Post by Gene on Dec 11, 2011 17:47:03 GMT -5
They may not stay in town long, but Reading Express head coaches seem to have a lot of staying power in indoor football.
The Express has had four head coaches in six seasons. The latest, Chris Thompson, recently was hired as the head coach and assistant general manager of the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, the Express' closest rival in the Indoor Football League.
Thompson was head coach of the Express for the last season and a half, leading Reading to a playoff berth during its first season in the IFL. He resigned at the end of the season to take a non-coaching position with the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
When the head coaching job came open in the Lehigh Valley, Thompson applied for the job since it was closer to his Lancaster County home and got him back into coaching.
Thompson appears to be following the same career path of other former Express coaches Bernie Nowatarski and Kelly Logan.
Nowatarski will be the head coach of Harrisburg's American Indoor Football team this season. Nowatarski, whose 21/2-year tenure as Express head coach is the longest in franchise history, also started last season as the head coach in Harrisburg before being relieved of his duties.
Logan, the head coach of the Express during its second season, also was a head coach in Harrisburg for part of a season. Last year, Logan spent the entire season as defensive coordinator of the Steelhawks.
Thompson will make his return to the Sovereign Center April 7 and will be back again May 5 when the Steelhawks play the Express.
The Steelhawks already have former Express wide receiver Jeff Willis and offensive lineman Sean Tetreault signed for the 2012 season.
- Brian Rippey
readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=352082
The Express has had four head coaches in six seasons. The latest, Chris Thompson, recently was hired as the head coach and assistant general manager of the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, the Express' closest rival in the Indoor Football League.
Thompson was head coach of the Express for the last season and a half, leading Reading to a playoff berth during its first season in the IFL. He resigned at the end of the season to take a non-coaching position with the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
When the head coaching job came open in the Lehigh Valley, Thompson applied for the job since it was closer to his Lancaster County home and got him back into coaching.
Thompson appears to be following the same career path of other former Express coaches Bernie Nowatarski and Kelly Logan.
Nowatarski will be the head coach of Harrisburg's American Indoor Football team this season. Nowatarski, whose 21/2-year tenure as Express head coach is the longest in franchise history, also started last season as the head coach in Harrisburg before being relieved of his duties.
Logan, the head coach of the Express during its second season, also was a head coach in Harrisburg for part of a season. Last year, Logan spent the entire season as defensive coordinator of the Steelhawks.
Thompson will make his return to the Sovereign Center April 7 and will be back again May 5 when the Steelhawks play the Express.
The Steelhawks already have former Express wide receiver Jeff Willis and offensive lineman Sean Tetreault signed for the 2012 season.
- Brian Rippey
readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=352082