Angela Edwards more than held her own Saturday among the 120 players during the Grand Rapids Rampage's free-agent tryout, but the first woman to try out for an Arena Football League team won't be extended a contract offer.
Rampage head coach Bob Cortese isn't sure how many players will be invited back for private workouts or to training camp in January, but he made a decision on Edwards when she wasn't among the 40 players selected to take part in one-on-one drills.
"She's a very good women's football player," Cortese said. "We didn't feel Edwards was strong enough or fast enough to make an impact, though. That's why she wasn't selected for the one-on-one session.
"There were a few players that caught my eye, though, and I was very pleased with the turnout."
The 5-foot-7, 165-pound Edwards, 24, ran a 40-yard-dash in 5.08 seconds, a shuttle drill in 4.45 seconds (the best time was 3.99), long jumped 8 feet, 8 inches (the longest was 10-6), and bench pressed 135 pounds 11 times. The men trying out benched 225 pounds.
Sometime this week Cortese and his coaching staff will make a final decision on the players they want to take another look at, but he doesn't expect to call back more than five players.
The tryout also included fullback Reggie Brown, 30, who played with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks from 1996-2000. The 6-foot, 235-pound Detroit native, who played at Detroit Henry Ford High School and Fresno State, was trying out for an AFL for the first time.
"Hopefully they'll call me," said Brown, 30, who hasn't played or worked since 2000. "I just got tried of sitting around. I had to do something and I still have playing football in my system."
So does Hope College quarterback Phil Butler, who capped off the greatest career at his position in school history two weeks ago when he completed 34 of 65 passes for 500 yards and seven touchdowns in an NCAA Division III playoff loss to Wheaton College.
Butler holds every passing record at Hope.
"I was able to bench press 225 six times and I ran the 40 in 5.4 seconds," said Butler, who played at Tri County High School. "But I knew coming in my numbers wouldn't impress them. This has been a great experience for me to see how things are done and hopefully it will help get my foot in the door."
Edwards, who had a larger media group following her every move, said she would like to try out again for the AFL.
"This was pretty cool," she said. "And at least I couldn't hear the guys talking about me. I love football, and doing something like this provides a good rush for me."
Edwards, a running back, will continue playing for the Southwest Michigan Jaguars, a women's professional team located in Otsego.
The Rampage will open training camp for the 2004 season on Jan. 17 and play their season-opener Feb. 8 in Chicago against the Rush.
Cortese will make his home head coaching debut the following week against Colorado.
www.mlive.com/rampage
Rampage head coach Bob Cortese isn't sure how many players will be invited back for private workouts or to training camp in January, but he made a decision on Edwards when she wasn't among the 40 players selected to take part in one-on-one drills.
"She's a very good women's football player," Cortese said. "We didn't feel Edwards was strong enough or fast enough to make an impact, though. That's why she wasn't selected for the one-on-one session.
"There were a few players that caught my eye, though, and I was very pleased with the turnout."
The 5-foot-7, 165-pound Edwards, 24, ran a 40-yard-dash in 5.08 seconds, a shuttle drill in 4.45 seconds (the best time was 3.99), long jumped 8 feet, 8 inches (the longest was 10-6), and bench pressed 135 pounds 11 times. The men trying out benched 225 pounds.
Sometime this week Cortese and his coaching staff will make a final decision on the players they want to take another look at, but he doesn't expect to call back more than five players.
The tryout also included fullback Reggie Brown, 30, who played with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks from 1996-2000. The 6-foot, 235-pound Detroit native, who played at Detroit Henry Ford High School and Fresno State, was trying out for an AFL for the first time.
"Hopefully they'll call me," said Brown, 30, who hasn't played or worked since 2000. "I just got tried of sitting around. I had to do something and I still have playing football in my system."
So does Hope College quarterback Phil Butler, who capped off the greatest career at his position in school history two weeks ago when he completed 34 of 65 passes for 500 yards and seven touchdowns in an NCAA Division III playoff loss to Wheaton College.
Butler holds every passing record at Hope.
"I was able to bench press 225 six times and I ran the 40 in 5.4 seconds," said Butler, who played at Tri County High School. "But I knew coming in my numbers wouldn't impress them. This has been a great experience for me to see how things are done and hopefully it will help get my foot in the door."
Edwards, who had a larger media group following her every move, said she would like to try out again for the AFL.
"This was pretty cool," she said. "And at least I couldn't hear the guys talking about me. I love football, and doing something like this provides a good rush for me."
Edwards, a running back, will continue playing for the Southwest Michigan Jaguars, a women's professional team located in Otsego.
The Rampage will open training camp for the 2004 season on Jan. 17 and play their season-opener Feb. 8 in Chicago against the Rush.
Cortese will make his home head coaching debut the following week against Colorado.
www.mlive.com/rampage
