4/24/2016
The Storm & Preparing for the Tennessee Legacy!
An Interview with the Storm’s Head Coach Cecil D Rowlett Jr!
Q: So what’s this team all about?
A: The Southern Indiana Storm is a newly formed full contact Semi Pro Woman’s football team that will call Paoli, IN its home. We will play in the USWFL for the 2016 season.
Q: What is the USWFL?
A: USWFL stands for United States Woman’s Football League which is a Semi Pro Woman’s football league for players 18 and over. The league is currently comprised of 2 divisions. The North which has the following teams: Erie Illusion, Connecticut Hawks, & New England Nightmare. The South Division includes Southern Indiana Storm, Tennessee Legacy, West Virginia Wild Fire & Cincinnati Sizzle.
Q: So usually we ask about last year but you are a new team. So where has the storm come from?
A: Being a new team fresh to this league and fresh to existence we have nothing to compare this team to in regards to last year’s system. We are a thrown together squad of talents from across the board. Our coaching staff is all new and our players are new. Some of our players have never ever watched football, much less played it, but they all have a willingness to learn the game. They have heart. Our offense is built for bulk in the middle and speed in the secondary. Our defense will be the same tough and bulky in the middle and speedy in the secondary.
Q: What have you been doing to prepare for the upcoming season?
A: Well like I said we have players who have never watched football much less played the game before, so our first few practices was football 101. So we have started from the ground up. Being a new team, a new franchise, means we have started with nothing. No money, no equipment for players, and equipment to train with. We have acquired some training tools and our player equipment is ordered, but we haven’t been able to have a full pad practice yet. We keep telling the players when the pads are on this game looks a lot different. Even after the pads get here, we still can’t afford the bigger training equipment like sleds and tackling dummies. We have a motto “it is what it is, we will build and train with the tools that we have, so that come game day we can compete.”
Q: Who is on the team and how did they join?
A: We have actively recruited over the last few months. Most of our players are walk-ons or recruited by family/friends. We have tried to recruit a typical looking football team, but we are restricted by who wants to play. With that being said, we feel that we have balanced it out pretty well. We have some knowledge in Amy Arthur #79 and she gives us a veteran type attitude. Samantha MacDonald #15 gives us that quick speed, quick wit, and energy we are looking for in a player. Natasha Rowlett #68 is becoming a solid lineman on both sides of the ball. Alice Dunn Tedrow #69 is probably one of the toughest girls on the team. She’s a former heavy weight lifter and we are looking for her to do a lot of damage up the middle on both sides of the ball. Ladema Welton #26 has a huge heart and she is willing to learn whatever we throw at her. New to the game, but she is really growing as a player. Kayla DeWeese #10 is a universal player that will bring a quick punch on both sides of the ball this year. Amanda Rippey #12 is currently standing in as Offense Coordinator and player. She has a deep knowledge of the game and she is ready to help guide the team this season. Alyssa Gill #85 is another player that is going to be very explosive on both sides of the ball. She has a work ethic that isn’t matched by many on this team. Beth “The Squirrel” Arthur #43 is one of the quickest most explosive players on this squad. She is really going to help our speed out tremendously. Kim Anderson #49 is a former rugby player for years. You can’t buy this knowledge, power, and leadership on the open market, a player is born with it. We have high hopes for Anderson as we go forward this year. Daniell Kilgore #19 a former soccer stand out will be a powerful player on both sides of the ball that we will use in various positions. Recruited as a kicker she has become more than just that. Tia “Cupcake” Wheeler #62 is our youngest player just turning 18. Tia a former flag footballer in high school has a huge heart and love for the game. We have high hopes for her this season. Chyrese Gill #72 is another power house utility player that we can’t wait to see what she can do on the field. Regan Mallory is so new to the team she is only days old and we haven’t even assigned her a number yet. This player brings a speed and power that isn’t matched by many on this team and we hope not by anyone in the league. We have huge hopes for this young lady as she starts to learn our system. We are still actively recruiting and we have some prospects that have not signed yet, but we hope that we can get them signed this week.
Q: What is your schedule like?
A: We try to practice 2 to 3 times a week, but most of these girls work a full time job. Our game schedule looks like this:
Saturday April 30 @ Tennessee Legacy
Saturday May 7 @ West Virginia Wildfire
Saturday May 14 Home vs Tennessee Legacy
Saturday May 21 TBA
Saturday May 28 No Games Due to Memorial Day
Saturday June 4 Home vs West Virginia Wildfire
Saturday June 11 @Cincinnati Sizzle
Saturday June 18 @ Tennessee Legacy
Saturday June 25 BYE Weekend
Q: Being a new team, what challenges have you had to overcome to get to your first game?
