Post by Banana Cat on Aug 12, 2011 15:49:32 GMT -5
www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2011/08/10/news/21local_08-10-11.txt
Indoor football headed to town
Cheyenne warriors will begin first season in april.
By Jeremiah Johnke / wyosports.net
10 Aug 2011
CHEYENNE -- Indoor football is coming to the Capital City.
The Cheyenne Warriors will play their inaugural season in the American Professional Football League at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center starting in April.
"I grew up in Wheatland, and I remember that there weren't a lot of options for sports and entertainment in this area unless you drove over to Laramie or down to Denver," said Mystie Walker, who will own the Cheyenne franchise with her husband, Alton Walker.
The Walkers intend to fill the roster with local talent culled from tryouts in October, November and December. They'll hold a mini-camp in January and begin a full training camp in February.
They're no strangers to indoor football, or the APFL, for that matter. The Walkers also own the Florida Scorpions, which are a provisional member of the APFL. They'll continue to own that franchise.
"We built a name, and everybody in the community knows the Scorpions," Alton Walker said. "I have a general manager and staff running the team; I'll just be the owner. It wouldn't be right for me to start it and then snatch it from people who were just starting to open their arms to us."
Alton Walker played for the Louisiana Rangers of the now-defunct Indoor Professional Football League and the Kearney, Neb.-based Tri-City Diesel of the also-defunct National Indoor Football League.
Indoor leagues come and go, but the Walkers are confident the APFL, which has been around since 2003, will be around for the long haul.
"It allows a person, such as myself, who doesn't have millions of dollars, to maintain a team and have the same type of talent as other teams in our league and look like we have a million bucks," Alton Walker said. "This is one of the oldest and most stable leagues out there."
The biggest expenses for teams are arena rental and travel. The Walkers own their own bus, which helps defray travel costs. They're also confident they can break even in the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, which holds a shade more than 1,000 people.
The Warriors are the second for-profit franchise to take up residence in the city-owned Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. The Cheyenne Stampede of the Junior A Western States Hockey League starts its inaugural season in mid-September.
"We're very excited about it because it's going to add six to eight more events here," said Robin Feezer, the arena's recreation coordinator. "It will help bring people into the center during what is usually our slow time."
Cheyenne warriors will begin first season in april.
By Jeremiah Johnke / wyosports.net
10 Aug 2011
CHEYENNE -- Indoor football is coming to the Capital City.
The Cheyenne Warriors will play their inaugural season in the American Professional Football League at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center starting in April.
"I grew up in Wheatland, and I remember that there weren't a lot of options for sports and entertainment in this area unless you drove over to Laramie or down to Denver," said Mystie Walker, who will own the Cheyenne franchise with her husband, Alton Walker.
The Walkers intend to fill the roster with local talent culled from tryouts in October, November and December. They'll hold a mini-camp in January and begin a full training camp in February.
They're no strangers to indoor football, or the APFL, for that matter. The Walkers also own the Florida Scorpions, which are a provisional member of the APFL. They'll continue to own that franchise.
"We built a name, and everybody in the community knows the Scorpions," Alton Walker said. "I have a general manager and staff running the team; I'll just be the owner. It wouldn't be right for me to start it and then snatch it from people who were just starting to open their arms to us."
Alton Walker played for the Louisiana Rangers of the now-defunct Indoor Professional Football League and the Kearney, Neb.-based Tri-City Diesel of the also-defunct National Indoor Football League.
Indoor leagues come and go, but the Walkers are confident the APFL, which has been around since 2003, will be around for the long haul.
"It allows a person, such as myself, who doesn't have millions of dollars, to maintain a team and have the same type of talent as other teams in our league and look like we have a million bucks," Alton Walker said. "This is one of the oldest and most stable leagues out there."
The biggest expenses for teams are arena rental and travel. The Walkers own their own bus, which helps defray travel costs. They're also confident they can break even in the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, which holds a shade more than 1,000 people.
The Warriors are the second for-profit franchise to take up residence in the city-owned Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. The Cheyenne Stampede of the Junior A Western States Hockey League starts its inaugural season in mid-September.
"We're very excited about it because it's going to add six to eight more events here," said Robin Feezer, the arena's recreation coordinator. "It will help bring people into the center during what is usually our slow time."