Post by 50yardfan on Jan 8, 2011 11:06:42 GMT -5
Green Bay, WI - The Green Bay Blizzard and Head Coach Rik Richards are proud to announce today that the 2011 coaching staff is now in place. Richards is joined by Offensive Coordinator Rod Miller, Line Coach Freddie Weinke, and Assistant Director of Football Operations and Special Teams Coach Ian Harris. All three coaches joining Richards have coaching experience in the Arena Football League.
Richards talked about his staff saying "During the off season, I felt I needed to add some fresh new faces to the staff and someone with head coaching experience to be able to lean on. I think Rod brings that to the table." He went on to say, "Adding Freddie Weinke and Ian Harris as young coaches to absorb the things we teach will only help our team and make them better coaches in the process."
Rod Miller - Rod Miller rejoins the Blizzard for the 2011 season as the Offensive Coordinator. Miller was in Green Bay from 2003 through 2005 and assumed the roles of the Offensive Coordinator, Special Teams Assistant, and TeamDevelopment Coordinator through his tenure in Green Bay. Miller's last coaching job came in 2010 as the Defensive Coordinator for the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. In 2009, while still under contract with the AFL's Grand Rapids Rampage as football operations manager and assistant coach, Miller offered his services to the ThunderHawks (formerly known as the Muskegon Thunder) as a consultant. Miller's last head coaching job was with the Omaha Beef of the United Indoor Football League in 2007. That team went 8-8 including an appearance in the playoffs. That first-hand knowledge along with Miller's work with the West Michigan ThunderHawks means he is familiar with the teams and talent levels that the Blizzard will be facing in the IFL when the season kicks off in March.
Freddie Weinke - Freddie Weinke enters the 2011 season as the Blizzard Line coach, and it will be Weinke's first stopin Green Bay. Weinke opened his coaching career as a defensive backs coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2009 after a professional playing career that lasted five years following a quick college career and All-American high school career. Off the field Weinke is a certified personal trainer and a follower of mixed martial arts (MMA) world like the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He resides in Lakeland, Minnesota with his fiancé Rayah Barton.
Ian Harris - Ian Harris is in his first season as the Assistant Director of Football Operations and Special Teams Coach for theGreen Bay Blizzard. He spent the 2010 season as Pro Player Personnel Director for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the AFL. Before transitioning into professional football, Harris served as Assistant to the Recruiting Coordinator at Marshall University, and helped recruit such future NFL players as CJ Spillman, Cody Slate, and Super Bowl winners Ahmad Bradshaw and Doug Legursky. The North Carolina native graduated from Marshall University with high honors in 2006.
The Green Bay Blizzard is a proud member of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The reigning Central North Division Champions play all home games at the Resch Center in Green Bay, WI. 2011 Season tickets are on SALE NOW and the home opener is Friday March 18th against the Bloomington Extreme. The home opener will be St. Patrick's Night and we will be giving away 2,000 Kelly green Blizzard caps presented by Bud Light to adults 21 and over! Call 920-405-1264 to reserve your seat in the action! Make sure to follow the Blizzard on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news and updates on the team.
Richards talked about his staff saying "During the off season, I felt I needed to add some fresh new faces to the staff and someone with head coaching experience to be able to lean on. I think Rod brings that to the table." He went on to say, "Adding Freddie Weinke and Ian Harris as young coaches to absorb the things we teach will only help our team and make them better coaches in the process."
Rod Miller - Rod Miller rejoins the Blizzard for the 2011 season as the Offensive Coordinator. Miller was in Green Bay from 2003 through 2005 and assumed the roles of the Offensive Coordinator, Special Teams Assistant, and TeamDevelopment Coordinator through his tenure in Green Bay. Miller's last coaching job came in 2010 as the Defensive Coordinator for the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. In 2009, while still under contract with the AFL's Grand Rapids Rampage as football operations manager and assistant coach, Miller offered his services to the ThunderHawks (formerly known as the Muskegon Thunder) as a consultant. Miller's last head coaching job was with the Omaha Beef of the United Indoor Football League in 2007. That team went 8-8 including an appearance in the playoffs. That first-hand knowledge along with Miller's work with the West Michigan ThunderHawks means he is familiar with the teams and talent levels that the Blizzard will be facing in the IFL when the season kicks off in March.
Freddie Weinke - Freddie Weinke enters the 2011 season as the Blizzard Line coach, and it will be Weinke's first stopin Green Bay. Weinke opened his coaching career as a defensive backs coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2009 after a professional playing career that lasted five years following a quick college career and All-American high school career. Off the field Weinke is a certified personal trainer and a follower of mixed martial arts (MMA) world like the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He resides in Lakeland, Minnesota with his fiancé Rayah Barton.
Ian Harris - Ian Harris is in his first season as the Assistant Director of Football Operations and Special Teams Coach for theGreen Bay Blizzard. He spent the 2010 season as Pro Player Personnel Director for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the AFL. Before transitioning into professional football, Harris served as Assistant to the Recruiting Coordinator at Marshall University, and helped recruit such future NFL players as CJ Spillman, Cody Slate, and Super Bowl winners Ahmad Bradshaw and Doug Legursky. The North Carolina native graduated from Marshall University with high honors in 2006.
The Green Bay Blizzard is a proud member of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The reigning Central North Division Champions play all home games at the Resch Center in Green Bay, WI. 2011 Season tickets are on SALE NOW and the home opener is Friday March 18th against the Bloomington Extreme. The home opener will be St. Patrick's Night and we will be giving away 2,000 Kelly green Blizzard caps presented by Bud Light to adults 21 and over! Call 920-405-1264 to reserve your seat in the action! Make sure to follow the Blizzard on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news and updates on the team.