Albany AFL to Hold an Open Player Tryout
Wednesday November 15, 2017
ALBANY, NY – The Arena Football League’s newest team will host an open tryout on Saturday, January 27 at Sportsplex at Halfmoon located at 6 Corporate Drive, Clifton, NY 12065. Registration will begin at 8 a.m., with stretching starting at 9 a.m.
In attendance will be; Albany AFL ownership including Ron Jaworski, head coach Rob Keefe, Director of Football Operations Chris Thompson and the Albany AFL coaching staff. Also in attendance will be members of the Philadelphia Soul coaching staff so attendees will have the opportunity to be evaluated by two teams at the event.
“Open tryouts have been a critical part of our success in Philadelphia,” said Albany AFL and Soul owner Ron Jaworski. We had five players that were discovered at an open tryout on our championship team roster last season and we expect that trend to continue in Albany. I also want to thank the Sportsplex of Halfmoon for hosting this event. It is a top-notch facility that is a perfect fit for arena football and large events like this one.”
“I am excited to see what kind of talent the Capital Region has,” said head coach Rob Keefe. We expect a large turnout and we will be properly staffed to evaluate everybody. We have yet to sign a single player for the 2018 season. The more local talent we can find that can perform at a championship level in this league, the better. It’s going to be a monumental day for this organization.”
A pre-registration fee of $65 can be applied using PayPal at www.albanyafl.com before Friday, January 26 at 3 p.m. Registration after that time and the day of will require an application fee of $80 (cash or cashier’s check only). A t-shirt will be included in the cost and all fees are non-refundable.
Players will be tested on their 40-yard dash time and short shuttle with other position-specific drills and one-on-ones to follow. Please bring appropriate workout gear and shoes/cleats. Testing will take place on field turf – no metal cleats are permitted. All positions will be evaluated in tryouts- QB, WR, FB, DB, LB, DL & OL and K. A trainer will be on hand for emergencies only – not for player taping.
Players coming from out of town can get a special hotel rate at the Courtyard Marriott Clifton Park located at 627 Plank Road, Clifton Park, NY. Special rates for tryout participants are available for the nights of January 26 and 27. Call 518-579-6100 and request “Albany Arena Football League Rate” for the available special rates. The Courtyard Marriott Clifton Park is the official hotel of Albany AFL’s inaugural season player open tryouts.
About Albany AFL
The Arena Football League’s newest franchise, Albany AFL will begin play in Spring 2018 at the Times Union Center. Season memberships for the inaugural 2018 season are on sale now. For tickets, contact the Albany AFL sales department at (518) 533-2200 or by going to AlbanyAFL.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/albanyafl and Twitter at twitter.com/albanyafl.
About Arena Football League
The Arena Football League will enter its 31st Season in 2018. Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. Teams slated for 2018 include: Albany, Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Washington D.C. CBS Sports Network nationally broadcasts AFL games each week, culminating with the ArenaBowl. The AFL launched AFLNow, the League’s streaming “Over-the-Top” network to give fans even more access to the League on arenafootball.com. For all the latest news and discussion on the Arena Football League follow the AFL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@aflarenaball).
About Times Union Center
Albany's Times Union Center, formerly Pepsi Arena, continues to have great success. Renamed in January 2007, the The Times Union Center is "Upstate New York's Premier Sports and Entertainment Facility. Owned by Albany County and operated by SMG, the world's largest private management firm for public assembly facilities, the Times Union Center has an adaptable seating capacity between 6,000 and 17,500. Since Frank Sinatra christened the building on January 30, 1990, more than seven million patrons have walked through the turnstiles. As a multi-purpose facility, the Times Union Center has hosted a variety of events, including concerts, family shows and sporting events, averaging 165 events each year.