Writer: Matt Rappa
Philadelphia Soul to Hold Last Open Player Tryouts Ahead of 14th Season
Published16 Jan 2019
By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Arena Football League's (AFL) three-time champion Philadelphia Soul — ahead of final roster cuts and their 14th season in 2019 — will hold their last of two open player tryouts this Saturday, January 19, at Total Turf Experience in Pitman, New Jersey.
Among league and team representatives in attendance will include Soul general manager and assistant head coach Beau Bell, head coach Clint Dolezel, and quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, along with AFL president John Adams.
The first Soul open player tryout — held November 3 — brought out 170 AFL athlete hopefuls looking for a chance to play professional football. Like the first tryout, attendees on Saturday will be tested on their 40-yard time and short shuttle, followed by position-specific drills and one-on-ones. The Soul asks attendees to bring appropriate workout gear and nonmetal shoes/cleats for the field turf; a trainer will available for emergencies only — not for player taping.
RELATED | Soul GM Beau Bell to Tryout Attendees: ‘Keep Playing’
The Arena Football is headed in a new direction in 2019; its recently released new logo "signifies the path moving forward as a next-generation sports league," which includes a "uniquely modernized and gamified experience for fans," according to AFL commissioner Randall Boe.
The AFL is expected to announce two expansion teams in the coming weeks — broadening the league to six teams. One of the cities will include Atlantic City, where — through the league's #BetOnUs campaign — fans are "expected to be able to bet on games and even in-game action at Boardwalk Hall," according to the Press of Atlantic City.
“We think that fans will enjoy betting on Arena Football games and think that will help drive fan engagement and excitement," Boe said at the time of the new AFL logo release. #BetOnUs also signifies our commitment to expanding the AFL and bringing our exciting games to as many fans as possible.”
The Soul are coming off a disappointing finish to their 2018 season, falling in both semifinal playoff games in mid-July to the Baltimore Brigade, 45-57 at the Wells Fargo Center, and 41-53 at Royal Farms Arena. In the regular season, the Soul finished tied with the Brigade for the second-best record among the league's then-four teams, 7-5.
The Soul hope talent discovered on Saturday will help them win their fourth ArenaBowl championship in 2019; the team won the ArenaBowl in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017, as well as in 2008.
Registration for Saturday's tryout will open at 8 a.m., with stretching starting promptly at 9 a.m. Cost to register is $65 online, or $80 on the day of the workout. Attendees must be 18 by the tryout date.
