Fighters Sign Dolezel to Multi-Year Extension
August 21, 2021 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
FRISCO, TexasÃÂ - The Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League announced today that the team has signed head coach Clint Dolezel to a new, multi-year contract extension.
Dolezel is completing his first full season as head coach of the FightersÃÂ and has his teamÃÂ on the brink of the 2021 IFL Playoffs. The Fighters enter their final regular season game Saturday night at the Arizona Rattlers with a 10-2 overall record and the opportunity to earn the top seed in the 2021 IFL Playoffs.
"I am very happy to be able to continue to be a part of the Frisco Fighters organization," said Dolezel. "I want to thank the Steve Germain Family for being first-class owners, and Dave Whinham and The TEAM Management for providing the leadership that makes our organization the best in the league. Texas is my home and there is nowhere else my family and I would rather be."
Dolezel's early success with the Fighters comes as no surprise, as he is a Hall of Fame player and coach in the indoor game. He is widely regarded as one of the best-ever to play the indoor game, and as a head coach in the Arena Football League, Dolezel was one of only two coaches to ever be named Coach of the Year three times.
"ClintÃÂ Dolezel is the best head coach in indoor football, and we are very excited that he will be with the Frisco Fighters for the long-term," said Stephen Evans, President and General Manager of the Fighters. "What he has accomplished this season and throughout his coaching career is remarkable, and he has done so with class and integrity. We can't wait to see what's still in store for the Frisco Fighters this season, but what we do know is that under Clint's leadership, the Frisco Fighters organization will remain a standard-bearer in the sport of indoor football."
The Frisco Fighters enter Saturday night's matchup controlling their own destiny for home field advantage throughout the 2021 IFL Playoffs. Should the Fighters win at Arizona, Frisco would be the No. 1 seed heading into the 2021 IFL Playoffs.
The Fighters have already sewn up a home playoff game in the first round of the 2021 IFL Playoffs. In fact, Frisco is the fifth professional indoor football organization coached by Dolezel, and will be the fifth organization Dolezel has lead to the postseason in his first year as the team's head coach.
As head coach of the AFL's Philadelphia Soul from 2013-2019, Dolezel accumulated a regular-season record of 76-32 (70.3% win percentage). In 2019, Dolezel led the Soul to the ArenaBowl, and in doing so passed Jay Gruden for the seventh-most all-time coaching wins in AFL history. The ArenaBowl appearance was the Soul's fourth under Dolezel, who guided the Soul to two AFL ArenaBowl Championships.
Dolezel added to his championship trophy collection in 2016 when, after guiding the Soul to the ArenaBowl championship, he joined the China Arena Football League as head coach of the Beijing Lions. The Lions went 6-0 in the inaugural season of the CAFL, winning the championship on a field goal on the last play of the game.
In addition to being a successful head coach, Dolezel was a Hall of Fame player in the AFL. Dolezel put together a storied 13-year playing career where he still ranks amongst the AFL's all-time leaders in passing yards (No. 3 with 44,564), touchdown passes (No. 2 with 931), passing attempts (No. 4 with 5,698), and completions (No. 4 with 3,749). He was also named the No. 8 player in AFL history by the Silver Anniversary Committee in 2012.
Dolezel began his coaching career with the af2's Florida Firecats as the team's Offensive Coordinator in 2009. In 2010, he landed his first professional head coaching position with the San Angelo Stampede of the IFL and guided them to the second round of the playoffs. In 2011, Dolezel was tapped as head coach of the AFL's Dallas Vigilantes and made the playoffs with an 11-7 regular-season record in his rookie head coaching season in the AFL.
Dolezel began his playing career at Cisco College, where he was a second-team All-Conference selection as a sophomore. He transferred to East Texas State where he finished his collegiate career. Dolezel would later be named to the school's athletics Hall of Fame.
• Discuss this story on the Indoor Football League message board...
Indoor Football League Stories from August 21, 2021
- Barnstormers Battered at Massachusetts - Iowa Barnstormers
- Pirates Make It Eight Straight Wins After Defeating Barnstormers, 55-19 - Massachusetts Pirates
- Fighters Sign Dolezel to Multi-Year Extension - Frisco Fighters
- Week 18 Preview - Sioux Falls Storm
- Week 18 Preview - Dakota Bucks
- Week 18 Preview - Arizona Rattlers
- Week 18 Preview - Tucson Sugar Skulls
- Week 18 Preview - Massachusetts Pirates
- Spokane Shock Use Bye Week To Prepare For Playoffs - Spokane Shock
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
