Familiar Face Returns and New Faces to battle for Positions
January 11, 2013 - Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL)
Lakeland Raiders News Release
LAKELAND, FL- The Raiders are counting down the days until kick-off and are still upgrading in talent all over the field. "We plan on winning a championship and the guys we bring back and bring into our program are on the same path" commented Coach Mink. The Raiders will be holding a final try out on January 12th at The Lakeland Center with registration beginning at 9:30am. This will be the final try out for the 2013 season. "Many of our players have came from our try-outs. We really do take the chance to bring in talent no matter where they are from" commented Coach Mink. The try-out will be on a turf field and the price for pre-registered athletes is $40. The Raiders will also be hosting Lakeland's NFocus Pictures. NFocus has teamed up with Michael Mink and the Lakeland Raiders  to produce a pilot for a new documentary series. This series will document the ins and outs of running a professional arena football team. The ups and downs, the wins and losses and how it impacts the players, coaches, staff and even the dancers. Viewers will get an inside look at the football lives and personal lives of the colorful characters, and a front row seat as many of the players hope to live their dream of someday playing for the NFL. NFocus Pictures is producing the pilot and potentially the series for a  cable network TBD. For more information about NFocus Pictures, visit www.getnfocus.com.Â
The Raiders are proud to welcome back Roderick Jefferson. Roderick's first game was against the Raiders where he hauled in 15 receptions and 3 touchdowns but none more memorable than the one handed, jumping over the wall catch that was the best play many players or fans have ever seen. He continued to play for Mississippi until he got an opportunity to join the Raiders late in the season. Roderick was an immediate impact and a target that was very difficult to stop. He accounted for 21 touchdowns in his first arena season with the two teams. "When the chance came to bring him to Lakeland, we jumped all over it. He is a physical specimen and a very talented athlete. I could tell he was in a league of his own and a talent that fell through the cracks because of the NFL lockout" commented General Manager Feddy Azofeifa. What many never heard was that Roderick's hard work and dedication landed him two off season work outs with NFL teams, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars. He is the first player in the Raiders organization to get that chance and he is hungrier than ever to prove that he can compete at the NFL level. "With being the first year, I got a late jump on helping players but teams were very interested in Roderick and still are" commented GM Feddy Azofeifa. Roderick became a fan favorite and was voted Offensive Player of the Year by the fans. He is eager to get back on the field and is excited to play with such talented team mates. "This is by far the most talented team I have ever been on. You have NFL talent all over and a quarterback that knows the game. Our defense will make us work hard in practice and we will make each other better and better. I couldn't be more thankful for everything the Raiders and Feddy have done to help me get a chance in the NFL and I am working harder than ever to be there this fall" commented Roderick.
The Raiders will also like to welcome a new face in Conor Reilly. Reilly (6-2, 255lbs) played in 47 career games at Ohio from 2006-09, where he lettered in all 4 years. During that time, he was a strong contributor to the Bobcats as the team won two Mid-American East Conference titles and went to 2 bowl games: the GMAC Bowl in 2007 and the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl in 2009. During his senior season, Reilly played in 11 games recording 16 tackles including 4 for a loss, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception. Over his 4 year career he totaled 9 sacks. The Hudson, Ohio native was selected to the Division I Ohio All-State team and was a starter in the North vs. South All-Ohio Bowl as a high school senior. Conor brings Arena/Indoor experience as he previously played in the AFL (Arena Football League) for the Iowa Barnstormers and the Cleveland Gladiators. His versatility helps him make plays at linebacker and at defensive end. He is thankful for the chance to come to Lakeland and is also looking forward to playing for former Barnstormers Bj Hall, Chris Felder, and Sam Smith again. "This guy goes after the ball hard. He has no regards for anyone who steps in his way. He will be a force on our defense and teams will know where Conor is at all times" commented GM Feddy Azofeifa.
The Raiders have also boosted the secondary with two additions. The first addition is Bryan Houston (5'10, 190lbs) from Alabama State. Bryan attended a Raiders try-out with no intentions of playing but in support of his nephew who was trying out for the team. Bryan is a personal trainer who lives in Atlanta but is originally from St. Petersburg. Bryan requested to just work out with the players for enjoyment. Bryan is a former Arena Football player but has kept in great shape due to being a personal trainer. Bryan was very impressive out of the gates as his first target was previously mentioned Roderick Jefferson. Bryan surprisingly stepped face to face with the young phenom and went toe to toe defending Roderick. After the play was over, Roderick gave him a hand shake and was also impressed with his abilities to cover. Everyone was impressed and he was kept under watch throughout the try-out. He was very impressive in team drills and got 3 interceptions while being a vocal leader on the defense. "It's funny the way things go in life and you never know what can happen. Bryan is a great case for this and he impressed myself and the staff enough that we wanted to sign him on the spot. He was hesitant at first in taking the offer but later on accepted and we couldn't be happier to welcome him to the Raiders organization" commented General Manager Feddy Azofeifa.
