No one knew where he came from. No one knew about his childhood. And most people didn't know his name the first few weeks he entered high school. All they knew was that - as soon as he started playing football for the team - they saw something special in him. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 318 pounds, this behemoth of a German Shepherd was a leader with the team's defense, with his quick timing and accurate tackles. Anyone that came close to the canine couldn't get two yards past him as he would throw them down swiftly. Quaterbacks, Running Backs, Kick Returners, it didn't matter; it seemed like anyone that moved towards him would get shut down. But again: who was this guy, and where did he come from when no one had seen him before high school? And who is he now?
Kennith Shrader, more commonly known as The Shredder at Cardinal City High School, spent the majority of his childhood at a farm in Highland, Indiana, with his parents and two younger siblings. The constant work around the farm plus the strict diet given to him from his parents equaled the strength and stature of the German Shepherd we know. Kennith's education remained on the farm, too, as the family were home-schooled up to the time he turned sixteen. His exposure into football happened at twelve years of age, when the neighborhood kids started to play pick-up games.
Already standing at 5-foot-9, all the kids wanted Kennith to play offense but the shepherd felt more comfortable on the defensive side - and it showed. Throughout most of the games they played, there was no way the offense could get around him. Passing, running... not even quarterback sneaks got by the canine; it was as if he could sniff out where the ball would be and head right for it. Unfortunately, his strength got him into trouble as well when his tackles dislocated one of the kid's shoulders. That trouble didn't last long when Kennith's father heard about it from the neighbors; some of them even told him to consider taking his son to football camp - which he did.
Football camp is what Kennith needed to develop and hone his skills a little more. With the coaches telling him the right way to tackle and how to position himself for upcoming plays, the canine was merely unstoppable over the next three years. That's when the Cardinal City High School football coach noticed him, approached him, and asked him to play. It took a lot of meetings with the shepherd's parents, who really didn't want him to go - but his desire to play football eventually overturned their decision, and he enrolled at Cardinal City High a week later.
His intelligence showed on and off the field, but the field was where he excelled. In his three years playing varsity football, Kennith broke the school record for tackles, sacks, and forced fumbles. He was noted by many people and the media as 'Shrader - shredding through the offense' - and that's where his nickname 'The Shredder' came from. It also brought attention from agents around the state. Once he graduated high school, the canine went through two years at Acorn University, where he continued to impress the fans with his game, before making the leap into the UFFL Draft in 2014.
Because of his upbringing, Kennith Shrader is quiet and modest in public, yet very curious about the world surrounding him. But trust us - once he puts on his helmet, his focus goes straight to the game, eying out the opponents, and doing his best. Once he graduated from high school, he knew that he wanted to play football for a living. And if major league football doesn't work out, he knows the farm will still be there for him.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
Important Dates!
Hey y'all... We hope you are all as excited for this season as we are! Below are a list of important dates to keep in mind if you are looking to get involved with the league, or are just a major fan!
Draft Order Announced: July 17, 2014
Schedules Announced: August 10, 2014
Draft Submissions Close: August 1, 2014
Draft Orders Due: August 16, 2014
Draft Livestream: August 23, 2014
Inaugural Season Kickoff: August 31, 2014
We look forward to seeing you out there!
Draft Order Announced: July 17, 2014
Schedules Announced: August 10, 2014
Draft Submissions Close: August 1, 2014
Draft Orders Due: August 16, 2014
Draft Livestream: August 23, 2014
Inaugural Season Kickoff: August 31, 2014
We look forward to seeing you out there!
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Prospect Limelight: The Need, The Need, For Speed
It is often argued that the fastest athletes in the United States will
never grace the track because of their love for another sport but that's
not the case for Coby Carson. Nicknamed 'Captain Quick' because of his
explosive agility-and his knack for comic books- his ticket to the UFFL
is his unmatched speed.
