Fastest off-season in sports

In semi-pro the off-season always is interesting to say the least. This year for us it has been REAL short.

After winning our league (NFA) in October we took the rest of the month or so off to get healthy and then went right into practicing for the National’s in Homestead, Fl.

With a reduced roster from the normal sixty-five or so guys down to around forty guys that made the trip, because players pay there own way. In the end the practice was well worth it!

At first it was exciting just to be down there and to get out of the cold for a long weekend. Saw some of the area from Key Largo and Homestead on Thursday night (and never let anyone tell you Key Largo is 15 minutes from Homestead lol) to South Beach on Friday. Friday night some of the guys went to watch a few of the other bowl games going on.

Once Saturday hit it was like a switch was thrown and it was all football. We all started to get up get some food and trying to get things ready for the game. Then we all got together and had our walk thru in the parking lot of our hotel. Then we started to pack to go to the field to get ready for the game. Once we got over there we got to see some of the game before ours. It was a team from Miami vs. a team from Virginia (turned into a blowout at the end).

Then we hit the field and one touchdown came after another and it felt good! Our offense was putting up points that made it hard for any team to beat us. The defense was playing well and it was a game, and experience, that I know I will never forget. Oh yeah we won 71-40 and we saw what this offense led by Coach Porcelli could really do when executed to perfection.

All our running backs had great days. Andre (#22), who won league MVP, won the game MVP too (kinda lol). The announcer messed up on the vote and Bryan (#36) our FB they said should have won it LOL. But all played great and it was something that was an awesome experience, and even better to represent the City of Troy like we did!

Then to top it off we had great press and even TV coverage there once we got off the plan in Albany. I was just an awesome time!

But now that is all over, the 2010 season is gone, and we are having/had signups already (We are having another one March 28th and need players and volunteers) for the 2011 season. We have our FB Bryan Sheldon in camp with the Cleveland Gladiators of the AFL looking to make that team. He knows were all pulling for him as he deserves it. Then our DT Ken Jones just came back from a tryout in Las Vegas, hopefully he did well also.

But the 2011 season has crept up on us as other teams have already started practicing from our league, and with adding four new teams to the mix we are for sure going to be the #1 target this season.

But starting tonight voluntary workouts start for our lineman, new and old. So hello 2011 season and hopefully it’s another championship run, and another title for Troy.

Also if anyone is still interested in playing, or helping, there is still time as players and volunteers are needed! We start practicing in the last week in April and playing the first weekend in June. We also still have one more signup meeting for this season. So please visit our site www.eteamz.com/tfifootball for more information.

But when all said in done it was a two month off-season this year, but I wouldn’t trade any of it away because it’s all for the love of the game.