Published: Sunday, September 17, 2006
The Hitmen find home at 'T-Dome'
The new team and league must demonstrate that they are for real by Oct. 29.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP — After two unsuccessful attempts to find a indoor home for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen in the new Eastern Indoor Football League, owner-coach Jim Terry finally has a contract for a playing facility in the Youngstown area.
Terry, whose previous attempts to use The Ice Zone in Boardman and the ThunderPlex in Vienna as a home for the Hitmen proved to be unsuccessful, has signed a two-year contract with John Lisko of Hubbard to use the Thunder Dome on Bedford Road in Brookfield Township as the Hitmen's home field.
But while Terry is buoyed by the Hitmen finding a home, he knows that he has a long way to go to continue developing the team and to demonstrate that the Hitmen and the proposed six-team EIFL are for real and not just flashes-in-the-pan.
Important date in league
That's why the Cardinal Mooney High graduate, who now makes his home in Clearwater Beach, Fla., is attaching so much importance to the league's preview and showcase Oct. 29 at the Thunder Dome.
That's when all six teams and their owners, coaches and players are supposed to be on hand to play exhibition games to demonstrate and confirm that the league will exist and be viable.
Terry said the Oct. 29 event, which is for only the league and media, is an important date for his team and the league because it will show that the team and league are for real.
In the meantime, Terry said the Hitmen continue to develop as a team with 16 players signed so far, including nine of 50 candidates at the team's first open tryout.
Terry eventually is hoping to sign 40 players to take into a four-day mini-camp set for Oct. 25-28 that will lead into the Oct. 29 preview.
Second open tryout set
Toward that end, the Hitmen will hold a second open tryout on Oct. 14 at the Thunder Dome. Each candidate must pay a $30 registration fee to try out. Registration will be at 11 a.m.
Terry said interested candidates can call (330) 519-3209 or e-mail him at MVHITMEN@yahoo.com. The team's website is mvhitmen.com.
On Oct. 29, Terry plans to reduce the squad roster from 40 players to the final 20, and play an exhibition game as part of a proposed six-team league preview.
"All six teams will be available at the exhibitions. Right now we have five teams," said Terry, a former indoor football league player and coach.
However, league commissioner John Guy of Phoenix, said the league has only four teams so far, and is not sure if they can get six teams but are trying to do so. He said the league can play with four teams.
Four teams have owners
In addition to the Hitmen, the other three teams in the league already with owners are the Bayshore Brawlers of Aberdeen, N.J., the Blackbirds of Baltimore; and the Buzzards of Dolton, Ill.
The 3 Rivers Rats of Pittsburgh, a team which Terry contends is in the league, actually is not part of the circuit at this point and has no owners, Guy said.
Terry explained that he doesn't run the league, but is trying to help it get started. He said that his only official role in the league is as the Hitmen's owner and coach. He also emphasized that all of the team owners have indoor football experience.
kovach@vindy.com
This is the first in a four-part series.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
The new team and league must demonstrate that they are for real by Oct. 29.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP — After two unsuccessful attempts to find a indoor home for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen in the new Eastern Indoor Football League, owner-coach Jim Terry finally has a contract for a playing facility in the Youngstown area.
Terry, whose previous attempts to use The Ice Zone in Boardman and the ThunderPlex in Vienna as a home for the Hitmen proved to be unsuccessful, has signed a two-year contract with John Lisko of Hubbard to use the Thunder Dome on Bedford Road in Brookfield Township as the Hitmen's home field.
But while Terry is buoyed by the Hitmen finding a home, he knows that he has a long way to go to continue developing the team and to demonstrate that the Hitmen and the proposed six-team EIFL are for real and not just flashes-in-the-pan.
Important date in league
That's why the Cardinal Mooney High graduate, who now makes his home in Clearwater Beach, Fla., is attaching so much importance to the league's preview and showcase Oct. 29 at the Thunder Dome.
That's when all six teams and their owners, coaches and players are supposed to be on hand to play exhibition games to demonstrate and confirm that the league will exist and be viable.
Terry said the Oct. 29 event, which is for only the league and media, is an important date for his team and the league because it will show that the team and league are for real.
In the meantime, Terry said the Hitmen continue to develop as a team with 16 players signed so far, including nine of 50 candidates at the team's first open tryout.
Terry eventually is hoping to sign 40 players to take into a four-day mini-camp set for Oct. 25-28 that will lead into the Oct. 29 preview.
Second open tryout set
Toward that end, the Hitmen will hold a second open tryout on Oct. 14 at the Thunder Dome. Each candidate must pay a $30 registration fee to try out. Registration will be at 11 a.m.
Terry said interested candidates can call (330) 519-3209 or e-mail him at MVHITMEN@yahoo.com. The team's website is mvhitmen.com.
On Oct. 29, Terry plans to reduce the squad roster from 40 players to the final 20, and play an exhibition game as part of a proposed six-team league preview.
"All six teams will be available at the exhibitions. Right now we have five teams," said Terry, a former indoor football league player and coach.
However, league commissioner John Guy of Phoenix, said the league has only four teams so far, and is not sure if they can get six teams but are trying to do so. He said the league can play with four teams.
Four teams have owners
In addition to the Hitmen, the other three teams in the league already with owners are the Bayshore Brawlers of Aberdeen, N.J., the Blackbirds of Baltimore; and the Buzzards of Dolton, Ill.
The 3 Rivers Rats of Pittsburgh, a team which Terry contends is in the league, actually is not part of the circuit at this point and has no owners, Guy said.
Terry explained that he doesn't run the league, but is trying to help it get started. He said that his only official role in the league is as the Hitmen's owner and coach. He also emphasized that all of the team owners have indoor football experience.
kovach@vindy.com
This is the first in a four-part series.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
After two unsuccessful attempts to find a indoor home for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen in the new Eastern Indoor Football...
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