The youngest of 7 siblings: 3 brothers and 4 sisters, and a 3rd generation immigrant from Egypt, Coby was born with a congenital heart defect that rendered him weakened and unable to walk on his own the first three years of his life. He could only watch with fading health and tears as the other children got to play. Doctors said that without a heart transplant he'd never be able to walk and it took another two years to become added to the list because of financial conflicts with the insurance companies. It was during this time that his health took a turn for the worse and left him confined to a bed for a time. Only by a miracle, or tragedy (however you want to look at it) the right heart found and the procedure was performed. To this day his siblings tease him that he got his heart from a cheetah because once it got going, he could not be slowed down.
The next year he took his first steps...or rather, he darted out the door after his older sister, much to his parent's utter shock. Over time he was deemed 'fearless' because he took the term 'living everyday like it's your last' to heart because of his experiences. He followed his brothers and sisters into the world of sports when he was 9 years old after his parents were absolutely sure it would be safe for him to get involved. While his siblings played soccer he was much more interested in football after seeing a high school game where a quick red fox outrunning the entire field. Speed suddenly became an addiction for Coby, he didn't want to stop, and he wanted to be able to run as fast as he wanted to.
Because of his blazing speed he was put into a Summer AAFU (Amateur Athletic Furry Union) league for track and field where he won the gold at the national meet five years in a row, breaking the record for the 400m dash his junior year with the time of 45.81. His friends teased the title 'The fastest fox alive'. But football would ultimately prove to be his true love, although it wasn't until the off-season after signing with Vulpine State University that he gained monstrous hitting power to go along with his unmatched speed.
He chose to stay all four years at the VSU to follow his siblings in getting their degrees. While he didn't ever get the chance to play in a bowl game, he did break the school record for most interceptions in a season and career, which was enough to get him a combine invite from the UFFL. Even though his parents, coaches, and friends have urged him to consider a career as a professional track and field runner, he has decided against it, citing that track and field was never his passion.
What does the future hold in store for this enthusiastic bolt? Only time will tell, but it's no secret that Captain Quick will be a name you won't forget soon!
The youngest of 7 siblings: 3 brothers and 4 sisters, and a 3rd generation immigrant from Egypt, Coby was born with a congenital heart defect that rendered him weakened and unable to walk on his own the first three years of his life. He could only watch with fading health and tears as the other children got to play. Doctors said that without a heart transplant he'd never be able to walk and it took another two years to become added to the list because of financial conflicts with the insurance companies. It was during this time that his health took a turn for the worse and left him confined to a bed for a time. Only by a miracle, or tragedy (however you want to look at it) the right heart found and the procedure was performed. To this day his siblings tease him that he got his heart from a cheetah because once it got going, he could not be slowed down.
The next year he took his first steps...or rather, he darted out the door after his older sister, much to his parent's utter shock. Over time he was deemed 'fearless' because he took the term 'living everyday like it's your last' to heart because of his experiences. He followed his brothers and sisters into the world of sports when he was 9 years old after his parents were absolutely sure it would be safe for him to get involved. While his siblings played soccer he was much more interested in football after seeing a high school game where a quick red fox outrunning the entire field. Speed suddenly became an addiction for Coby, he didn't want to stop, and he wanted to be able to run as fast as he wanted to.
Because of his blazing speed he was put into a Summer AAFU (Amateur Athletic Furry Union) league for track and field where he won the gold at the national meet five years in a row, breaking the record for the 400m dash his junior year with the time of 45.81. His friends teased the title 'The fastest fox alive'. But football would ultimately prove to be his true love, although it wasn't until the off-season after signing with Vulpine State University that he gained monstrous hitting power to go along with his unmatched speed.
He chose to stay all four years at the VSU to follow his siblings in getting their degrees. While he didn't ever get the chance to play in a bowl game, he did break the school record for most interceptions in a season and career, which was enough to get him a combine invite from the UFFL. Even though his parents, coaches, and friends have urged him to consider a career as a professional track and field runner, he has decided against it, citing that track and field was never his passion.
What does the future hold in store for this enthusiastic bolt? Only time will tell, but it's no secret that Captain Quick will be a name you won't forget soon!
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