Post by Gene on Jan 28, 2012 19:00:14 GMT -5
BY CHAD DARE
Commercial-News
DANVILLE — Avion Forthenberry could not wait for his first game with the Danville Dragons.
The former Danville High athletic standout earned an opportunity to play for the indoor football team during an August tryout at the Danville YMCA.
But, Forthenberry learned last week that David Hawkins, the owner of the Danville Dragons of the Ultimate Indoor Football League was not going through with his plans to have a team play at the David S. Palmer Arena.
“I talked with the owner and general manager (Michael Hawkins) about a month ago and that’s when I found out that this might not happen,’’ Forthenberry said. “And than early last week, I heard that we weren’t going to play this season.
“It was a surprise to me and it’s very disappointing.’’
Since being signed after a tryout in August, Forthenberry spent as much time as he could, trying to promote the Dragons in the Danville area, which previous hosted the Danville Demolition of the American Indoor Football Association in 2007.
But he, along with former Westville standout Mitchell Bryant, ran into one common problem — no one knew the owner or the general manager.
“They are saying that Danville isn’t a sports town or a football town and that’s simply not true,’’ Forthenberry said. “Look at the way this area supports its teams, whether it’s Danville High in the football playoffs or Westville or any other team. Go back and see what this area did when the Demolition played at Palmer. Things didn’t go well at first, but at the end of the year, the crowds were really good.
“The biggest problem we had with this team was that nobody knew who we were.’’
Forthenberry said every business person he encountered asked about the owner.
“He was living in Colorado and the general manager was living in Champaign,’’ Forthenberry said. “It was hard to convince people to support us when the people who were running the team weren’t even in town.’’
That’s why Peter Blackmon of the David S. Palmer Arena responded so harshly to the post on the Danville Dragons Facebook page where they said, “the Danville Dragons will not be playing in 2012 due to the lack of sponsors, ticket sales and community support.’’
Blackmon pointed out on Facebook that similar statements have been made by other athletic teams that didn’t have the proper management.
“The Dragons knew what they were getting into,’’ Blackmon posted on Facebook. “Do you really come to town without the financial ability to weather the storm long enough to field a team? Say goodbye but don’t blame Danville on your way out the door.’’
According to team posters at the Palmer Arena, the Danville Dragons were supposed to play their first home game on March 10 against the Cincinnati Commandos.
With the prospects of an indoor football season halted, Forthenberry said he has switched gears.
“I’m currently keeping myself in shape for a April tryout with the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League,’’ said Forthenberry, who played collegiate baseball at MacMurray. “Hopefully, things will go better for me in baseball.’’
commercial-news.com/sports/x1296867545/Dragons-fold-before-season-starts
Commercial-News
DANVILLE — Avion Forthenberry could not wait for his first game with the Danville Dragons.
The former Danville High athletic standout earned an opportunity to play for the indoor football team during an August tryout at the Danville YMCA.
But, Forthenberry learned last week that David Hawkins, the owner of the Danville Dragons of the Ultimate Indoor Football League was not going through with his plans to have a team play at the David S. Palmer Arena.
“I talked with the owner and general manager (Michael Hawkins) about a month ago and that’s when I found out that this might not happen,’’ Forthenberry said. “And than early last week, I heard that we weren’t going to play this season.
“It was a surprise to me and it’s very disappointing.’’
Since being signed after a tryout in August, Forthenberry spent as much time as he could, trying to promote the Dragons in the Danville area, which previous hosted the Danville Demolition of the American Indoor Football Association in 2007.
But he, along with former Westville standout Mitchell Bryant, ran into one common problem — no one knew the owner or the general manager.
“They are saying that Danville isn’t a sports town or a football town and that’s simply not true,’’ Forthenberry said. “Look at the way this area supports its teams, whether it’s Danville High in the football playoffs or Westville or any other team. Go back and see what this area did when the Demolition played at Palmer. Things didn’t go well at first, but at the end of the year, the crowds were really good.
“The biggest problem we had with this team was that nobody knew who we were.’’
Forthenberry said every business person he encountered asked about the owner.
“He was living in Colorado and the general manager was living in Champaign,’’ Forthenberry said. “It was hard to convince people to support us when the people who were running the team weren’t even in town.’’
That’s why Peter Blackmon of the David S. Palmer Arena responded so harshly to the post on the Danville Dragons Facebook page where they said, “the Danville Dragons will not be playing in 2012 due to the lack of sponsors, ticket sales and community support.’’
Blackmon pointed out on Facebook that similar statements have been made by other athletic teams that didn’t have the proper management.
“The Dragons knew what they were getting into,’’ Blackmon posted on Facebook. “Do you really come to town without the financial ability to weather the storm long enough to field a team? Say goodbye but don’t blame Danville on your way out the door.’’
According to team posters at the Palmer Arena, the Danville Dragons were supposed to play their first home game on March 10 against the Cincinnati Commandos.
With the prospects of an indoor football season halted, Forthenberry said he has switched gears.
“I’m currently keeping myself in shape for a April tryout with the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League,’’ said Forthenberry, who played collegiate baseball at MacMurray. “Hopefully, things will go better for me in baseball.’’
commercial-news.com/sports/x1296867545/Dragons-fold-before-season-starts