Macon Welcomes Indoor Football Team

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Get ready for some football in middle Georgia. American Indoor Football’s 2012 inauguaral season includes creating a team in Macon.

The new team will be called Macon Steel, and will likely play an 10 game schedule, four of which will be played on the Steel’s home turf at the Macon Centreplex.

“If you want to see a lot of scoring, some fun, you want to feel like you’re apart of the ball game I tell you arena football is the game now,” said Ervin Bryson, the Head Coach and Assistant General Manager.

Bryson spent the better part of the last decade coaching in arena football. Now Bryson will lead middle Georgia’s team, The Macon Steel.

“What makes arena football and semi pro sports and entertainment successful is the relationship with the community,” said Bryson.

The Macon Steel will play in the American Indoor Football, which has 10 teams broken into East and West Coast. The Steel will practice at Sportstowne and play their games at the Macon Centreplex.  Former Georgia Standout and current Cincinnati Bengal, Max Jean-Gilles is part owner of the team and says this program could help players get back on their feet.

“I could help mentor some kids and I just want to say football change lives because you have kids that stay home that want to part of football and they don’t know what to do or where to start,” said Jean-Gilles.

Coach Bryson’s mission is to help guys get to the next level, some will go on to play in the Arena League, NFL-Europe or Canadian football and from time to time some athletes make it to the NFL.

“Now you look at a Fred Jackson who’s starting tailback for the Buffalo Bills, who played in the indoor football league he played for me when I was head coach out in Sioux City, Iowa,” said Bryson.

Coach Bryson says he hopes to sign 10 to 15 local guys to the team. Those interested in trying out can go this Saturday at Sportstowne. Registration is at 8 a.m. and costs $45.

Bryson says he’s already signed around 10 guys and there will be a total of 40 on the team.

The team’s first home game is currently slated for March 24th at the Centreplex.