Training Camp Just Around the Corner

The Tri-Cities Fever is less than a month away from their training camp which opens February 11^th, and just over six weeks away from the 2012 season opener against Everett.

As the dates quickly approach for the defending Indoor Football League Intense Conference champions, Coach Adam Shackleford figures he still has a little shuffling to do with his roster over the next few weeks.

“I hope not too much,” he said. “We really like the group of guys we are expecting to bring in. We may make a few small moves depending on if some guys get picked up by some other leagues, but that’s about it at this point.”

The Fever currently has signed 38 players for the upcoming season, including a handful of returners from last year’s record-breaking team.

Among those are quarterback Houston Lillard, running back Dennis Kennedy, receiver Steven Whitehead, and defensive back Lionell Singleton.

Those four along with linebacker Brandon Wilson and defensive lineman Jake Killeen built a strong foundation for the incoming players.

“I think we have a good group of veterans to go along with a talented group of new guys,” Shackleford said.

On paper, the Fever has its most talented training camp roster to-date under Shackleford, now in his third season. The roster is littered with players from big-name colleges and 11 players that have spent some time with NFL teams, whether at training camps or on the practice squad.

With that sort of talent Shackleford is not in an envious position knowing his roster needs to be trimmed down to 25 players by opening night. But at the same time, he wants to bring the best-of-the-best to the Tri-Cities and that is what he thinks he is doing with this year’s signed players.

“We have spent a lot of time in trying to assemble this roster,” Shackleford said. “On paper, the talent is there to put together a championship caliber team, which is something I probably couldn’t say in the past at this point of the season.”

The Fever is coming off of a memorable 2011 season that saw the organization return to prominence among the league’s elite. In just his second season, Shackleford guided the Fever to three playoff wins, two of those coming on the road, on their way to the Indoor Bowl against the Sioux Falls Storm.

The Fever established a franchise record for victories in a single-season (10), and won a playoff home game for the first time since 2006.

So the bar is set high and Shackleford wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We have higher expectations this year,” Shackleford said. “That comes from what we did last year and who we have on our roster this year.”

The Tri-Cities Fever, a member of the Indoor Football League, opens its eighth season at home on February 25. For information about Fever season tickets contact the Fever office at (509) 222-2215 or visit us on line at www.tricitiesfever.com.