On Tuesday December 20th at 6pm until 8pm, all season ticket holders will be welcomed to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena by the Huntington Hammer Owners, Front Office staff, coaches, players and the 2012 Hammer Girls. According to Hammer Marketing Director, Veronica Hordubay, “The season ticket holders will get a chance to sit together in the Huntington Hammer-Armstrong Kids Club and then in the order they bought their tickets they will get to pick their seats accompanied by a Hammer player and Hammer Girl.  We are looking forward to showing off the work the arena has done with the renovation project and making our season ticket holders feel part of the Huntington Hammer Family.  We also welcome all fans that may have just not yet purchased their season tickets, we will have staff available to sell packages that night and you can pick your seat.  With Christmas right around the corner what better gift then 7 nights out with your family for High Energy, fun, hard hitting indoor arena football, our partnership with Armstrong communications for the 2012 Season Huntington Hammer Armstrong Kids Club a family of 4 with children under the age of 14 can attend all 7 home games for as low as $84.00, that is an entire season for less than $100.00, not sure I can take myself out for that”.

General Manager, Dan Fisher and Head Coach Michael Owens are excited and when you talk to them you can see it their eyes.  Dan states,  “the talent coming to Huntington for the 2012 season is unbelievable , we have 40 men signed and ready to start training camp and the Tri – State area will be amazed at what the growth and exposure of the UIFL has brought to this 2012 team”.

Now through December 31^st, the Huntington Hammer are running their Holiday Special Season Ticket Packages in addition to still taking free Kids Club sign-ups. Gridiron Circle tickets to all 7 regular season home games are marked down from $150 to $99.99 and Sideline Section tickets are reduced from $84 to $49.99 with this special holiday offer. To order yours, contact the Huntington Hammer at 304-525-PASS (7277) or visit the office at 311 9^th Street in Huntington, WV. Associates will also be available during the Pick Your Seat Night on December 20^th to take your order.

The Huntington Hammer has made a major move in the preparation for the 2012 season in adding veteran quarterback and 2010 IFL Man of the Year, Dixie Wooten to the training camp roster. “We have been discussing things with Dixie for several months,” said General Manager Dan Fisher. Fisher continued, “His commitment to winning, his leadership ability, and his top-notch attitude are all the things that we are looking for in what we are pulling together for this year’s team.” Wooten has played with the Witcha Wild and the Nebraska Danger in the IFL and is anxious to be a part of bringing a championship run to Huntington.

Wooten has spent the past several months as the Receivers Coach with Southeastern Prep Academy near his home in Houston, Texas. The school is a premier choice for students preparing for college athletically and academically. “Our talks were slowed down drastically with Dixie because of his commitment to the student athletes that he was working with being his major priority during their season, and I respect him for that,” explained Fisher, “he stood by his promise to give the Spartans his all, and it showed in the kids coming out of that program.”

Dixie is a proven winner in the indoor game, and has one of the highest quarterback ratings in each of the past several years. His athletic ability and his decision-making should mesh well with the new direction that the Hammer is taking with the offense for 2012. Head Coach Michael Owens stated, “We finished the 2011 season with one of the best defensive performances ever put together over a season. The goal this year is to maintain that defensive domination while turning up the heat on the opponents with an over-hauled offense.” In talking with Hammer Player Personnel Coordinator, Garry McPeek, it’s apparent that Wooten is a part of the mix because of his ability to share and teach as well as perform on the field. “He’s a step toward the future,” said McPeek, “because he’s able to help work with the younger players and set the stage for years to come in Huntington.”

As players report to camp this season, there will be competition at every position. With 40 players preparing to come together, the decisions made by the Hammer coaching staff are not shaping up to be easy ones.  Training camp begins in Huntington on February 15^th, with the kickoff of the 2012 season on March 10^th. The Hammer’s first home game will be Saturday March 16^th at 7pm in the newly remodeled Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington. For ticket, advertising, or additional information, contact the Huntington Hammer office at 304-525-7277.

On a beautiful fall Saturday in the Tri-State, some of the more dedicated members of the 2012 Huntington Hammer found themselves indoors instead of outdoors. These new members of the Hammer were not the football team, they were the 2012 Huntington Hammer Girls Dance Team. The instructors from Jesslyn Performing Arts Studio assembled the 14 young ladies that will make up the first dance team for the professional indoor football team in Huntington, WV, and put them through a day-long orientation and workout session to lay the groundwork for the upcoming season.