A: Have I mentioned that some of these ladies have never even watched football, much less played it? We are teaching from the ground up here. We have also not received our equipment yet, so that makes it difficult to practice full speed. This is Semi Pro Football and that has never been played around here, so we have no idea what to expect rolling into our first game. We are quick learners though and we will learn on the fly.
Q: What seems to be working well for the team during practices?
A: We are new and that forces us to slow down and over teach every aspect of the game and I think that will be one of our strengths. We spend a lot of time showing and walking through the plays and I think that is a plus. These girls are eager to go full pads and we will see some of that this week, but the slow pace up till now is really working for these girls to understand the game.
Q: What still needs work?
A: Learning how to lay a hit and how to take a hit.
Q: Who is your opponent in the first game?
A: Tennessee Legacy, a veteran team with a pretty football savvy head coach. They will challenge us physically and mentally.
Q: Have you scouted them? Watched tape?
A: Scouting due to the logistical barriers is very hard. We have watched some film on them that we have found on the internet. We plan to film the game ourselves and review it for the next two times we will see this team.
Q: What is your outlook for going into this game against the Tennessee Legacy?
A: Learn, we have to learn! Win or Lose we want to use this first game as an all-out learning opportunity.
Q: What are your expectations for the Season?
A: We are going to take it one game at a time. We are going to record everything we can in the games and practice those things the following week. We plan on growing every week and hopefully we start hitting on all cylinders going into the playoffs and we can make a run deep into the playoffs.
Q: What will the games be like?
A: I’m not sure what our away games will be like yet. Most are in the early evenings. I can tell you our home ticket price will run $5 for 12 and over, 11 and under will be free. We plan on having someone sing the national anthem, a band for half time/concert before the game, concession stand, maybe some jumpy houses, and more. We want this to be a family event. Free Parking!
Q: What’s your back ground coach? How many years do you have coaching football?
A: I played 5 years of high-school football, never had the opportunity to coach it. I have coached several adult softball teams. I started a travel softball organization called the Valley Aces for 8U, 10U, 12U, and 14U girls. I have coached both baseball and softball in the local leagues. I have been a soccer coach in the local leagues. My coaching resume on the field and off the field speaks for itself. As the owner of this team, I have searched for a head coach that is as crazy as I am and I have yet to find one, so for now the Storm will have me leading the Organization through the week and the team every Saturday!
Q: Have you found anything different in coaching women for football?
A: Coaching woman’s football is one of the biggest adjustments that I have ever had to make in my life. I am often shaking my head and saying, “I’m not in Kansas anymore.” Some of the conversations I have walked into I wish I could unhear if you know what I mean. Overall it’s basically like coaching any other sport male or female.
Q: Is the team tough? Can they handle the full-contact aspect?
A: This team is tough, but above that it has a heart and a desire to learn. In such a short time they have went from not knowing much about football to being knowledgeable about the game. Each one of them are students of the game, they are researching their positions on the internet and practicing at home with their families. Can they handle the full contact aspect? I believe they can. We get pretty rough in the practices without our equipment and they are handling it so far.
Q: Since your first game is away how is everyone going to get there?
A: We are actively searching for a bus that will seat all of us and be big enough for us to grow. We are also seeking a sponsor that would like to take this journey with us and help us purchase a bus. We are a very low budget team and our sponsors will be the difference in if we survive or we don’t. If no bus is available, we will do what any other family does, we will pack in tight and carpool!
Q: What are the rules?
A: The USWFL follows the College Football rule book!
Q: Who are going to be the stand out Players? Back grounds?
A: Being a lineman in high-school I always hated this question. It’s hard for a lineman to stand out on defense or offense, you are in the trenches doing your job. The O-Line and the D-line are the back bone of the team. That being said remember the following names and numbers.
Amy Arthur #79-You are going to see a lot of #79 in the midst of the pile as we feel she is poised to be a defensive stand out.
Kayla DeWeese #10-A versatile player on both sides of the ball, we believe she will be setting defensive and offensive records for the team and league.
Alyssa Gill #85-Again you are going to see a lot of #85 in the midst of the pile as we feel she is poised to be a defensive stand out.
Beth “The Squirrel” Arthur #43-Speed and power will make #43 stand out on both sides of the ball.
Kim Anderson #49-Again she is a former rugby player and a true leader. She will be putting points on the board for us and taking them away from the opposing team.
Daniell Kilgore #19-We looking for a great year of kicking out of #19, but we are also looking to see some damage on defense.
Regan Mallory-Just remember that name on defense and offense. Record setter right here!
Q: Where will the home games be played?
A: Our home games will be played at the new Paoli Community Park Complex in Paoli, IN.
Q: Where did the name Storm come from?
A: The name Southern Indiana Storm is a creation of a friend of mine’s and was originally what our travel softball organization was to be called. We both agreed no matter what sport if we started another team it would have that name attached to it.
Interview by: Storm Chaser News Staff Writer
