichita
Hamilton, Sparky* Dallas Bossier City
Hargrove, Reggie Detroit Louisville
Harris, Mark* Columbus Rochester
Harrison, Michael* Philadelphia Florida
Hart, Clinton Tampa Bay ** Tallahassee
Haugabrook, Brian* Los Angeles Birmingham
Henderson, Bryan Arizona Wichita
Hewitt, Jeff* Dallas Quad City
Hill, David* Detroit Greensboro
Hines, Anthony* Indiana Cape Fear
Holloman, Cliff* Arizona Wichita
Hunt, Al* Austin Tulsa
Jackson, Jarrail Columbus Tulsa
Jackson, Kenny* Tampa Bay Memphis
James, Jerrian* Chicago Tennessee Valley
Jeter, Curtis* Detroit Tennessee Valley
Johnson, Larrell* Georgia Charleston
Johnson, Tyronn* Tampa Bay Florida
Jones, J'Sharlon* Philadelphia Bakersfield
Jones, Jermaine Dallas Florida
Joseph, Gana New Orleans Tulsa
King, Shon* Philadelphia Tulsa
Kinsinger, Matt San Jose Augusta
Krause, Greg* Indiana Mohegan
Krauss, Greg* Las Vegas Green Bay
Lancaster, Sacha* New Orleans Arkansas
Layton, Andrew* Dallas Greensboro
Leung-Wai, Ricky* Las Vegas Bakersfield
Lewis, Mark* Detroit Tennessee Valley
Locke, Tony* Columbus Cincinnati
Malloy, Donald Las Vegas Rochester
Martin, Corky* Austin Tulsa
Masters, Travis* Dallas Tulsa
Mastrole, Ken* Detroit Florida
McCleskey, Richard Columbus Tulsa
Mcgill, Tim New York Quad City
McLain, C.J. Philadelphia Arkansas
McMillan, Josh* Austin Tulsa
McNamara, Sean Los Angeles Quad City
Moore, Lamont New Orleans Augusta
Moye-Moore, Marlon* Orlando Charleston
Neal, Tremaine* New Orleans Macon
Nixon, Larry Arizona Bossier City
Norwood, Matt Detroit Tennessee Valley
Peterson, Charlie* Carolina Peoria
Perry, Wilmont* Columbus Cape Fear
Pesavento, Bobby Austin Cape Fear
Pettigrew, Titcus Columbus Peoria
Pettis, Will Dallas Pensacola
Pointer, Chris New Orleans Norfolk
Powell, Sean* New Orleans Macon
Rayborn, John Columbus Macon
Richardson, Ramon* Austin Tulsa
Robinson, Dennison Las Vegas Columbus
Robinson, Rod* Las Vegas Memphis
Rosehill, Olen Arizona Hawaii
Ross, Ernest* Carolina Tennessee Valley
Rumph, Jacques* New Orleans Macon
Sanders, Chris Orlando Roanoke
Scott, Antoinne* Arizona Charleston
Simpson, Teto Grand Rapids Cape Fear
Sippio, Bobby Dallas Greensboro
Sloth, Ryan* Columbus Bakersfield
Slover, Caleb* Carolina Greensboro
Smith, Demont* Grand Rapids Louisville
Snell, Kelly Detroit Tennessee Valley
Spencer, VonKeith Columbus Rochester
Stabler, Roy* Orlando Florida
Stafford, Shane Tampa Bay Tallahassee
Stamenich, Ljubomir* Colombus Albany
Stanley, Antonio Carolina Jacksonville
Stevens, Wes* Carolina Tennessee Valley
Strickland, Craig* Dallas Tulsa
Sullivan, Will* Grand Rapids Wichita
Taylor, Gladstone* Austin Tulsa
Taylor, Kerry New York New Haven
Taylor, Marvin Philadelphia Louisville
Taylor, Phil Columbus Albany
Thomspon, Arkee* Georgia Louisville
Trentadue, Frank Arizona Quad City
Vena, Ryan* Columbus Albany
Walker, Jack* Carolina Peoria
Ward, Jamarr Austin Quad City
Waters, Jason Grand Rapids Norfolk
Webb, Lamont New York San Diego
Welsh, Jeff Grand Rapids Columbus
White, Josh* New York Hawaii
Wilkinson, Jeremy Las Vegas Quad City
Williamson, Kenny* Las Vegas Bakersfield
Zimmerman, Tony* Indiana Quad City
* Indicates player who played af2 in 2003
** Indicates player listed on exempt list
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