Post by America on May 7, 2010 10:09:21 GMT -5
Casper's new semi-pro football aims for a local feel
trib.com/sports/other/article_5a0ee4c6-2e4b-525c-9523-8c1ab6a9fe81.html
Give 'em a shot
Story Discussion By JACK NOWLIN - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Friday, May 7, 2010 12:00 am
Nick Tomlinson doesn't want his upstart minor league football team to compete against the Wyoming Cavalry.
After all, the Cavalry have been part of the Casper landscape since 2000 and are currently one of the most successful franchises in the American Indoor Football Association.
Tomlinson, a graduate of Kelly Walsh High School and a former Cavs player, just felt there was a need for another team in the community; specifically, an outdoor team comprised of primarily Casper players.
That idea will come to fruition on Saturday when the Casper Storm travel to Denver to take on the Colorado Warriors in a North American Football League game.
The NAFL, a semi-pro league that first started operations in 1999, consists of 55-60 teams throughout the country. NAFL games are played outdoors and use NFL rules.
"A friend of mine, Trey Ransom, had started the Casper youth basketball program and had done really good things for the community with it," Tomlinson said. "I wanted to do something like that with football.
"I figured if I could do something that would be good for the community and yet be competitive and make a little money ... why not?"
While it remains to be seen whether the Storm turn a profit, Wayne Reed, Tomlinson's business partner, said that isn't the primary reason he invested money into the team.
"I'm a guy who buys local and likes to support the [Casper] community," said Reed, who has owned and operated Reed's Automotive and Custom Exhaust since 1996. "I figured Casper could use something like [the Storm] and maybe I could make a few bucks."
While players on the Storm don't get paid, they also don't have to worry about paying for uniforms or other equipment, as do players on a number of NAFL teams.
"We supply the uniforms," Reed said. "And we're able to do that because of the generosity of our sponsors.
"We've had a lot of people help us out. That's just the way Casper is."
And after months of negotiations, Reed and Tomlinson were finally able to reach an agreement with the Natrona County School District to secure NC's Cheney Alumni Field for their practices and their five home games.
As for the team, Tomlinson said he didn't have any problem finding enough players to fill the Storm roster.
"I used to play flag football at the YMCA and I noticed how many teams would show up to play," Tomlinson said. "So I put flyers up to see what kind of interest was out there. When I went back to check on them they were filled with names of guys wanting to play."
After months of practice -- Tomlinson organized the team's first practice last August -- they'll get that chance Saturday.
And while Tomlinson, who will be the Storm's kicker and punter as well as playing safety, has his sights set on winning the NAFL's Mountain West Region of the Western Conference, he also wouldn't mind seeing how his new team stacks up against his old one.
"I would love to play the Cavalry," Tomlinson said. "But if we did play them it would be a fun rivalry.
"Don't get me wrong, [Cavalry owners] Mike and Argeri Layton have done phenomenal things with the Cavalry. They've done things in the community that I hope the Storm will be able to do.
"On the other hand, there's not a lot of outreach to players in Casper. There's not a lot of call for in-town players.
"So this isn't a matter of going after the Cavalry. I just want to give those guys a shot who never had one."
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com
Storm Tracker
SATURDAY: Casper Storm at Colorado Warriors.
NEW BEGINNING: Kelly Walsh graduate and former Wyoming Cavalry player Nick Tomlinson and local businessman Wayne Reed got together to start the Storm, a semi-pro football team that will play its first game on Saturday.
HE SAID IT: "I figured if I could do something that would be good for the community and yet be competitive and make a little money ... why not?" -- Tomlinson.
HOME OPENER: Rocky Mountain Renegades at Storm, Cheney Alumni Field, May 29.
TICKETS: Adults $9, students $7, kids 9 and under admitted free.
trib.com/sports/other/article_5a0ee4c6-2e4b-525c-9523-8c1ab6a9fe81.html
Give 'em a shot
Story Discussion By JACK NOWLIN - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Friday, May 7, 2010 12:00 am
Nick Tomlinson doesn't want his upstart minor league football team to compete against the Wyoming Cavalry.
After all, the Cavalry have been part of the Casper landscape since 2000 and are currently one of the most successful franchises in the American Indoor Football Association.
Tomlinson, a graduate of Kelly Walsh High School and a former Cavs player, just felt there was a need for another team in the community; specifically, an outdoor team comprised of primarily Casper players.
That idea will come to fruition on Saturday when the Casper Storm travel to Denver to take on the Colorado Warriors in a North American Football League game.
The NAFL, a semi-pro league that first started operations in 1999, consists of 55-60 teams throughout the country. NAFL games are played outdoors and use NFL rules.
"A friend of mine, Trey Ransom, had started the Casper youth basketball program and had done really good things for the community with it," Tomlinson said. "I wanted to do something like that with football.
"I figured if I could do something that would be good for the community and yet be competitive and make a little money ... why not?"
While it remains to be seen whether the Storm turn a profit, Wayne Reed, Tomlinson's business partner, said that isn't the primary reason he invested money into the team.
"I'm a guy who buys local and likes to support the [Casper] community," said Reed, who has owned and operated Reed's Automotive and Custom Exhaust since 1996. "I figured Casper could use something like [the Storm] and maybe I could make a few bucks."
While players on the Storm don't get paid, they also don't have to worry about paying for uniforms or other equipment, as do players on a number of NAFL teams.
"We supply the uniforms," Reed said. "And we're able to do that because of the generosity of our sponsors.
"We've had a lot of people help us out. That's just the way Casper is."
And after months of negotiations, Reed and Tomlinson were finally able to reach an agreement with the Natrona County School District to secure NC's Cheney Alumni Field for their practices and their five home games.
As for the team, Tomlinson said he didn't have any problem finding enough players to fill the Storm roster.
"I used to play flag football at the YMCA and I noticed how many teams would show up to play," Tomlinson said. "So I put flyers up to see what kind of interest was out there. When I went back to check on them they were filled with names of guys wanting to play."
After months of practice -- Tomlinson organized the team's first practice last August -- they'll get that chance Saturday.
And while Tomlinson, who will be the Storm's kicker and punter as well as playing safety, has his sights set on winning the NAFL's Mountain West Region of the Western Conference, he also wouldn't mind seeing how his new team stacks up against his old one.
"I would love to play the Cavalry," Tomlinson said. "But if we did play them it would be a fun rivalry.
"Don't get me wrong, [Cavalry owners] Mike and Argeri Layton have done phenomenal things with the Cavalry. They've done things in the community that I hope the Storm will be able to do.
"On the other hand, there's not a lot of outreach to players in Casper. There's not a lot of call for in-town players.
"So this isn't a matter of going after the Cavalry. I just want to give those guys a shot who never had one."
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com
Storm Tracker
SATURDAY: Casper Storm at Colorado Warriors.
NEW BEGINNING: Kelly Walsh graduate and former Wyoming Cavalry player Nick Tomlinson and local businessman Wayne Reed got together to start the Storm, a semi-pro football team that will play its first game on Saturday.
HE SAID IT: "I figured if I could do something that would be good for the community and yet be competitive and make a little money ... why not?" -- Tomlinson.
HOME OPENER: Rocky Mountain Renegades at Storm, Cheney Alumni Field, May 29.
TICKETS: Adults $9, students $7, kids 9 and under admitted free.