Leroy Thompson: Built Ford Tough
Matthew Pickut
Sunday September 8, 2002
Thompson, who was known more for his offense in his six previous years with the Firebirds, played a more balanced game this year, which helped him get noticed. “With the substitution patterns [Firebirds’ head coach] Coach Dailey used, I came in mostly because I’m a good protector,” said Thompson. “With some of the injuries this year I got more playing time, everything was just perfect.”
It all started in the preseason for Thompson, who dedicated himself to training especially for football. “Off-season dedication, no doubt about it, I switched up my work out which is usually more basic stuff – strength and agility. I worked out with [Firebirds OL/DL] Chris Snyder – it was his idea. He’s the guru in the off-season, and we did all football related things. We did that functional training, working on the on the field stuff, at Sportzone six days a week.”
Thompson’s dedication resulted in a season where he scored an average of once every 3.7 times he touched the ball. Against Chicago in week 14, Thompson tied an AFL record by scoring five rushing touchdowns and helped the team clinch a play-off spot. On defense Leroy lead the AFL with 7.5 tackles for a loss and tied for fifth in the league with five sacks. His 117 yards gave him four consecutive years with 100+ yards, a record for the Firebirds. Despite a breakthrough year, Leroy wishes the team could have seen more success. “The things with the team kind of take some of the light off the award,” admitted Thompson. “The ultimate goal satisfaction would have been to win the ArenaBowl and have the Ironman presentation before I took the field.”
It wasn’t until the Camden, NJ native arrived at the ArenaBowl in San Jose that he comprehended the magnitude of the toughman award. “It’s a big award with the trip and truck but I thought others were bigger, the Ironman of the year or offensive and defensive player of the year and all. But with players and GMs this is a bigger award because everyone wants to be considered a tough guy especially in a league like the AFL,” said Thompson. “I didn’t really understand until I got to the ArenaBowl and saw how impressed everyone was that it dawned on me.”
As a free agent this year Leroy will no doubt be a hot commodity during the off-season. Being the toughest guy at arguably the toughest position in the indoor game has a way of getting you noticed. As far as he’s concerned, however Indiana is where he wants to stay. “I’d love to come back to the ‘Birds. There are no numbers yet, but there is huge interest to do what it takes.”
Matthew Pickut is a pastor in northern Indiana and a long time AFL fan. He also writes for his own website: The Brown Paper Blog. He graduated from Taylor University in Upland Indiana (class of `96) with degrees in Biblical Literature and Sociology as well as a healthy respect for the medicinal properties of coffee.
