Post by marinersmedia on Feb 7, 2010 17:29:38 GMT -5
Baltimore Mariners Kicker, Also Resident, Teacher, Good Samaritan
BALTIMORE, MD (February 7, 2010) – Baltimore loves its kickers. From Jim O’Brien who led the Baltimore Colts to the title in Super Bowl V, to Toni Linhart, a two-time Pro Bowler for the Colts in the mid-70s, and of course, most recently Matt Stover who booted for 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Now, Baltimore has a new kicker to call its own, J.R. Cipra, of the Baltimore Mariners. A resident of Baltimore, Cipra is also a city teacher and during the recent monumental snowstorm, a good Samaritan.
Cipra’s professional career has taken a circuitous route. After being named a Division 3 All-American at Ohio Northern University in 2000 he started his professional career with the Peoria Pirates of the Arena Football League 2 in 2001. After a three season layoff he returned to the pro ranks with the Erie Freeze in 2005. He then booted for the Canton Legends for two seasons before returning to Erie in 2007 and 2008. All while continuing to call York, Pennsylvania home and teaching in Baltimore. Finally in 2009, he found a football home in Baltimore; signing with the Mariners. The 5’9”, 170 pound kicker quickly became a fan favorite as he helped lead the Mariners to the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Entering his seventh professional season and second with the Mariners, J.R. has racked up an impressive list of achievements in the indoor game, which would also rank him among the best in the outdoor game. He has led league kickers in scoring in four of his seven seasons, including racking up a whopping 191 points for Baltimore in 2009. He also led all players in scoring, while with Canton in 2005, led the Legends to the championship in 2006, and holds the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) record with 24 kicking points in a game. His highlight for the Mariners in 2009 was a 57-yard field goal, against his former team in Erie, through indoor goalposts which are only 10 feet wide, about half the width of NFL goal posts.
Now in his fifth year as a teacher in the Baltimore City school system, Cipra taught for three years at Harlem Park Elementary/Middle, one year at Harford Heights Elementary, and now teaches at the Montebello Elementary/Junior Academy. After years of commuting, for football, to Canton, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania for games, six months ago Cipra moved to the Canton section of Baltimore and instantly became a part of the community. This weekend, as a record snowfall was coming down, he received a phone call from his sister, Jennifer Cipra, who works at FutureCare in Canton Harbor as a clinical dietician. Staff was short with roads nearly impassable, so quickly after the phone call ended Cipra headed out on foot to the long term nursing and rehabilitation care facility. Once there, J.R. helped serving food, getting towels, assisting aids and fielding questions about the Mariners. Once finished, Cipra made the trek through two to three feet of snow back home.
Local residents also frequently see Cipra at the gym as he prepares for the 2010 season. Working out five or six times a week and for up to three hours at a time, Cipra has worked to not only hone his own physique for the season, but also break some stereotypes about kickers. J.R. noted, “I have improved in every aspect this off season. I know I am just a kicker but if the other guys are going to work hard, so am I. I hate the persona that kickers get because of many kickers being lazy. Most people when I tell them I play football they respond, you a DB. I just smile and say, ‘Thanks, I’m just a kicker.’”
As the Mariners near their season opener on March 6th at the Harrisburg Stampede and their home opener against the New Jersey Revolution on March 14th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena, Cipra has some personal goals, but also knows that team goals are his main focus. Cipra explained, “My personal goals may change at anytime to help benefit the team goal. I never put my goals ahead of the teams.” In a league where punts are not allowed, kickers’ roles are expanded and every single point counts. As a result, Cipra’s goal is 100 percent accuracy on PATs. His goal for the team, “The ring baby, need to win it all this season to show Baltimore that we are for real.”
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (February 7, 2010) – Baltimore loves its kickers. From Jim O’Brien who led the Baltimore Colts to the title in Super Bowl V, to Toni Linhart, a two-time Pro Bowler for the Colts in the mid-70s, and of course, most recently Matt Stover who booted for 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Now, Baltimore has a new kicker to call its own, J.R. Cipra, of the Baltimore Mariners. A resident of Baltimore, Cipra is also a city teacher and during the recent monumental snowstorm, a good Samaritan.
Cipra’s professional career has taken a circuitous route. After being named a Division 3 All-American at Ohio Northern University in 2000 he started his professional career with the Peoria Pirates of the Arena Football League 2 in 2001. After a three season layoff he returned to the pro ranks with the Erie Freeze in 2005. He then booted for the Canton Legends for two seasons before returning to Erie in 2007 and 2008. All while continuing to call York, Pennsylvania home and teaching in Baltimore. Finally in 2009, he found a football home in Baltimore; signing with the Mariners. The 5’9”, 170 pound kicker quickly became a fan favorite as he helped lead the Mariners to the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Entering his seventh professional season and second with the Mariners, J.R. has racked up an impressive list of achievements in the indoor game, which would also rank him among the best in the outdoor game. He has led league kickers in scoring in four of his seven seasons, including racking up a whopping 191 points for Baltimore in 2009. He also led all players in scoring, while with Canton in 2005, led the Legends to the championship in 2006, and holds the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) record with 24 kicking points in a game. His highlight for the Mariners in 2009 was a 57-yard field goal, against his former team in Erie, through indoor goalposts which are only 10 feet wide, about half the width of NFL goal posts.
Now in his fifth year as a teacher in the Baltimore City school system, Cipra taught for three years at Harlem Park Elementary/Middle, one year at Harford Heights Elementary, and now teaches at the Montebello Elementary/Junior Academy. After years of commuting, for football, to Canton, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania for games, six months ago Cipra moved to the Canton section of Baltimore and instantly became a part of the community. This weekend, as a record snowfall was coming down, he received a phone call from his sister, Jennifer Cipra, who works at FutureCare in Canton Harbor as a clinical dietician. Staff was short with roads nearly impassable, so quickly after the phone call ended Cipra headed out on foot to the long term nursing and rehabilitation care facility. Once there, J.R. helped serving food, getting towels, assisting aids and fielding questions about the Mariners. Once finished, Cipra made the trek through two to three feet of snow back home.
Local residents also frequently see Cipra at the gym as he prepares for the 2010 season. Working out five or six times a week and for up to three hours at a time, Cipra has worked to not only hone his own physique for the season, but also break some stereotypes about kickers. J.R. noted, “I have improved in every aspect this off season. I know I am just a kicker but if the other guys are going to work hard, so am I. I hate the persona that kickers get because of many kickers being lazy. Most people when I tell them I play football they respond, you a DB. I just smile and say, ‘Thanks, I’m just a kicker.’”
As the Mariners near their season opener on March 6th at the Harrisburg Stampede and their home opener against the New Jersey Revolution on March 14th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena, Cipra has some personal goals, but also knows that team goals are his main focus. Cipra explained, “My personal goals may change at anytime to help benefit the team goal. I never put my goals ahead of the teams.” In a league where punts are not allowed, kickers’ roles are expanded and every single point counts. As a result, Cipra’s goal is 100 percent accuracy on PATs. His goal for the team, “The ring baby, need to win it all this season to show Baltimore that we are for real.”
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
Cip sure is a role model for the AIFA as well.....
