Knights Notes
March 27, 2009 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Ogden Knights News Release
TEAM HISTORY
The 2009 is the inaugural season of the Ogden Knights. The team was founded by Michael Mink and John Morris. Michael is head coach and president of the Knights. The team will play it's first season at the Golden Spike Events Center in Ogden, Utah. The GSEC will seat approximately 6,800 en- thusiastic indoor football fans.
The Knights will rely on local talent from We- ber State, Utah State and the University of Utah. This first season looks to be a remarkable journey as these young Knights as they face the Western Con- ference champions, Wyoming Calvary, the extremely talented New Mexico Wildcats, and the new in state rival, Utah Valley Thunder.
The Ogden Knights Organization is big on community involvement, and is excited to bring af- fordable family entertainment to Northern Utah. The teams' recent meet-and-greet dinner was sold out as the teams players were "Knighted" in front of the first Knights' sponsors and fans.
The team will feature the Lady Knight dance team at all home games along with a host of games and entertainment for all ages.
GAME DETAILS
7:00 PM, SAT. MARCH 28, 2009, GOLDEN SPIKE EVENT CENTER
Tickets Available Now at SmithsTix.com or at the Golden Spike Ticket Window before the game
JOIN US FOR THE FESTIVAL OF KNIGHTS PRE- GAME EVENTS 4-7PM
Food and fun for children of all ages!
HEAD COACHES
MICHAEL MINK
Michael Mink, entering into his third year as co-owner and co-founder of the American Indoor Football Association, is truly excited about the American Indoor Football Asso- ciation 2009 season.
Mink, 41, brings nearly two decades of football knowledge to the AIFA and the Ogden Knights. Michael is also the co- owner/director and head coach of the ex- pansion Ogden Knights Professional Foot- ball team.
The 2009 season marks Mink's return to head coaching after taking 2008 off to work on league duties. In 2007 Michael took the expansion Carolina Speed of the AIFA into the playoffs. The Speed were 6-2 at home and became one of the better teams in the league towards the end of the year.
In 2006, Mink led the Montgomery Maulers to a 6-2 regular season and a playoff birth and also lead the Raiders to a 9-1 regular season record in 2006, clinching the SSFL National Conference South- ern Division Championship and finishing at the top of the National Football Conference in offensive and defensive scoring categories. In addition, Mink had nine different players be named to the 2006 SSFL All-Star Team. Mink holds the game record as head coach at 24-12.
Recognizing the large gap that currently exists between high school/college football and the National Football League (NFL), Mink and Morris (John) aspires to build a model league that provides players with the opportunity to continue in their aspirations to play football at a higher level.
Michael also excelled in athletic realms beyond just football. He was also an accomplished baseball player playing for various profes- sional minor league clubs from 1988 to 1990. Mink also played a sea- son in the Mexican Baseball League (MBL). Prior to his time in the Minors, Mink played two years of baseball at UAB where he was an All- Conference Selection and Gold Glove Award Winner. He and a dual Bachelors Degree in Pre-Law and History from UAB.
Michael was inducted, in 2008, into the Minor League Sports Hall of Fame.
Mink and his wife, Tamara, have two daughters; Sierra (6) and Arista (3 years).
The Mink family resides in Palm Harbor, FL.
DAN MACIEJCZAK
Maciejczak has been coaching against the Cavalry since 2002, and when he wasn't coaching an opposing team, he was playing on one.
During the 2006 season, Maciejczak coached the Rapid City Flying Aces to an 11-3 regular season record and guided the team to the NIFL Semi-finals. The Flying Aces had the top scoring offense and top scoring defense in the league. They outscored their opponents 691 - 319 points through the regular sea- son.
Maciejczak spent the 2005 season serving as Head Coach for NFL All-Pro Defensive Tackle Sam Adam's team, the Everett Hawks. The Hawks were the top scoring team in the league, averaging 61.7 points per game. By guiding the team to an undefeated 2005 Sea- son, the Hawks became only the second team in the history of the NIFL to have an undefeated regular season.
In 2004, Maciejczak served as the head coach of the Billings Out- laws, improving the team from a 6-8 record and guiding them to an 11-3 record, advancing them to the conference championship. Ma- ciejczak's squad averaged 47.9 points per game while giving up 36.3 points per game, third best in the league. The Outlaws also had the top ranked passing offense in the NIFL.
Prior to coaching the Outlaws, Maciejczak was the head coach/ general manager for the Rapid City Red Dogs for two seasons.
Maciejczak's career in the NIFL began as a player. He play for the Rapid City Red Dogs, and was named to the all-star list.
Prior to his experience with the NIFL, Maciejczak played 3 seasons between the AFL & IFL. Starting for teams such as Iowa Barnstorm- ers, Peoria Pirates, Buffalo Destroyers, and Madison Mad Dogs.
Before heading to the indoor game Maciejczak played center at Chadron State College. He was a 3-time All-American, and a 3-time unanimous Rocky Mountain All-Conference selection. His dominance at the college level earned him NFL contracts with both the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Coach "Majic" and his wife Rebecca reside in Rapid City, SD with their two sons, Jared and Jason. "This is the opportunity I've been waiting for my entire NIFL career...being in Casper with the best fans, the best ownership and the best community support," says Maciejczak with a grin. "I just love everything about it here."
INSIDE THE KNIGHTS
GAME OVERVIEW
This will be the first meeting between the Wyoming Calvary and the Ogden Knights.
With a record of 1-0, the Wyoming Calvary are considered to be the 2009 Division favorite as they defeated the Utah Valley Thunder, 62-34 last Monday night.
The Knights inaugural season started last Monday night with a tough loss, 42-37, against the New Mexico Wildcats. The Knights who featured a lot of local talent Monday night from Weber State University with Adrian Conway, Brendon Doyle, Lawrence Walker and Jose Cardoza Jr. The Knights had a terrific performance from fullback Johnathan Johnson and wide receiver Adrian Conway. The Knights are a blue collar team that relies on work ethic and team play. In Monday nights game the Knights continued to improve as the game was played and was one catch away from the teams' first victory. The Calvary are led by quarterback Matt Strand who led Wyoming to the Western Conference Championship in 2008, only to be defeated by the Florence Phantoms in the AIFA Championship Bowl II. The 2009 Calvary are a veteran ball club that has a host of returning starters both offensively and defensively. This matchup will be a great measuring stick for the young Knights as they have an opportunity to knock off last years division/conference champs. The Knights are looking for a big turnout on Saturday night that will enable them to use the home field advantage as their ninth man. GO KNIGHTS!
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American Indoor Football Association Stories from March 27, 2009
- This Week in the AIFA Covers Week 3 of 2009 AIFA Season - AIFA
- Thunder WR Johnson Thrives on Proving Critics Wrong - Utah Blaze
- Knights Notes - Ogden Knights
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