Rampage Hold Kicker Only Tryout
Randy Snow
Monday October 2, 2006
Grand Rapids head coach Sparky McEwen was pleased with the number of participants that turned out. However, while several kickers impressed him with various abilities, no one seemed to have all the qualities that he was looking for in a kicker. "There was a guy who would shine in each category, whether it was onside kicks, leg strength, extra point accuracy or field goals, but no one who would get me to the point of signing someone here today," McEwen said. "I’m looking for a guy who is solid in every phase of the game. Because the kicking game is so (important), and with us not having a kicker under contract, I’m going to be thorough before I do sign a guy. I’m going to continue to look."
Among those in attendance at the tryout today were Brian Gowins, who was the Rampage kicker from 2000-2003, Brad Selent, who was with the AFL Detroit Fury in 2002 and who also played last season for the Battle Creek Crunch of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League, and Shon Rowser, who played last season for the Raleigh Rebels of the American Indoor Football League.
McEwen says he will next look at free agents and possibly some kickers from arenafootball2. The free agent signing period begins tomorrow. Peter Martinez, the Rampage kicker the past two seasons, is currently a free agent.
Next Open Tryout
The Rampage have another open tryout scheduled for one o’clock on Sunday, October 15 at the Wylie E. Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, near Detroit. This tryout is open to all players at all positions.
Randy Snow covered the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League for ArenaFan from 2003-2008. He also covered the Fort Wayne Fusion of arenafootball2 in 2007. From 2004-2008 and in 2010, he was a member of the Arena Football League Writer’s Association and, since 2011, has been a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Randy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan but will travel just about anywhere for a football game or a great football story. He runs the web site www.theworldoffootball.com and hosts a podcast with his son, Adam, called “This Week in The World of Football.”
