Valley athletes among large group expected at Alaska Wild tryout

Jan. 19, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

ANCHORAGE - When Jason Kepler first heard Alaska was getting a professional indoor football team, the former high school and college football standout found his way back to the weight room.

Kepler, a 1996 graduate of Palmer High School, may have thought his football career ended after his senior year at Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute. But there's a chance the offensive lineman may have a few more snaps left in him.

Kepler is planning on attending the first open tryout hosted by the Alaska Wild arena football organization.

It's been about seven years since Kepler left the world of competitive football. He's since traded his shoulder pads and spikes for a position with an Anchorage aeronautical engineering firm. Kepler has spent time coaching at the youth and high school level. But even as he stands closer to his 30s than he does to his 20s, Kepler plainly said, “I'm not done playing.”

Kepler is one of what could be hundreds who show for the combine-style workout Saturday at the Cellular One Sports Center in Anchorage.

Randy Magner, the Wild's vice president of operations did not know exactly what to expect, when the first-year organization began to advertise its first open tryout.

But in the last few weeks, Magner has been wading through e-mails from about 550 potential players.

In a one-word response, Magner said the attention has been, “overwhelming.”

Of the more than 550 players on the list now, Magner said, about 450 of those who have expressed interest are from Alaska.

It's hard to tell how many of these athletes played beyond the high school level. Magner said he has even received interest from some with no playing experience whatsoever.

“They obviously do not understand the level of play,” Magner said.

The Wild will take the field for their inaugural season as part of the Intense Football League. Most of the teams already in the eight-team professional league are in Texas and Louisiana.

Many of the players who have expressed interest are expected to be the type who already have full-time jobs, and see the chance to play with the Wild as an opportunity to fulfill some gridiron fantasies.

Kepler is one of those players.

“I'm fairly swamped right now,” said Kepler, also a husband and father of a 2-year-old girl. “But the chance to play another year of football might be worth the sacrifice.”

Another Palmer High School graduate, Jeremy Johnson, is in the same boat.

Johnson, a 1992 graduate of PHS, knows conflicting schedules may be a problem, but would like to kick for the Alaska indoor squad.

“I'd rather try out and tell them I could not play, than not and find out I could,” Johnson said.

After graduating from Palmer High, Johnson served as a place kicker at Montana State University for a season, before moving on to a college soccer career. He's also kicked for the last six years in the Anchorage Flag Football Association.

The problem Johnson sees is the month-long road trip on the Wild's schedule in April. Johnson is the varsity boys' soccer coach at Colony High School. That road trip would come right in the middle of the prep soccer season.

“Obviously the job and coaching are the priority,” he said.

Maintaining a full-time job will be a priority for any local player selected. The future members of the Wild will not get rich playing for the indoor franchise. Magner said players will be paid $225 per game, and $260 per game if the team wins.

Kepler and Johnson are just two of a handful of names of former Valley athletes Magner has run across on the list of players expressing an interest in playing for Wild.

And the list is scattered with players who have made a name for themselves in one way or another.

The Wild recently hired their first head coach, Keith Evans, a veteran in the indoor football circuit. Players already in the arena football circuit are forwarding game tapes and resumes to the new coach.

On Saturday, the team will use a series of drills to try to find a few potential players.

The speed and strength of the athletes will be tested. Depending on the turnout, it could be a virtual assembly line of drills.

The players' 40-yard dash times will be tested, and their vertical leap. The team will see how many times each player can bench press 225 pounds.

Kepler has never participated in a football combine, but he's been preparing for it. For the last several months he's been running and lifting weights at his alma mater, PHS, and the Alaska Club. He's also been working on his 40 time with the Palmer football coaches.

He said he doesn't really know what to expect, but that is not stopping him from taking the shot.

“I've never been very fast on my 40 time, but I've always kept up on the football field,” Kepler said.

Johnson said he is just planning on going into the tryout with a relaxed attitude.

Magner said he expects the speed and strength testing to be done first, and then coaches will break players up into individual positions. The lineman will run through blocking drills, the quarterbacks and receivers will work on routs and the kickers will kick.

If a player catches a coach's eye, Magner said, that athlete can be signed on the spot and invited to training camp.

A group of 35-40 players will be invited to training camp, and the regular season roster will stand at 25.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.