A Reason to Remember the Name
July 13, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS (July 13, 2012) - When the New Orleans VooDoo added free agent kicker Gary Cismesia on June 26, 2012, the team openly joked that his name was kicker - just kicker.
"I knew that's what I went by, and that's what I always went by in the league," Cismesia said. "You don't get settled with a team until you prove yourself, and then once you prove yourself, people start to warm up to you."
After the VooDoo defeated the Jacksonville Sharks in The Graveyard in Week 17, which was Cismesia's first game as a VooDoo player, O'Hara awarded him only his first name. In Week 18 at San Jose, O'Hara and the team graciously decided to add on his last name too.
"He did a good job in the first game," VooDoo Head Coach Pat O'Hara said. "He also made a huge field goal for us in the second game. He's a good guy and teammate so we gave him his name back."
Cismesia is the fourth kicker this season for the New Orleans VooDoo, and he has only missed one point after touchdown (PAT's). Last week in San Jose, Cismesia was perfect for P.A.T's. This is the first time a VooDoo kicker has been perfect on P.A.T's in a season.
"We struggled with the kicker position, that's no secret," O'Hara said. "It cost us games, but Gary is doing a good job so far. The key for him is consistency, but so far so good."
The VooDoo ranks second to last in the AFL in PATs this season, only converting 74.8 percent (83 of 111) of its tries; however, Cismesia is helping curve that stat over his last two games, converting 12 of 13 while also making 2 of 3 field goal attempts.
Cismesia is one of eight players on the VooDoo who hail from Florida. Cismesia grew up in Parrish, Florida and went on to play college football in 2007 at Florida State University where he was 29 of 34 on field goal attempts during his senior year as a placekicker. He also set the ACC record for the longest field goal for 60 yards.
After college, Cismesia attended the New York Jets minicamp in 2010, and then played in the Indoor Football League (IFL) with the Tri-Cities Fever in 2011. Cismesia then signed with the Arena Football League team the Kansas City Command in 2012, but he never felt that team bond.
"I could never get comfortable or feel at home in Kansas," Cismesia said. "The Command released me and I went back to the IFL and played for the Omaha Beef and got my stuff together, and now, I'm here in New Orleans."
Cismesia may be new to New Orleans and the VooDoo, but he seems to fit right in.
"New Orleans is a great town," Cismesia said. "I haven't seen the whole town, but I like it here and I like the team. It's a pretty good place."
The VooDoo (8-8, 5-1) travel to the Storm (7-9, 3-4) this Saturday for an important American Conference South Division matchup with playoff implications on the line for both teams. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT, and fans can tune into the game on Cox 4 or listen to it live on "Rush Radio" 99.5 FM WRNO.
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Arena Football League Stories from July 13, 2012
- Gladiators Eliminated From Postseason With Loss to Blaze on NFL Network, 83-63 - Cleveland Gladiators
- SaberCats Host Barnstormers on Saturday Night in Final Home Regular Season Game - San Jose SaberCats
- Jones Named Week 19 National Guard Community MVP - AFL
- Hart and Quaye Added to Roster, Hill Placed on IR - Tampa Bay Storm
- Storm Hosts the New Orleans VooDoo Saturday, July 14 on Fan Appreciation Night - Tampa Bay Storm
- Sharks to Give Back on Fan Appreciation Night - Jacksonville Sharks
- A Reason to Remember the Name - New Orleans VooDoo
- Command vs. Shock Game Preview - Kansas City Command
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