TAMPA BAY – The Five-Time World Champion Tampa Bay Storm begin training camp for the 2010 Arena Football League season Monday, March 15, announced Head Coach and General Manager Tim Marcum.

Players report for Physicals Sunday, March 14 and then hit the field for the start of training camp the next day at Skyway Park (3901 George Road).  Practice will consist of two sessions in the morning with film study and classroom work in the afternoon.  Training Camp concludes with a pre-season game against the Orlando Predators Friday, March 26 at the St. Pete Times Forum.  The team will enter camp with a 35 man roster and must turn in the final 23 man roster by 3:00pm (EST) March 29.

Tampa Bay Storm Training Camp Schedule

   Date/Event                                     Location          Time

   Sunday, March 14 (Physicals)           – -                     – -           

   Monday, March 15                           Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Tuesday, March 16                          Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Wednesday, March 17                     Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Thursday, March 18                         Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Friday, March 19                              Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Saturday, March 20                          TBD                  8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Sunday, March 21                            TBD                  8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Monday, March 22                           Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Tuesday, March 23                          Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Wednesday, March 24                     Skyway Park     8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Thursday, March 25 (Media Day)       SPTF             8:00am-9:30am, 10:00am-11:30 am

   Friday, March 26 (Pre-season game) SPTF             7:30pm-10:00pm

Pre-Season Preview

          The AFL’s most storied franchise, the Tampa Bay Storm, is set to right their ship and return to the playoffs after missing the playoffs in 2008.  That was only the second time in franchise history the team missed the playoffs in 22 seasons (18 Tampa Bay, 4 Pittsburgh).  The 2010 team currently has 11 players returning from the 2008 final roster.

Returnees:

OL Emmanuel Akah (Winston Salem St.), DB Daryon Brutley (Northern Iowa), QB Brett Dietz (Hanover), DL Cliff Dukes (Michigan State), WR Hank Edwards (Texas Southern), DB Byron Jones (Texas A&M), OL Tom Kaleita (Eastern Michigan), DB Reggie Lewis (Florida), DL Tim McGill (Illinois), LB Terrence Royal (South Florida), WR Tyrone Timmons (Mississippi Valley State)

Departures:

On defense - DB Jeroid Johnson (Oklahoma State), DB Tracho Rachal Texas A&M-Commerce), DB Rayshun Reed (Troy), DL Tom Briggs (West Virginia), DL Ernest Certain (FAMU), LB Torrance Marshall (Oklahoma), LB Nyle Wiren (Kansas State)

On offense – OL Damion Cook (Bethune-Cookman), OL Geir Gudmundsen (Albany State), OL Kenyatta Jones (South Florida), K Seth Marler (Tulane), FB Phil Glover (Utah), QB Stoney Case (New Mexico), WR Henry Douglas (North Carolina A&T), WR Sedrick Robinson (Kentucky Wesleyan), WR Terrill Shaw (Southern Miss)

Acquisitions:

On defense – DB Brandon Hefflin (Toledo), Anthony Ivy (UT-Martin), DB James McCoy (North Carolina A&T), DL Alfred Peterson (Rutgers), DL Jermaine Smith (Georgia), LB James Bear (Western Kentucky), LB Cole Mason (West Alabama), LB Eric Ortiz (Belhaven University)

On offense –  FB Chad Cook (Murray State), K Garret Rivas (Michigan), OL Dennis Conley (Hampton), OL Cornelius Fuamatu (Nebraska), OL Robert Powell (Purdue), QB BJ Hall (Webber), WR Reggie Gray (Western Illinois), WR Frantz Hardy (Nebraska), WR Paul Raymond (Brown), WR John Roberson (Texas A&M), WR Talon Saint-Michaels (Navy), WR DeAngelo Woodie (None)

AFL Hall-of-Fame Head Coach and General Manager Tim Marcum was active in the off-season collecting a mixture of veteran experience and youthful energy.  He wasted no time building a strong collection of skill players. He brought in veteran leadership on defense with Jermaine Smith on the defensive line and Brandon Hefflin in the defensive backfield as well as young invigorated legs at the wide out position with Paul Raymond and Frantz Hardy. 

At the wide receiver position Tampa Bay is full of youth.  The battle during training camp for a roster spot at this position will be fierce.  Other AFL teams will wait in the wings to come in and scoop up whoever does not make the 24-man roster.

The offensive line will be BIG as it is anchored by Akah (6-3, 330) and Kaleita (6-6, 325) look for Fuamatu and Powell to battle for the starting center postion.  They will need to play well to protect returning starting quarterback and 2007 AFL Rookie of the Year Brett Dietz.  Local high school product BJ Hall was brought into back up Dietz.

At wide out two standouts return, Hank Edwards and Tyrone Timmons.  Edwards finished the previous season second in the AFL in yards per catch (15.9) and tallied 85 receptions for 1,348 yards with 30 touchdowns. Timmons stepped for an injured Terrill Shaw at the send of the 2008 season and scored 13 touchdowns on 23 receptions in five games.

Torrance Marshall’s production will be missed at the fullback/linebacker spot as James Bear, Chad Cook, Cole Mason and Eric Ortiz will battle to fill in his role.

On the defensive side of the ball, finalist for 2008 AFL Defensive Player of the Year, Tim McGill returns to lead an experienced line with the addition of Jermaine Smith and expected return of Kelvin Kinney.  Conversely, new faces will man the defensive backfield with the departure of Rachal, Reed and Johnson.  Hefflin joins the team to stabilize the position while returning defensive backs Brutley, Jones and Lewis have an opportunity to grab a starting spot in camp.

The Storm kickoff the 2010 season on Saturday, April 3 when they invade Tulsa and take on the Talons.  The Storm return home to the confines of the St. Pete Times Forum for its home opener Friday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m.  Season Tickets start as low as $50! To be a part of all the hard-hitting action call 813.301.6600 (season tickets), 813.301.6900 (group tickets) or visit www.tampabaystorm.com.