Myrtle Beach Freedom

Last updated

Myrtle Beach Freedom
Established 2015
Folded 2016
Played in Myrtle Beach Convention Center
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
MyrtleBeachFreedom.com
MyrtleBeachFreedom.png
League/conference affiliations
American Indoor Football (2016)
  • Southern Division (2016)
Current uniform
Team colorsNavy blue, red, silver, white
    
Personnel
Owner(s)Ronnie McCuin
General managerRonnie McCuin
Head coachRyan David (2016)
Terrance Foster (interim)
Team history
  • Myrtle Beach Freedom (2016)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (1)
  • AIF: 2016
Home arena(s)

The Myrtle Beach Freedom were a professional indoor football team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and played their home games at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. They were a member of American Indoor Football for one season until the league ceased operations in the summer of 2016.

Contents

The Freedom were the second indoor football team to call Myrtle Beach home, following the Myrtle Beach Stingrays of the National Indoor Football League, which only played part of the 2003 season in Myrtle Beach before moving to Florence, South Carolina, the following season.

History

The Freedom had originally joined X-League Indoor Football (X-League), but the Freedom were forced to choose a new league after the X-League ceased operations. The Freedom joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in October, 2015. [1]

On April 19, 2016, the Freedom replaced coach Ryan David with Terry Foster. [2] Coach David, along with two assistant coaches, resigned from the team in protest of what they considered dangerous conditions for their players. [3] Coach Foster came from the recently defunct travelling team, the Steel City Menace.

Following the conclusion of the 2016 season, the AIF announced that it was ceasing operations, thus leaving the Freedom without a league. The Freedom's assets ended up in the hands of the Myrtle Beach Sharks, who wore the Freedom's uniforms throughout their brief existence in Arena Pro Football.

In March 2017, the Freedom and the AIF were sued for providing unsafe field conditions during their May 23, 2016, home game against the Columbus Lions. Two of the Lions' players, Christopher Donnell Smith and David Toussaint, claim the turf came loose from the floor, which then caught their feet causing permanent damage to their knees and ending their careers. [3]

Final roster

2016 Myrtle Beach Freedom roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • vacant

Wide receivers

  • --Gerron Bryant
  • 89Ronnie Moses
  • 10Dontrelle Sanford
  •  3Edward Victorian
  •  9Ty Zimmerman
Offensive linemen
  • 52Mark Bechtel
  • --Dontre Brown
  • 47Torrance Buie
  • 56Tim Fowler

Defensive linemen

  • 60Henry Collao
  • 50Deangelio Davis
  • 99Nate Harris
  • 73Dyrell Porcha
  • 94Marco Vereen
Linebackers
  • --Gabe Ostrow

Defensive backs

  • 21Jason Booker
  • 13Vaughn Cross
  • 23Jeffery Kassoumis
  •  7Franklin King
  • 44Quincy Malloy
  • 25Shaq McAllister
  • --John Robertson
  •  4Lindsey Robertson
  • 14Shawn Sanders
  • --Jonathan Sharpe
  • 25Shaq McAllister
  • 24Jaa Valentine

Kickers

  • 18Victor Leventritt
Injured reserve
  • vacant

Exempt list

  • 14 Jason Livingston WR(Exempt)
  •  3 Demario Turner DB(Exempt)
  • rookies in italics
  • Roster updated May 25, 2016
  • 30 Active, 2 Inactive

Final staff

Myrtle Beach Freedom staff
Front office
  • Owner/General manager – Ronnie McCuin
  • Director of Marketing/Advertising - Patty Mungo
  • Director of merchandise – Vickie Gill
  • Director of ticket sales – Andre White
  • Director of game day operations – Chad Fryar
 

Head coach

  • Head coach/offensive coordinator – Terry Foster [4]

Assistant coaches

  • Defensive coordinator – Larry Green
  • Offensive/Defensive Linemen - Brian Bashaw
  • Strength and Conditioning -

Statistics and records

Season result

League championsDivision championsPlayoff berthLeague leader
Season League Division Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLossesTies
2016 AIF Southern3rd440Lost Northern Semifinals (Ironmen) 37–78
Totals450All-time record (2016)

Head coaches' records

NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwards
WLTWin%WL
Ryan David 2016 220.500——
Terry Foster2016220.50001

