DAVID BUCK Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Saturday, July 5, 2008 12:00 am
Stacey Edwards doesn't arrive at practice like the rest of Wyoming's players.
While most players have a short drive across town, Edwards really has to travel to get to a workout with the Cavalry - flying in from Seattle to prepare for games like Friday night's American Indoor Football Association playoff tilt with Arizona.
The Cavs defensive back and assistant coach isn't Wyoming's only player that commutes, but his is easily the longest.
"I usually fly in on Wednesday or Thursday," Edwards said. "It depends on if we have a Friday or a Saturday game. I basically try to get in two practices a week."
That's been enough so far to help the Cavs build an 11-3 regular season record and earn the home postseason date with the Adrenaline.
The team doesn't give Edwards money for his flights, but it costs him just $25-50 a trip because he has a friend that works for United Airlines who lets him uses a "buddy pass."
Cavs coach Dan Maciejczak doesn't require commuting players to attend practices, but Edwards make a point of coming anyway.
It helps, though, that Edwards' job as an account manager for Sprint allows him to work from almost anywhere.
"I don't want to be the guy that just shows up to the game every week and never practices, that's just not me," Edwards said. "But I do actually enjoy practice because I get something out of it."
Other players that commute are defensive back Brian Anderson (Rawlins), running back James Jones (Rapid City, S.D.), defensive lineman Rodney Wasche (Spearfish, S.D.), and offensive lineman John Strand (Chadron, Neb.). Defensive back Fata Carter (Denver) and offensive lineman Chase Olsen (Chadron) commuted earlier this season before moving to Casper.
"I'd like to have everybody here, but at the same time housing here is tough and we have great football players that have to commute because they have prior obligations," Maciejczak said. "Some have families, some of them have jobs, and I just feel that they are great football players.
"We have to help them out so they can come to Casper and play football for us."
There might be a handful of teams that have a few commuting players, but Maciejczak believes no team compares to the Cavs in terms of volume and the team's success in recent years.
The Cavs offset some of the cost by paying for hotel rooms and gas cards to help pay for trips, and Maciejczak makes sure he is in daily contact with his players to make up for missed practices. AIFA game film is also available online, so players can download tape and break it down with the coach over the phone.
"You have to have a special type of guy that can commute and be able to play and be productive for us," Maciejczak said. "The guys that commute played for us last year, so we have a pretty good gel as a football team.
"It's not like I'm throwing people in out of the blue and it's messing up team camaraderie or team chemistry. These guys have been around each other and know each other. They show up and play, and we are good to go."
It's the team that make players want to drive multiple hours or fly into town. Edwards could play in his home state for Tri-Cities, but he's played for Maciejczak for six years and with some teammates for three years.
"It's well worth the sacrifice," Edwards said. "It doesn't even really feel like a sacrifice when I get here.
"I have to get up at 3 in the morning to catch the 5:40 a.m. flight to get out here, but as tired as I am, once I get here, it all goes away. I get into the arena, I start to sweat and the competition starts going and I forget all about it and the fun starts."
Then he does it all over again.
Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com
Cavalry Tracker
n FRIDAY: Arizona at Wyoming, AIFA division playoffs, (n)
n COMMUTING CAVS: Wyoming has multiple players that live hours away but still drive or fly to town for practices and games.
n THE COMMUTERS: Brian Anderson, defensive back (Rawlins); Stacey Edwards, assistant coach and defensive back (Seattle); James Jones, running back (Rapid City, S.D.); John Strand, offensive lineman (Chadron, Neb.); and Rodney Wasche, defensive lineman (Spearfish, S.D.).
n HE SAID IT: "It's well worth the sacrifice. It doesn't even really feel like a sacrifice when I get here. I have to get up at 3 in the morning to catch the 5:40 a.m. flight to get out here, but as tired as I am, once I get here, it all goes away. I get into the arena, I start to sweat and the competition starts going and I forget all about it and the fun starts." n- Edwards.