Teams from arenafootball2, the nation’s top developmental Arena Football league, officially open training camp this weekend in preparation for the league’s ninth season, which begins on March 28.

 This Sunday, March 9, 19 of the af2’s 29 member teams get underway with a three-day mini-camp. This year is the second consecutive season that teams get an extra three days to practice, but those first three days are no-contact and for conditioning purposes only.

Under af2 rules, teams are allowed to open camp two weeks prior to the week of their first regular season game. Teams are allowed to bring 35 players to camp (not including the optional two-player International Training Squad), but must cut down to 30 on the third day of full contact camp. The final cut to 22 players (19-active; three-inactive) is the Monday prior to their first game by 3:00 p.m. ET. A listing of af2 training camp start dates is attached on page 2 of this release. 

“We’re excited to get our ninth season underway,” af2 President Jerry Kurz said. “We expect 2008 to be our best season ever, filled with great players and great plays. Most importantly, however, we anticipate the highest level of football our fans have ever seen.”  

 A highlight of this year’s preseason schedule includes a scrimmage between the Spokane Shock and Amarillo Dusters on Thursday, March 20 at the Yakima Valley SunDome in Yakima, Wash. The Shock will serve as hosts for the first Arena Football game ever played at the SunDome.

 Scheduled scrimmages/preseason games include:

* All times local

 March 16 – Boise @ Tri-Cities – 3:00 PM – Toyota Center

March 19 – Arkansas @ Bossier-Shreveport – 10:00 AM – CenturyTel Center

March 20 – Amarillo @ Spokane – 7:00 PM – Yakima Valley SunDome (Yakima, Wash.)

March 22 – Green Bay @ Peoria – 7:00 PM – Dragon Dome (Pekin, Ill.)

 About af2

With its ninth season set to kick off on March 28 with a 29-team membership, af2 serves as a vehicle to bring Arena Football to small-to-midsize cities and as a developmental league with an unmatched history of sending players, coaches and officials to major professional football leagues each year. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans’ Bill of Rights as the Arena Football League, which begins its 22nd season on February 29. Log on to www.af2.com for more information.

 TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULES:

Team	Start of Training Camp
Green Bay Blizzard	Wed. 3.12.08
Amarillo Dusters	Wed. 3.12.08
Albany Conquest	Wed. 3.12.08
Austin Wranglers	Wed. 3.12.08
Boise Burn	Wed. 3.12.08
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings	Wed. 3.12.08
Central Valley Coyotes	Wed. 3.12.08
Corpus Christi Sharks	Wed. 3.12.08
Daytona Beach Thunderbirds	Wed. 3.12.08
Iowa Barnstormers	Wed. 3.12.08
Lexington Horsemen	Wed. 3.12.08
Quad City Steamwheelers	Wed. 3.12.08
Rio Grande Valley Dorados	Wed. 3.12.08
Spokane Shock	Wed. 3.12.08
Stockton Lightning	Wed. 3.12.08
Tennessee Valley Vipers	Wed. 3.12.08
Texas Copperheads	Wed. 3.12.08
Tri Cities Fever	Wed. 3.12.08
Wilkes-Barre Pioneers	Wed. 3.12.08
Louisville Fire	Thur. 3.13.08
Mahoning Valley	Thur. 3.13.08
Tulsa Talons	Thur. 3.13.08
South Georgia Wildcats	Fri. 3.14.08
Manchester Wolves	Sun. 3.16.08
Arkansas Twisters	Mon. 3.17.08
Florida Firecats	Tues. 3.18.08
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz	Wed. 3.19.08
Lubbock Renegades	Wed. 3.19.08
Peoria Pirates	Thurs. 3.20.08