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Two former Saluki Football Players Chase their Dreams Together |
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Written by 618football
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Sunday, 26 April 2009 20:02 |
Two former Saluki Football Players Chase their Dreams Together. Little Rock, AR - It’s a Saturday night in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Alltel Arena isn't crowded but it is rowdy. The folks here love their Arena Football.
In fact when the quarterback for the visiting Rio Grande Valley Dorados is blocked over the boards and ends up in the crowd, the fans of the Arkansas Twisters push him around a bit, before finally letting him back on the field.
But that's how it is sometimes in the minor leagues of professional football. You put up with whatever you have to.
On the field are a bunch of men who dream of playing on Sundays, in front of tens of thousands of people. But for now, they are here, performing in an arena that’s about a quarter full.
“This is my way to get myself out there for everyone to see,” says Rio Grande Valley cornerback Craig Turner. “I still feel I can play and play with the best.”
Turner’s not alone. Just about everybody on this field believes they’re good enough to make it big. They just need a chance to show what they can do.
“The ultimate goal is to hopefully get back to the NFL,” says Rio Grande Valley quarterback Nick Hill, about an hour after his little trip into the stands. “I’m going to give it everything I have and see where it takes me.”
Hill and Turner know each other well. They’re former college teammates at Southern Illinois University.
Unlike Turner, Hill has tasted the NFL before. In 2008, he got a shot as a free agent with the Chicago Bears but was cut during training camp.
So while they wait for an NFL team to call, they try to master Arena Football. It’s a different game than what they’re used to.
“The field is so much smaller, things happen so much faster,” says Hill. “But this is where I’m at right now so I have to be the best I can be.”
Most football fields are 100 yards long. An Arena football field is only 50 yards long. In this game, there is no punting. On fourth down, you either have to go for it or kick a field goal.
The game is very fan friendly. It’s designed to be high scoring. There are many rules in place that favor the offense and make it very difficult for a defensive player like Turner.
“I think it’s a little more competitive. Guys out here have a lot to prove and you have to be a man about it.”
They live in apartments. Each has a roommate. Their rent and utilities are paid for. So is most of their food. That helps because they only make $250 a week, and that’s if they win. If they lose, it’s only $200.
But they’re not here for the money. They’re here because this is who they are. They’re football players and they’re not ready to give up on their dreams just yet.
“I’m going to keep on playing as hard as I can and until someone tells me I’m not good enough to play,” says Hill. “That’s when I’ll hang them up.”
Maybe that time will come, maybe it won’t. But these two former college teammates are determined to keep trying as long as they can.
“My grandfather told me before he passed if I ever lose the love for the game, that’s the time to give it up. And when it ever becomes a time when it’s not fun, it’s time to hang up my cleats,” says Turner.
“And I haven’t felt that yet.”
By: Rickey Thein
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