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Destroyers enter final days of training camp

January 17, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Destroyers continued with Day 11 of Training Camp at the Columbus FieldHouse Tuesday with another pair of grueling practices. The day was capped with a good conditioning workout followed by the teams' efforts to find an emergency kicker.

In the Arena Football League, teams only carry one kicker on their active roster. If a kicker were to be injured during a game, someone would have to step in and replace him. At the end of Tuesday's practices, the coaches worked on finding who that person would be.

Destroyers head coach Doug Kay brought the group together at the end of practice to ask if any of players had any prior kicking experience. Those who did were asked to go to Field 3 to attempt some extra points and field goals. Among the participants were wide receiver/linebackers David Saunders and Eddie Galles, as well as offensive/defensive lineman Dan Rumishek.

"It would be fun. I would love to do this," Rumishek said. "The importance of it is big because if anything happens to the kicker, someone has to come in and make some points for the team."

But it might be a little difficult for Rumishek, as he is one of the long snappers on extra points and field goals.

"It would be kind of hard to snap it and then run around and kick it," he quipped.

Rumishek, who kicked in high school, was excited for the opportunity.

"I played soccer as a kid, but I was always a straight on kicker. I could never learn how to kick soccer style. I always had a lot of power and accuracy," he said. "We had a kicking tryout one day at Michigan for kickoffs, but I ended up losing that to the backup kicker."

It was not the way that he expected the day to end, but realizes that with the season less than two weeks away, finding an emergency kicker is something that is good to plan ahead for.

"It kind of caught me by surprise," Rumishek said. "I would love to do it, if the team needs me to do it. I am the utility guy around here, I guess."

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

Players were in just their shoulder pads and helmets for the afternoon practice, which meant minimal contact and allowed coaches to work on technique and timing The offense had another solid day with quarterbacks completing a high percentage of their passes Defensive specialist Jerald Brown returned to full practice after sitting out a couple of days due to injury

Defensive Assistant Vinnie Clark's comments on the day...

On what he sees that he likes at this point of camp...

"It's been a real productive camp on both sides of the ball. From a secondary standpoint, I think that the leadership that Cecil Doggette brings in and the experience that Jerald Brown and Brandon Hefflin have with their work last year is helping them tremendously. Jeremy Unertl is stepping up. I am excited about going into this season to see how these guys react once the lights go on."

On the advice he would give to the players who are fighting for spots on the team...

"I would say to continue to keep working and to listen to what the coaches are saying and try to do it on a consistent basis. That's the thing about being a professional, you have to be consistent. I think once these guys realize that in this game you have to have a short memory, but you have to be consistent, they will be okay."

Offensive/defensive lineman Ken Kocher's comments on the day...

On being in his first Arena Football League Training Camp...

"It's been a different transition because I played in the arenafootball2 league last year, but it's just a transition that you have to get used to. So far it's been pretty good. All the coaches have been working with me and helping me through some things and getting me right where I need to be."

On what he has been able to learn from the coaches throughout Training Camp...

"I feel that everything is stepped up a level as far as intensity, toughness, enduring, things like that. I also think that they are doing a great job helping me with my technique."



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 17, 2006


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