Understanding the Philosophy of Talent Acquisition in Arena Football One
In the new league, its coaches are looking for two main qualities: leadership and versatility
In a short, 55-word press release, Arena Football One (AF1) announced that its season has begun. The league opened for business, allowing the existing franchises and new expansion teams to start signing free agents to Letters of Intent. Teams have already started to sign players, with the anticipation of the upcoming season continuing to gain momentum.
It goes without saying that the Arena game is a little different from what most players are accustomed to that have likely played outdoor football their entire lives. Any player making the shift to the indoor game will have to adjust to different rules, a smaller playing surface, and less players on the field. So, what do teams in AF1 look for when evaluating talent? To find out, I talked to three head coaches: Gary Thomas of the SW Kansas Storm, JR Wells of the Washington Wolfpack, and EJ Burt of the Orlando Predators. And the consensus among coaches seems to be the same: versatility and personality are the name of the game in modern day indoor football.
