Team Elite ready for flag football
It’s a warm, sunny afternoon. One by one, players arrive dressed out and ready to play. They meet in a deserted corner of the packed HPER field and run through a limited set of drills.
It is a popular childhood game, an American right of passage — flag football.
Last season, Team Elite came one game away from a USU intramural championship. Until the championship game, Elite had only notched one loss all season, a solid record for an intramural squad.
“Last year, we were a dominant that met some hard times,” said Team Elite captain George Ferris.
Team Elite’s loss was helped along by a combination of injuries and fatigue, something they struggled with all season.
Despite the injuries to key players, the team put points on the board until the opposing team ultimately got the best of them.
Team Elite is stacked.
Many of the current players have the all-state and all-league titles on their football resumes. A few of them even played at junior colleges before coming to USU.
Three former players have even gone on to collegiate football programs.
Travis Swan, a big play maker for Team Elite, is playing football for Utah State. Swan returned from a two-year LDS mission and used Team Elite as a stepping stone to get back into football shape.
Swan is providing depth to a strong USU linebacker corps that includes Bobby Wagner and Kyle Gallagher.
Another former player Alfonso Smith was an all-state safety, in Utah. After last season, Smith was recruited as a preferred walk-on for Weber State University.
The third player, Justice Patterson was one of the top Junior College running backs from the state of California. After playing a year with Team Elite, Patterson transferred to Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Patterson is sharing reps at OPSU with all-American running back Darryl Brister.
Their depth is mainly on the defensive side, but Team Elite has some powerful offensive weapons, as well. This season, Team Elite has added running back Brandon Hall, a one-time all-state team member for the state of Arizona.
“We have some really strong defensive backs, and we’re looking for some offensive players as well,” said Ferris. “That’s why we brought in Brandon Hall.”
Despite a strong first season, Team Elite is moving forward and looking to the future. With last season’s final loss hanging in recent history, they are looking to dominate, in 2011.
The team reloaded after last season. They combined with HRB, another USU flag football powerhouse, and are better then ever.
“We’re going to be faster, bigger and stronger,” said former HRB captain Stuart Allen.
The newly-revamped Team Elite, is looking to come out strong when the season opens in two weeks.
“We only won one playoff game last year,” said quarterback Bryan Haslip. “So hopefully we can go a little further this year.”
For Team Elite defensive end Matt McGee, winning a championship would just be motivation for next year.
“If we win this year, it just means we have to build upon it and win again next year,” McGee said.
Haslip said this year the team has more speed then they have in the past. Their quick feet should help Team Elite overcome the rushing rule at USU.
“They can rush right away,” Haslip said. “So the important thing is just to have speed.”
Team Elite is looking to replicate their past success when the season opens on Sept. 23. They will try to improve on last year’s 6-2 record.
– meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu