Veteran Leadership at Its Best
Published on January 27, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release
As training camp for the Las Vegas Gladiators continues, the faces of the new players become easier to recognize. One of those new faces has already become familiar in the Arena Football League.
AFL veteran John DeWitt is entering his seventh season playing the indoor game and his first with the Gladiators. DeWitt plans on being a key contributor to a team who has high expectations going into this 2004 season. However, his first goal is to get through training camp.
"Every year younger guys come into camp and they seem to get faster and stronger. It just makes veterans, like myself, work harder," DeWitt said after practice concluded on Monday. "I am just glad to be back on the field for another season."
In his first six seasons, DeWitt has played for three different teams (Los Angeles Avengers, Buffalo Destroyers and Nashville Kats). In the 2003 season with the Avengers, DeWitt had one of his best seasons as a professional. He led the team with 10 quarterback hurries and totaled 14 tackles, three sacks, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
For the 2004 season, DeWitt would like to see his statistics resemble his numbers in college at Vanderbilt. He finished his senior season at Vandy with 67 total tackles and seven sacks. DeWitt understands those numbers are a little unrealistic for Arena Football, but he continually sets his goals high so he has something to work for.
DeWitt decided to make the move to Las Vegas when he saw the opportunity to play for head coach Frank Haege. "Coach Haege had been pursuing me when he was coaching the team in New Jersey and I really admired how nice their whole organization was," DeWitt said.
Now that the Gladiators are in Las Vegas, DeWitt is happy to be close to his home of Huntington Beach, Ca. while playing for a coach he looks up to.
"John DeWitt is one of the best pass rushers in the league and getting him from a team in our own division is an added bonus," head coach Frank Haege said on Monday. "We are really excited to have him."
As training camp continues on this next week, DeWitt prepares himself for the upcoming season. His eyes are set on the Gladiators first home game, Saturday, February 14th, as they host his former team, the Los Angeles Avengers.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 27, 2004
- SaberCats' Grieb ready for another big season under center - San Jose SaberCats
- Russell Athletic unveils new Georgia Force uniforms with Georgia Governer Sonny Perdue - Georgia Force
- Cobras Slide Into Final Week of Training Camp - Carolina Cobras
- L.A. Avengers set to close training camp in Denver - Los Angeles Avengers
- Veteran Leadership at Its Best - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Columbus Destroyers announce radio broadcast parnership with Infinity Broadcasting Columbus - Columbus Destroyers
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