Raider Battalion adds Dynamic Athletes
December 23, 2011 - Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL)
Lakeland Raiders News Release
LAKELAND,FL- The Raider Battalion adds talent, athleticism, and dedicated players to an already impressive roster. The Raiders wanted to give you some information about some of the individuals that we have signed for the 2012 season.
Drametrice Smith is a product of Florida High School power house St. Thomas Aquinas. Drametrice was a very productive safety and linebacker throughout his high school career and also appeared in three state championship games. His next step was towards Bull Nation with the University of South Florida. He was very well recognized throughout the Big East on the field and in the classroom also. His talents took him to higher level private workouts with the NFL,CFL, AFL and previously the AF2. Drametrice adds experience, great awareness, athleticism, speed and a force to be reckoned with in our linebacker and fullback position.
Tavares Woodley is a Florida native from Florida City. He was a highly ranked Quarterback out of Homestead Senior High and was rated the number 1 Quarterback coming out of Dade County and 3rd in the State of Florida his Senior Year. Tavares then went to FIU and played three years for the Panthers. After graduating, Tavares was invited to a NFL camp with the Dolphins and then began his indoor career. He has played with the Daytona Beach Thunder of the WIFL, Fairbank Grizzlies of the IFL, Marion Mayhew of CIFL, Chicago Slaughter of the IFL, and Johnstown Generals of the UIFL. Tavares is excited to come closer to home and compete for the Quarterback position and believes with the amount of talent the Raiders hold, it will be a memorable season. He brings a great arm, mobility, experience and the capability to play multiple positions.
Takashi Walker is a very talented defensive back that started his young football career by rushing for a 75 yard touchdown in his first snap ever as a football player. Takashi started every game in his high school career for Springs Valley High. He received All-Conference twice, All- State twice and Sprint Factory Magazine All-American. He was a highly recruited athlete out of high school and decided to attend Eastern Kentucky after returning from Jamaica. After College, NFL teams such as the: Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers had interests in him. He also played three years in Arena football and was one of the first players to receive MVP honors as a defensive player. Takashi adds great experience, versatility and play making ability to the Raiders Secondary.
Josh Julmiste brings the dynamic rush ability with experience to the Raiders. Josh is one of four children and is another USF Bull added on to the Raiders roster. Josh played at Miramar High School where his athleticism and size had him on defense as well as offense. He had touchdown passes, touchdown receptions, sacks and interceptions all on his football stats. He was also a dual athlete and played basketball where he was also dominant. Scouted for his great size and speed, Josh showcased his skills with the Bulls and now will be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks with the Raiders.
Jerral Davidson was a dual sport athlete at Centennial High School in Champaign, IL. He was a team captain in football and basketball and then took his talents to Aurora University to play football. He was a 1st team All-Conference player and also received the most improved player award during his college career. Jerral had 111 career tackles and 12int's while playing a bigger team role his Junior and Senior year. He also brings indoor experience while he played for the Evansville Bluecats and the Chicago Slaughter. Jerral brings more experience and speed to a talented secondary and is dynamic on both sides of the ball.
Bruce Gipson is a Sarasota Native that played football and was a track and field state finalist at Charlotte High School. He then attended the University of South Florida where he was the 2nd player in Bulls history to play "Iron Man Football," playing on both offense and defense. After graduating from USF, he had interests from the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions. He then played a year with the Fire Cats of the previously known Arena II. He brings speed, experience and a dynamic play maker on both sides of the ball.
Kevin Warner comes from Kentucky State University where his arm and feet helped him excel in his position at Quarterback. Kevin had a great Senior season where he was able to show his talents by passing for 14 touchdowns and rushing for 11 touchdowns while throwing for over 2500 yards. Kevin also brings indoor experience from the IFL where he played for the Kent Predators last year. Warner brings a strong and accurate arm with great mobility to the Raiders Quarterback position.
Head coach Michael Mink is enthusiastic to get his team into camp and start to get ready for the season. "We have talent in every position and we will be ready to win a championship for Lakeland come March. The hardest part I find is selecting the final roster since the talent is high all across the board but I am sure any coach would love to have that problem." General Manager Feddy Azofeifa also commented on this group. "It's incredible how ready these players are to play. These guys are hungry to get on the field and I see no problems having this team on the same page come March 10th. We have a great coaching staff and a great leader in Michael." The Raiders have spread "Raider Fever" throughout the community and fans are eager for the season to begin. Season tickets on sale starting from $59.
For more information about the Lakeland Raiders visit the team website at www.lakelandraiders.com or call 863-834-7511. 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 and can be reached at 863-834-8111.tLake c
The Raiders were founded by Michael Mink and owned by Michael Mink and Robert Tannenbaum. The Raiders are a Professional Indoor/Arena Football Team in the Ultimate Indoor Football League(www.theuifl.com). The Raiders organization is a community based team that supports affordable family fun and entertainment. The original Marine Raiders were honored a group of warriors and sons from America. The lost Marine Raider Battalions completed their mission in real war and were the pride of World War II. One Team. One Mission. The Invasion begins in 2012!
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Ultimate Indoor Football League Stories from December 23, 2011
- Raider Battalion adds Dynamic Athletes - Lakeland Raiders
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