Photo: Joe Petro, photographer Orlando Fantasy
Building a squad from scratch isn’t easy, especially when you enter a league that has pre-existing teams. That’s the daunting task facing Kenny McEntyre and Rick Reeder as they try to find the right combination of players in their newest roles as head coaches of Lingerie Football League franchises in Orlando and Baltimore, respectively.
“It’s obviously special,” said McEntyre, a three-time defensive player of the year in the Arena Football League, about the opportunity he’s been given to lead the first-year team. “I take it very seriously. I’m privileged to be part of it.”
“It means a lot to me,” noted Reeder, who also serves as the head coach of the semi-pro Frederick Outlaws in the East Coast Football Association. “I’m going to do my best to make sure these ladies succeed on the field.”
Orlando held a combine / tryout in early May and 27 players made the initial cut to continue on with the squad. McEntyre, who still suits up for the AFL’s Orlando Predators, knows what he’s looking for as he builds the team.
“At any tryout you look for pure talent, something you don’t have to coach. We know that the girls have to keep up their bodies and you want athletes and size.”
Baltimore also held a combine / tryout in early May and Reeder echoed similar sentiments.
“I look for raw talent. If you have raw talent, you’ll be very easy to teach and coach. Girls don’t grow up playing organized football like the guys do, so it’s very hard to teach someone anything if they don’t have the raw talent.”
A few of the players have already made quite an impression on McEntyre, who spent time with the Colts, Steelers and Chiefs in the NFL and was a member of the Arena Bowl XII Champion Predators.
“Mark my words, (linebacker Tiffani Hardin) is going to be on the All-Fantasy Team. I’m also very happy with our QB Veronica Moor. She throws better than some men who play the position.”
McEntyre also singled out wide receiver Krystle Apellaniz and running back Lindsay Alfano as players he expects a lot from this season.
Reeder, who is pulling double duty while trying to lead the Outlaws to their fifth ECFA title in six years, has high expectations for the first-year Charm, but he’s being realistic.
“The only way we will win this year is straight hard work all the time – on and off the field. The players are doing that now and I’m very impressed with all of them when it comes to working out.”
However, the building process isn’t all smooth. The Orlando coaching staff knows it currently has a problem with a lack of height that needs to be corrected before its first game on September 24 versus the Tampa Breeze at UCF Arena.
“We’re a little undersized. We’re fast, but I’m nervous about our size. We have another tryout July 17 and we do need some bigger players,” stated McEntyre.
Also at issue is team chemistry, which is understood since the unit is brand new. McEntyre won’t accept or use that though as an excuse for poor performance.
“We’re far behind, but now we’re practicing twice a week. We need the two practices. We have to practice hard and get on the same page,” added the coach.
It’s no surprise that Reeder feels the same way. His Charm open the season on September 17 against the Philadelphia Passion at Sun National Bank Center.
“We need everyone on the same page on the team. The saying is true – ‘how you practice is how you play.’ As long as you are working 100% on every play of every game this team will be very good, but everyone – from staff to players to coaches – has to be on that page.”
Both new coaches are very passionate about this opportunity and it’ll be an entertaining matchup when they face off on November 5 at 1st Mariner Arena.
Who do you think will fare better this season in the Eastern Conference – Baltimore or Orlando? Share your comments below.
