Soul begin training camp

Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh

PHILADELPHIA -  The 2012 AFL American Conference champion Philadelphia Soul are set to begin their training camp on Thursday when the team's 35-man roster is scheduled to report.

Practices for training camp will be held at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia and will begin on Saturday, March 2.

Entering training camp, the Soul have 11 players from last season’s conference championship club.  The top returnees include: quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, fullback Derrick Ross, wide receiver Tiger Jones, defensive back Rayshaun Kizer and defensive lineman Bryan Robinson.

“It’s always important to have key weapons return to the team,” said first-year Soul head coach, Clint Dolezel.  “It makes your job a little easier as a coach heading into the season.  But, at the end of the camp, we still need to pick 24 of these very talented players.  It’s important that the players represent their full potential at this training camp to prove to us they will help our team win.”

Dolezel assembled a new coaching staff for the upcoming season.  Two-time First Team All-Arena performer, Phil Bogle, begins his second coaching stint with the Soul as the assistant head coach.  Former Philadelphia Eagle, Hollis Thomas; Chris McKinney; Steve Criswell; and Donald Malloy will join Dolezel and Bogle as assistant coaches.

First cuts take place on March 8 and will  reduce the roster to 28 players.  The final 24-man roster will be announced on March 16 when training camp ends.

The Soul open their 2013 season on Saturday, March 23 at 9 p.m. in Phoenix, against the Arizona Rattlers for an ArenaBowl XXV rematch, which will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

The 2013 training camp roster consists of 23 AFL veterans and 12 rookies. The All-Arena players on the Soul’s rosters are Jones, Kizer, Robinson, and Derrick Ross.  

Local hopefuls include  Temple DL/LB Morkeith Brown, Delaware State DB James Romain and East Stroudsburg DL Dustin Barno.