2016 season

2016 Myrtle Beach Freedom season
OwnerRonnie McCuin
General manager Ronnie McCuin
Head coach Ryan David
Terry Foster (interim)
Home stadium Myrtle Beach Convention Center
Results
Record4–4
Division place3rd
PlayoffsLost Northern Semifinals (Ironmen) 37–78

Myrtle Beach Freedom

Key:   Win  Tie  Loss   Bye

Exhibition

All start times were local to home team

WeekDayDateKickoffOpponentResultsLocation
ScoreRecord
1SundayMarch 67:05pmCarolina DynastyW 49–22 [5] 1–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
2MondayMay 97:05pmSouth Carolina RavensW 43–202–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Regular season

All start times were local to home team

WeekDayDateKickoffOpponentResultsLocation
ScoreRecord
1 BYE
2 BYE
3 BYE
4 BYE
5MondayMarch 287:05pm Savannah Steam W 34–33 [6] 1–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
6SaturdayApril 27:05pmat Central Florida Jaguars W 47–34 [7] 2–0 Lakeland Center
7MondayApril 117:05pm Georgia Firebirds L 20–49 [8] 2–1 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
8SaturdayApril 167:05pmat Columbus Lions L 15–65 [9] 2–2 Columbus Civic Center
9SaturdayApril 237:05pmat Georgia Firebirds L –56 [10] 2–3 Albany Civic Center
10SundayMay 17:05pmat Atlanta Vultures W 2–0 (by forfeit)3–3 Georgia International Convention Center
11 BYE
12MondayMay 167:05pm Atlanta Vultures Cancelled Myrtle Beach Convention Center
12MondayMay 167:05pmCarolina CommandosW 83–184–3 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
13MondayMay 237:05pm Columbus Lions L 15–52 [11] 4–4 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
14 BYE

Standings

2016 AIF Southern standings
TeamWLPCT
y – Columbus Lions 801.000
x – Florida Tarpons 71.875
x – Myrtle Beach Freedom 44.500
x – Savannah Steam 35.375
Georgia Firebirds 35.375
Central Florida Jaguars 26.250
Atlanta Vultures 17.125

Playoffs

When the playoff schedule was initially announced, the Freedom were set to play the Southern Division's second-seeded Florida Tarpons. On May 30, the Freedom replaced the Northern Division's fourth-seeded Central Penn Capitals against the West Michigan Ironmen. The Freedom's former position was replaced by the Southern Division's fourth-seed, the Savannah Steam.

RoundDayDateKickoffOpponentScoreLocation
Div. SemifinalsSaturdayJune 47:05pmat West Michigan Ironmen L 37–78 [12] L. C. Walker Arena

References

  1. ↑ "Myrtle Beach Freedom indoor football team switches leagues". www.myrtlebeachonline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Myrtle Beach Freedom hire new coach after ugly split with inaugural one". Myrtle Beach Online. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "After mangling their knees during indoor football games in Myrtle Beach, former players sue team, league". My Horry News. March 20, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Myrtle Beach Freedom hire new coach after ugly split with inaugural one". Myrtle Beach Online. April 19, 2016.
  5. ↑ Ryan Elswick (March 6, 2016). "Myrtle Beach Freedom top Carolina Dynasty in first-ever contest". www.myrtlebeachoneline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  6. ↑ Ryan Elswick (March 29, 2016). "Myrtle Beach Freedom rally late to win inaugural regular-season tilt". www.myrtlebeachoneline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  7. ↑ James Bennett Jr. (April 2, 2016). "Central Florida Jags fall 47-34 to Myrtle Beach Freedom". www.theledger.com. The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Georgia Firebirds win again". www.albanyhearald.com. Albany Herald. April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ Dana Barker (April 9, 2016). "Lions remain undefeated with another rout". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  10. ↑ Nolan Imsande (April 23, 2016). "Change at QB leads Georgia Firebirds to victory". www.albanyhearald.com. Albany Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Columbus Lions tuneup for playoffs with win over Myrtle Beach". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. May 24, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  12. ↑ Mark Opfermann (June 6, 2016). "Muskegon sports briefs: Ironmen, Mustangs win; Risers fall in soccer". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
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