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New Jets are ready for the Thunder
The Coventry
Cassidy Jets continued to go from strength to strength as they unveiled two
more new signings. Running backs Nick Jones and Mike Sinyangwe arrived from the
Redditch Arrows in time to make their debuts against the London Blitz at the
end of May. The pair saw limited action after having only trained with their
new team mates once.
For Jones the
Jets become his third team of 2009 after brief spells with the Gloucester
Banshees and then the Arrows. Born in California, Jones didn’t take up kitted
American football until he moved to the UK, now resident in Tewkesbury and
working as an internet sales executive, the athletic 25 year old has shifted to
playing safety and feels quite at home in his new role.
“Safety feels
like the position I should have been playing all along, it feels natural and
plays to my speed and strength”. Club Secretary Adam Etheridge concurred, “I’m
excited about the prospect of Nick playing safety. We’ve seen how well he’s
performed in training and know he’ll carry that form onto the field. I can’t
wait for the fans to get a look at him this weekend; he’s the sort of
electrifying player that we’ve been missing since the departure of Neil
Edwards”.
On his transfer
Jones’ stated a desire to “play at the highest level. I want to play for Great
Britain in the 2010 European Championships and there’s no better place to get
noticed then here at the Jets”. Nick has an impressive pedigree, his father
played safety at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles and was a Division I
college prospect. Still living in San Fernando Valley, Jones’ family are
neighbours of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassell.
“I arrived at
the same time as Mike (Sinyangwe) so I knew someone straight away but the guys
have been so welcoming that I feels like I’ve been here for years” continued
Jones. “The coaches are excellent and I know that I’ll improve quickly by being
around them as well as players like Jeremy Simms and Mark Cohen”. A former
Warwick Wolves player, Sinyangwe also found some familiar faces at his first
training session. “Apart from Nick I was pleased to see Jon (Dwyer) and Simon
(Volkwein) had already joined the club”.
Born and raised
in Ealing, North West London, the 21 year old Biochemistry student was briefly
with the London Blitz last year before helping the Arrows to the 2008 Division
One final at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster. “I got injured on my first
carry of the game and couldn’t contribute as we eventually lost in overtime. In
a way I feel as though I’ve got something to prove to myself”.
Although he
missed the majority of the final, Sinyangwe was named the Arrows’ offensive MVP
for the season leading them to a record of 7-2-1 in the ultra- competitive BAFL
1. Head Coach Gerry McManus was delighted by the signing commenting, “Mike is a
tremendous back and exactly the sort of player that we’re looking to bring to
the club, he’s young and he’s hungry for success. We’ve always been strong at
running back and whilst he’s not the in the Steve Coles mode he will certainly
help fill the void he left”.
McManus got a
glimpse of what Sinyangwe’s capable of against the Farnham Fast Lane Knights
last week; his two carries went for 25 yards and included a 17 yard touchdown
that helped claw the Jets back into the game. This week sees a first ever match
up against the Sussex Thunder and a quick return for former Jets’ Head Coach
Jim Roberson.
Apart from
McManus, Roberson is the only other person to hold the title of Head Coach in
Coventry’s brief but storied history. Roberson’s tenure was short, lasting
merely months before his contract was terminated by mutual consent without
seeing him so much as coach a single game. Although the BAFL Premier new boys
are yet to win a game they have put up spirited performances against the Aztecs
and Knights and with Roberson’s inside knowledge of the Jets, a major scalp
isn't out of the question for the Brighton based team.
A win for the
Jets would put them in the driving seat for home field advantage in the playoff
semi-finals and provide an almighty boost before their tough trip to Bristol
next week. Sunday's game will take place at Coventry Sphinx FC, just off
Siddeley Avenue, with a kick off time of 14:30, for further information please
check out the Jets' website at
www.cassidyjets.com.