Post by Gene on Dec 20, 2007 9:56:53 GMT -5
MudCats announce community initiative, more upcoming plans
12/20/2007 6:43:49 AM
Daily Journal
By John L. Pitts
Daily Journal
TUPELO – The Mississippi MudCats unleashed a flurry of news developments on Wednesday, including plans to introduce a youth arena football league that will parallel the team's schedule, which kicks off in late March.
"This will help fulfill one of (owner) Jim Waide's goals, to be innovative and bring the community together," said Brooks Ayers, managing partner for the team.
Detailed plans for the Arena Football Little League remain to be developed, by a group that includes officials from the North Missisippi Boys and Girls Clubs. The initial intention is to field six 15-player teams that would play at BancorpSouth Arena on Saturdays in advance of MudCats home games.
The team also introduced its 21-member MudCats dance squad during a news conference at Vanelli's. The team, which will again coached by Angie Dallas of Pontotoc but will no longer be known as the Mudkittens, includes young women from all over the Northeast Mississippi area.
"We really wanted to chose women who would represent the community well," said Lea Waide, the team's director of special events, marketing and entertainment.
Other MudCats news:
- The annual winter meeting of the American Indoor Football Association, the MudCats' league, is scheduled for Jan. 18-19 in Tupelo.
The owners, general managers and coaches of all 16 teams are expected to be in attendance.
- About 20 players are now under contract for 2008, including returning defender Eric Bingham – who attended the news conference – and former Mississippi State linebacker Jason Clark, a Starkville native who played last season for the AIFA's Florence (S.C.) Phantoms.
Head coach Brian Brents said the team would open camp in late February with about 10 returning starters from a year ago, including perhaps a half-dozen on the offensive side.
- The MudCats' redesigned Web site, www.mississippimudcats.com, went live on Wednesday.
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 12/20/2007, section 0 , page 0
12/20/2007 6:43:49 AM
Daily Journal
By John L. Pitts
Daily Journal
TUPELO – The Mississippi MudCats unleashed a flurry of news developments on Wednesday, including plans to introduce a youth arena football league that will parallel the team's schedule, which kicks off in late March.
"This will help fulfill one of (owner) Jim Waide's goals, to be innovative and bring the community together," said Brooks Ayers, managing partner for the team.
Detailed plans for the Arena Football Little League remain to be developed, by a group that includes officials from the North Missisippi Boys and Girls Clubs. The initial intention is to field six 15-player teams that would play at BancorpSouth Arena on Saturdays in advance of MudCats home games.
The team also introduced its 21-member MudCats dance squad during a news conference at Vanelli's. The team, which will again coached by Angie Dallas of Pontotoc but will no longer be known as the Mudkittens, includes young women from all over the Northeast Mississippi area.
"We really wanted to chose women who would represent the community well," said Lea Waide, the team's director of special events, marketing and entertainment.
Other MudCats news:
- The annual winter meeting of the American Indoor Football Association, the MudCats' league, is scheduled for Jan. 18-19 in Tupelo.
The owners, general managers and coaches of all 16 teams are expected to be in attendance.
- About 20 players are now under contract for 2008, including returning defender Eric Bingham – who attended the news conference – and former Mississippi State linebacker Jason Clark, a Starkville native who played last season for the AIFA's Florence (S.C.) Phantoms.
Head coach Brian Brents said the team would open camp in late February with about 10 returning starters from a year ago, including perhaps a half-dozen on the offensive side.
- The MudCats' redesigned Web site, www.mississippimudcats.com, went live on Wednesday.
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 12/20/2007, section 0 , page 0
