Fighters, Shock Finally Take the Field
Published on May 15, 2021 under Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release
The wait is finally over for two of the most anticipated debuts in the Indoor Football League.
In Spokane, the Shock are reviving a longstanding brand within a market with a rabid fan base. In Frisco, legendary head coach Clint Dolezel returns home to launch a franchise in a market where he solidified his status as a Hall of Fame player and launched his head coaching career.
Both organizations were poised for great things in 2020. But then COVID happened.
So after more than a year of sitting on the sidelines and waitiong to reboot their inaugural seasons in the IFL, kickoff has finally arrived for both teams. And, to make things more interesting, the two teams will face off against one another in one of the more intriguing matchups of the weekend.
The Fighters will make the long trek to Spokane for the season opener for both teams. The contest kicks off at 7:05 pm local time in Spokane.
"We're excited that the game is finally here," Dolezel said. "It seems like forever ago that we started putting a team together, then last season the rug was pulled out from us on the afternoon of what was supposed to be our first game. Since that night we've been looking forward to this day."
Both teams emerged from training camp with quality rosters and expectations for much more than just regular season action. Shock head coach Billy Back, a championship coach in his own right, brings with him key members of his rosters from previous stops, including veteran IFL QB Charles McCullum.
"To be this close to game day after 19 months off of football is like a kid before Christmas," Back said. "You see the field being set up, the uniforms being laid out, but yet you have to wait until Saturday for the present."
Unfortunately for Shock Nation, the unveiling of the new team will have to be seen virtually, as no fans will be present at Spokane Arena due to COVID restrictions. And while that will limit the ambience inside the arena, both teams are sure to be focused on the task at hand when kickoff arrives.
"It's definitely unfortunate that there will be no fans," Dolezel said. "It would have been a tremendous atmosphere. I've played in Spokane before and the fans there were great. But we can't worry about that and we have to control what we can control. Coach Back is a tremendous coach and he has put together a very talented team, one of the best in the league. So it will be a great test for our guys and we are looking forward to seeing how we match up."
The Frisco roster is filled with talent, but light on IFL experience. Just six players from the team's 30-man roster have IFL playing experience, though several have played in th NFL, CFL, and XFL prior to coming to Frisco. But despite that inexperience, Back respects the team that will take the field against his squad.
"Coach Dolezel is one of the all-time greats in the arena game," Back stated. "The respect factor is to the ceiling for him, knowing his teams are always contenders and physical. I'm looking forward to finally getting to compete against one of his coached teams. This is a playoff preview in my eyes, and it's coming in Week 1 for both teams."
The anticipation is high, and so is the confidence on both sides. With neither team really knowing what to expect from the other side, it will be interesting to see how long it takes both squads to settle into their game. It looks to be a hard-fought, indoor football battle Saturday night in Spokane, and will be a show worth watching.
Indoor Football League Stories from May 15, 2021
- Barnstormers Take Down Storm in Season Opener - Iowa Barnstormers
- Bucks Battle for Win over Blizzard, 58-46 - Dakota Bucks
- Storm, Barnstormers Clash in IFL Game of the Week - IFL
- Fighters, Shock Finally Take the Field - IFL
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