Post by lionsroar on Dec 14, 2008 9:35:09 GMT -5
Building a sports franchise from the ground up takes some kind of courage in tough economic times.
But don't tell that to the potential players who showed up Saturday morning on a frost-bitten field at the Brushy Creek Soccer Complex for tryouts for the Carolina Force indoor football team.
About 75 athletes turned up with dreams of playing in the Bi-Lo Center next March when arena football takes another stab at succeeding in the Upstate.
"A lot of guys just want an opportunity to get to the next level, and this is a stepping stone," said Force coach Anthony Galloway, who has roughly 13 weeks to put together his American Indoor Football Association-affiliated team.
"You have your ups and downs. The big thing is we get to start from scratch, get new guys coming in and get to see some new talent," he said.
"I coached with the Carolina Rhinos when they were here," said Galloway, referring to the arena football team that folded at the Bi-Lo Center earlier this decade.
"We've got a lot of experience in the office as well as in the coaching staff, and we know what to do not to fail," he said.
For the athletes who survive the tryouts (another one is scheduled for Jan. 10), it's a chance to pick up some extra cash if they make the team.
"The guys get paid $200 a game, and if they win, they get a $50 bonus," Galloway said.
Shane Henderson, an electrician by trade and a football player at heart, drove down from Chesnee to try to impress the Carolina Force staff on Saturday.
At age 27, the former Chesnee High defensive tackle was trying out at center.
"It's fast-paced, electric, hard-hitting," Henderson said when asked about the appeal of indoor football.
Ricky McKinney, 25, of Greenville spent part of his prep football career at Byrnes High and said he has been playing football since he was 8 years old. "It's always been football," he said.
Currently employed at Excalibur Youth Services, working with rehabilitating troubled youngsters, McKinney was trying out at receiver.
"I've played semi-pro football for the last six years," he said.
McKinney said previous failures of arena football to take hold in the Upstate shouldn't cloud what the Carolina Force coaches, staff and players hope to accomplish.
"I was in high school when the Rhinos were here. That's a whole other era. This is my era," he said.
The team's Web site is www.carolinaforce.com with the startup season slated to run from March into June, according to Galloway.
www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081214/SPORTS/812140310/1002/SPORTS
:smileyforce:
But don't tell that to the potential players who showed up Saturday morning on a frost-bitten field at the Brushy Creek Soccer Complex for tryouts for the Carolina Force indoor football team.
About 75 athletes turned up with dreams of playing in the Bi-Lo Center next March when arena football takes another stab at succeeding in the Upstate.
"A lot of guys just want an opportunity to get to the next level, and this is a stepping stone," said Force coach Anthony Galloway, who has roughly 13 weeks to put together his American Indoor Football Association-affiliated team.
"You have your ups and downs. The big thing is we get to start from scratch, get new guys coming in and get to see some new talent," he said.
"I coached with the Carolina Rhinos when they were here," said Galloway, referring to the arena football team that folded at the Bi-Lo Center earlier this decade.
"We've got a lot of experience in the office as well as in the coaching staff, and we know what to do not to fail," he said.
For the athletes who survive the tryouts (another one is scheduled for Jan. 10), it's a chance to pick up some extra cash if they make the team.
"The guys get paid $200 a game, and if they win, they get a $50 bonus," Galloway said.
Shane Henderson, an electrician by trade and a football player at heart, drove down from Chesnee to try to impress the Carolina Force staff on Saturday.
At age 27, the former Chesnee High defensive tackle was trying out at center.
"It's fast-paced, electric, hard-hitting," Henderson said when asked about the appeal of indoor football.
Ricky McKinney, 25, of Greenville spent part of his prep football career at Byrnes High and said he has been playing football since he was 8 years old. "It's always been football," he said.
Currently employed at Excalibur Youth Services, working with rehabilitating troubled youngsters, McKinney was trying out at receiver.
"I've played semi-pro football for the last six years," he said.
McKinney said previous failures of arena football to take hold in the Upstate shouldn't cloud what the Carolina Force coaches, staff and players hope to accomplish.
"I was in high school when the Rhinos were here. That's a whole other era. This is my era," he said.
The team's Web site is www.carolinaforce.com with the startup season slated to run from March into June, according to Galloway.
www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081214/SPORTS/812140310/1002/SPORTS
:smileyforce: