Post by fwp on Nov 17, 2009 16:19:08 GMT -5
www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/nov/17/venom-readying-for-debut-wenatchee-indoor/
WENATCHEE — From a small office on the bottom floor of the Apple Blossom Festival building in Memorial Park, the Wenatchee Valley Venom are building a franchise.
The walls are freshly painted in the team’s colors (red, white and black) and the team’s two principal owners (Mark Helm and Frank Kuntz) are working alongside head coach Keith Evans, assistant coach Vai Noto’o and four staff members to get the Venom ready to begin play in the American Indoor Football Association this March.
“We’re going to be hitting it hard with advertising in the next couple of months,” said Helm, who also serves as the team’s general manager. “There are still some people that don’t know we’re here, and that’s objective No. 1. We want people to know we’re here, that we have season tickets available and that we have apparel available. We want to be out there as much as we can.”
As for the on-field business, Evans is completing the purchase of the turf that will line the field at the Town Toyota Center, and has filled out the 40-man roster which will report to training camp at the end of January.
Some of the names on that roster may be shuffled around as new talent becomes available.
“There’s still a little adding and subtracting,” said Evans. “If there are players with credentials who can help us immediately, the other guys will have to wait.”
One of the recent additions to the camp roster is quarterback Dave Mott, who local football fans will know from his tenure with the Wenatchee Valley Rams.
Evans said Mott was recommended to him by Venom wide receiver Phil Goodman, who has become the public face of the franchise since arriving in town in September.
“They got together to work out, and the ball didn’t hit the ground for an hour,” Evans said. “I was sold.”
Evans said the prospective players aren’t required to be in town until just before training camp begins, but some will try and get here early to get acclimated to the area.
“I just talked to Joe Micco, another one of our quarterbacks,” Evans said. “He’s trying to get here as soon as he can to get ready and to get used to the area.”
Until the players start filtering in, the Venom will continue to pound the pavement and get NCW ready for football.
The team will occupy a kiosk at the Wenatchee Valley Mall from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3 to meet and greet their future fans, and maybe sell a T-shirt or two.
“I think people here are going to be very happy with the product that we’re going to put on the field and in the community,” said Goodman. “This is a blue-collar, hard-working area, and we’re going to play football that way. We’ll put the work before the words.”
Brian Adamowsky: 664-7157
adamowsky@wenworld.com
WENATCHEE — From a small office on the bottom floor of the Apple Blossom Festival building in Memorial Park, the Wenatchee Valley Venom are building a franchise.
The walls are freshly painted in the team’s colors (red, white and black) and the team’s two principal owners (Mark Helm and Frank Kuntz) are working alongside head coach Keith Evans, assistant coach Vai Noto’o and four staff members to get the Venom ready to begin play in the American Indoor Football Association this March.
“We’re going to be hitting it hard with advertising in the next couple of months,” said Helm, who also serves as the team’s general manager. “There are still some people that don’t know we’re here, and that’s objective No. 1. We want people to know we’re here, that we have season tickets available and that we have apparel available. We want to be out there as much as we can.”
As for the on-field business, Evans is completing the purchase of the turf that will line the field at the Town Toyota Center, and has filled out the 40-man roster which will report to training camp at the end of January.
Some of the names on that roster may be shuffled around as new talent becomes available.
“There’s still a little adding and subtracting,” said Evans. “If there are players with credentials who can help us immediately, the other guys will have to wait.”
One of the recent additions to the camp roster is quarterback Dave Mott, who local football fans will know from his tenure with the Wenatchee Valley Rams.
Evans said Mott was recommended to him by Venom wide receiver Phil Goodman, who has become the public face of the franchise since arriving in town in September.
“They got together to work out, and the ball didn’t hit the ground for an hour,” Evans said. “I was sold.”
Evans said the prospective players aren’t required to be in town until just before training camp begins, but some will try and get here early to get acclimated to the area.
“I just talked to Joe Micco, another one of our quarterbacks,” Evans said. “He’s trying to get here as soon as he can to get ready and to get used to the area.”
Until the players start filtering in, the Venom will continue to pound the pavement and get NCW ready for football.
The team will occupy a kiosk at the Wenatchee Valley Mall from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3 to meet and greet their future fans, and maybe sell a T-shirt or two.
“I think people here are going to be very happy with the product that we’re going to put on the field and in the community,” said Goodman. “This is a blue-collar, hard-working area, and we’re going to play football that way. We’ll put the work before the words.”
Brian Adamowsky: 664-7157
adamowsky@wenworld.com