Storm Looks To Develop More Than Players
Nashville football team joins developmental league.
NASHVILLE (July 24, 2014) – In the south, football is a rite of passion. In Nashville, during the fall, you will see numerous vehicles driving with flags of their favorite high school, college and professional teams. It is not difficult to find an establishment on Saturdays or Sundays that have multiple games on.
One team that doesn’t get it’s just due in publicity is the Nashville Storm (7-0) of the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDBL). The league boasts 40 teams throughout 20 states and the Storm play in Central South Division with the Huntsville (Ala.) Rockets and the Clarksville (Tenn.) Wolfpack. They are on a 16 game winning streak dating back to last season. Their closest game during that period was a 21-20 victory on July 12, 2014 on the road versus the Indianapolis Tornados.
“We just got our full complement of players last week,” said Storm Founder/Owner Bill Caldwell. “A lot of our guys just won a championship with the Nashville Venom. We feel we are now primed and ready to make a run. Joining the GDFL has helped us in a lot of ways. The league is well organized and competitive. We already have learned a lot from this association. I am always proud of our guys going to the next level. This league promotes that so they are alright with me.”
The team is made up of mostly local players from the Nashville area. Two players, brothers Dewayne and Randall Smith start on defensive after having a successful career as Maplewood High School Panthers.
Former Maplewood star Randall Smith now roams the defensive backfield for the Nashville Storm
Dewayne, also known as “Too Sweet”, has enrolled this year into Tennessee State University with the hopes of walking on the football team. Randall, also known as “Bay Bay”, played quarterback, safety, wide receiver and returned kicks for the 2011 Panther team that were Class 4A state runner-up. Both players are still eligible to play at the collegiate level
DeWayne Smith scoring a touchdown for the Nashville Storm
The GDFL is based in Memphis. Charles Thompson CEO and Commissioner of the league is excited to have a team in the Nashville market. His league is committed to developing professionals in every field associated with a football game. Even the acronym GDFL has meaning to it. Gridiron stands for a hardnosed brand of football. Development is about more than just players. The league works to develop great owners, coaches, game officials, dance teams, journalists, photographers and all other facets that deal with a football organization. Football is for the love of game and league is about association.
“We did a lot of work to put 40 great organizations together to make this league what it is,” said Thompson. “The Storm joining helps to get into a hot market for football. Our league prides itself on sharping the skills of people that are on the cusp of the next step.
We are not a semi-pro league, we are a developmental league. The highest risk demographic in America is African-American men ages 18-25. Our league allows that age group to still do what they love and make better young men out of them. We in essence are saving lives. What would these guys be doing if they weren’t playing? We believe in everyone in the league. We could have 90 teams if we wanted but wee believe in quality over quantity”
2014 Top Metro High School Football Player To Watch
Name School Pos. HT. WT.
1. Ugo Amadi Overton DB 5’9 182
Overton’s Ugo Amadi is one of the top defensive backs in the country
2. Kyle Phillips Hillsboro DE 6’4 259
Hillsboro’s Kyle Phillips is ranked in the top 10 for defensive linemen in the country. His mother Teresa Phillips is the Athletic Director at Tennessee State University
3. KeShawn Vaughn Pearl-Cohn RB 5’10 205
Pearl-Cohn’s KeShawn Vaughn is the reigning WTNTribune Metro District 10AA Player of the Year
4. DeAngelo Holt Overton DB 6’2 203
5. Vincent Perry Hillsboro ATH 5’10 175
6. Isiah Upton East ATH 5’11 173
East Nashville two-sport star Isiah Upton brings a wealth of leadership to his team