“The girls are all really great, and it’s a pleasure to be working with the Hammer,” said instructor Summer Ogg from Jesslyn Studios. Summer, along with Dance Team Coordinator Heather Daniels, were very optimistic about the ability of the dancers that have come together from across the Tri-State area to make up the Hammer Girls. Some of the team are classically trained dancers, some are quick-learning rookies, and still others are products of local area high school and college dance teams. All the ladies appeared anxious to be a part of something so big for the area. “We are looking forward to a great season,” said Daniels, “and we are hoping to be able to expand our efforts out to include some of the children in the area as the season gets closer.” The team is hoping to hold several dance clinics for younger children and being active with the Huntington Hammer’s community efforts as well.

The Huntington Hammer Hammer Girl Dance Team for 2012 are: Jami Stevenson, Shauntay Heyliger, Terrin Farley, Hannah Gainey, Brittany Hensley, Emilee Quintrell, Brittany McDonnell, Elizabeth (Liz) Stinnett, Taylor Aitken, Leigh Ann Booth, Kerianna Cook, Annie Weible, Ashley Neal Gillum, and Carmen Franklin.

The Huntington Hammer season actually begins in March of 2012, with the first home game being held on March 16^th at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. The Hammer Girls Dance Team is going to be performing and appearing at various events throughout the remainder of the off-season as well. There are still positions available on the Huntington Hammer’s promotional team that will be assisting with appearances and will be part of the Hammer’s home game activities. If you are interested in becoming a part of the promotional team, or are a business interested in becoming and advertising sponsor of the Hammer Girls, contact the Huntington Hammer front office by calling 304-525-7277 or by emailing the team at admin@huntingtonhammer.com.

After much consideration, the front office of the Huntington Hammer made a decision to try and provide the incoming players a place to stay that was closer to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena than they were housed last year. Last year’s accommodations for the Hammer were at the Hampton Inn in Barboursville. The team’s General Manager, Dan Fisher, said, “The group at the Hampton Inn was great last year, and things worked out very well. We were treated wonderfully but at times it was a little difficult for the players, many without cars in town, to get around.” This season, the majority of practices and all the Hammer home games will again be at the Big Sandy Arena. This year, however, the playing “Home of the Huntington Hammer” is only blocks from the resting “Home of the Hammer”. In an arrangement with the team, the Pullman Plaza Hotel located downtown will be the official “Home of the Hammer for 2012”.

The Pullman Plaza has long been a landmark in the downtown area, and is one of the key parts of the now 7 year old Pullman Plaza area. The renovated downtown district is home to many national, regional and local restaurants, many specialty shops, movie theatres, and is located just 3 blocks from the Big Sandy Arena. The Huntington Hammer is heading into the 2012 season by doing just what the advertisements say… they are living, working, eating and playing in the Pullman Plaza area. Within walking distance of the hotel, there are literally hundreds of choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment. So, while the primary focus will be on football, the players will be able to do more than just play football.

The housing and lodging arrangement that the Hammer has put in place is just another of the changes that the front office is using to make life in Huntington a little more than just time away from home for many of the players. “The UIFL is growing as a league, players are moving to higher levels from our organization, and those things pull together to mean talented players from all over the United States and Canada are interested in making Huntington a place that they would like to play,” said Fisher, “it’s our job as a front office to help make those months away from home as comfortable as possible for our players.” Deals are currently in the works with several alternative workout options, part-time job availability, entertainment options, and “Hang Out with the Hammer” nights at local area establishments. With the first class workout agreement that the Hammer have with the Marshall University Recreation Center and now the top notch accommodations at the Pullman Plaza, things are coming together nicely for the Huntington Hammer.

Team Marketing Director, Veronica Hordubay said, “We are really putting ourselves out there for these guys.” Continuing, “We want to make our players as accessible as possible for the fans.” While team rooms and certain team functions are not open to the public, the team is busy arranging opportunities for fans to get autographs, pictures, and even get to know the players a little through the team’s involvement in public events. The 2012 season will begin in March with the 2012 Training Camp beginning February 16^th.

­ The Ultimate Indoor Football League is taking another step toward helping its players achieve the goal of making a living through football. UIFL President Andrew Haines, through his company Conquest Sports & Entertainment Management, was recently certified to represent players in the Canadian Football League.

“This will be a big help in our efforts to move UIFL players to the CFL,” said Haines. “The CFL is the highest paying league under the National Football League.” The league minimum is more than $40,000 per season while playing in Canada. The eight-team league starts in June and ends in November.

Former Huntington Hammer defensive lineman, Rodney Fritz, has already made the successful transition from the UIFL to the CFL and is playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Conquest does not charge players upfront fees, and will only get paid if the player signs with a CFL team. Fees are in accordance with CFLPA guidelines.

Players that are looking for representation to play in the CFL can contact Haines at andrew@conquestsem.com for an application.

For more information on the Ultimate Indoor Football League visit www.theuifl.com.