The other secondary acquisition comes is a rookie to the indoor game but shows great promise. Damien Jackson (6'3, 215lbs) from Mississippi is familiar to playing in a very talented conference. Out of junior college, he was rated the number 12th junior college player in the country by scout.com and number 26th by rivals.com. Started in sixteen games at Ole Miss while having 108 tackles and finished third on the squad with 64 tackles his senior year. As a former SEC player, he brings a high level of talent to the Raiders secondary and is eager to learn more. He is a very young player, fresh out of college but was over looked in the 2012 draft and is now wanting the opportunity to show everyone he deserves a chance to be in the NFL and his first goal is to be a leader and lead the Raiders to a championship. "Damien brings speed as well as a defensive back who doesn't just tackle opponents but goes through them. I can see the wall being his partner in crime and receivers not wanting to be in his area" commented General Manager Feddy Azofeifa.
Another addition is the dynamic Dj Boldin(6'0, 215 lbs). Demir (DJ) Boldin was born in Pahokee FL and he attended and graduated from the Pahokee high school. Demir graduated with honors and was a tri-athlete. He played football, basketball and track and field. He excelled in football earning a state championship his senior year as well as personal honors like defensive player of the year. After high school Demir earned a full ride scholarship to Wake Forest University to extend his career in football. There he excelled again earning a couple of bowl championships like the Menekie car care bowl and the Eagle bank bowl. Also Demir was named First-Team freshmen All-ACC his first year and his senior year earning First-Team All-ACC and led the NCAA in receptions his senior year. Demir finished his college career by earning a bacholer's degree in Sociology from Wake Forest University. From college football to professional football. Demir would later play in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, then with the CFL where he spent a little time with the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. Dj adds the athleticism needed that can play on offense as well as defense. "The addition of Dj will make guys work harder because he can play just as well on both sides of the ball and you don't see that often, " commented GM Feddy.
Finally, the Raiders welcome Larry Wriedt (6'5, 335lbs). Larry is a versatile offensive lineman from West Liberty University. He earned second-team NCAA Division II All-America honors from the Don Hansen Football Gazette, first-team All-Super Region One and first-team All-WVIAC. Larry was a key performer on offensive line which paved the way for a Hilltopper attack which led the nation in scoring and total offense for the two consecutive years. "Larry is a very dynamic offensive lineman and I am very excited for him to arrive. He can play anywhere on the line which is very helpful but that also shows how athletic he is and how talented he is. He is still a young player with the chance to improve and tune his skills and I am sure teams at the next level will be giving him a chance. Larry is the type of offensive lineman that you use to help protect your quarterback," commented General Manager Feddy.
"I am looking forward to working with these men and getting them ready for the season. We are keeping the best players that fit the Battalion on and off the field. We keep getting calls from players all over the country wanting to be a part of this organization and that shows how we are becoming a national product," commented Coach Mink. The Lakeland Raiders 2013 season tickets are on sale. The Raiders are showing fan appreciation by continuing to purchase season ticket holders parking for the season but only for a limited time. The Raiders 2013 season kicks-off in March and 6 home game season ticket packages starting as low as $35 are now on- sale and can be purchased by calling 1-855-RAIDER1 or ordering online at www.lakelandraiders.com. The upcoming season will feature new rivals from Sarasota, Miami and out of state teams from Dalton, Georgia and St. Charles, Missouri. For more information about the Ultimate Indoor Football League visit the league website www.uiflfootball.com or by calling 877-500-UIFL.
For more information about the Ultimate Indoor Football League visit the league website at www.uiflfootball.com. The Raiders will be playing home games at The Lakeland Center. The Lakeland Center offers a full variety of sporting events, concerts and shows. The Lakeland Center is a short drive from anywhere in Central Florida. Regular box office hours are Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:30pm.t
The Raiders were formed by Michael Mink in honor of Michael's mother Dorothy Mink. With Robert Tannenbaum's business knowledge and experience operating successful companies, the combo look to the Lakeland community to help build the best indoor arena franchise in the country along with a championship team. The original Raiders also honored a group of warriors and sons from America. These Raiders completed their mission in real war and were the Marine Raiders of World War II. One Team. One Mission. The invasion continues in 2013!
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Ultimate Indoor Football League Stories from January 11, 2013
- The Road to the Final Roster - Lakeland Raiders
- Familiar Face Returns and New Faces to battle for Positions - Lakeland Raiders
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