Avengers begin Camp

2007 will embark new changes and challenges for the Los Angeles Avengers.

For the first time since their inaugural season, the Avengers will begin training camp outside the Los Angeles area. They will start practicing at at Oak Stadium on the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Reservation.

In addition to starting camp away from Los Angeles, the Avengers will open camp after a losing season that did not include a trip to the playoffs.

Coach Ed Hodgkiss told the media, “We believe that moving our training camp out of Los Angeles will increase our ability to focus and prepare for the upcoming season. In addition, the facilities on the reservation are top-notch and we are really looking forward to the three weeks that we will be spending out there.”

This season the Arena Football League will also feature a new rule: free substitution.

In the past, teams were limited to one substitution per position per quarter. Now teams will be permitted to substitute players at will. Because of the new substitution rule teams will be able to limit the number of “two-way” players.

The Avengers also signed several players for their secondary, including former UCLA safety Tod McBride.

McBride is a former NFL defensive back with the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and St. Louis Rams. He has played in 75 NFL regular-season games, which is more than any Avengers in the history of the franchise.

By adding players such as McBride, the team has not re-signed free-agent veteran Greg Hopkins, a cornerstone two-way player for the Avengers since 2002.

The Avengers will scrimmage at Arizona on Feb. 15 and at Dallas on Feb. 23 before they open the regular season against San Jose at Staples Center on March 4.

Go Avengers!