Soul sign Japanese player to practice squad
Published on February 17, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA â The Philadelphia Soul set foot into international territory for the first time in franchise history, signing Japanese wide receiver/defensive back Takuya Furutani to the team's International Practice Squad. A native of Hyogo, Japan, Furutani made a name for himself with the Louisville Fire of arenafootball2 last season, catching 51 passes for 724 yards and 11 touchdowns. He becomes just the third international player on an AFL roster this season.
At 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, Furutani is able to use his speed and agility to make plays on both sides of the ball. His solid two-way play last year earned him Ironman of the Game honors twice, af2's Ironman of the Week, Offensive Player of the Game, and the league's first-ever International Player of the Year award. In addition to his wide receiver and defensive back play he can also handle return duties, as he tallied 378 yards and one touchdown in the role last season.
Soul Head Coach Michael Trigg cited not only Furutani's talent but also a conscious League-wide effort to globalize the AFL as the keys to his signing.
"It is our hope that we can integrate international competition here with our team and potentially travel abroad in the off-season as well," Trigg said. "Hopefully over time, we may be able to develop some talent that can lead others into the game of football world-wide."
Before joining the af2, Furutani played in the World Cup (in Germany) as an All-Japan member, and was named the team's best player. He also played for the Seagulls (X-League), where he helped lead his team to three-straight Division Championships.
The Soul travel to New Orleans to face the VooDoo this Sunday, February 20. Kickoff is set for 12:00 pm (ET) and can be seen live on NBC Sports (NBC-10 WCAU-Philadelphia). The game can also be heard on News Talk 990 am WNTP-Philadelphia or via the internet at www.philadelphiasoul.com.
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