Football fans who can’t wait for the NFL season to start do have a few local options to feed their hunger for the game.
Of course, the Manitowoc Lincoln Ships are participating in a Spring league this year, and the Manitowoc County Mariners are located in Manitowoc, but a new team and a new league has formed in Sheboygan County.
The SaberCats are a part of the brand-new Midwest United Football League, which was actually formed in part by the coach and general manager of the SaberCats, TJ Schouten.
TJ has a lot of experience coaching the sport, as he was with the Mariners for years.
“It just kind of came to fruition that we were at the end, and I was trying to figure out what my next move was,” he told Seehafer News. “Back in the day they had the Sheboygan County Rebels. Sheboygan has always been a huge football city, and I started talking with a couple of people and we decided it needs football again.”
So TJ helped create a brand new team, and a new league.
As far as how he recruited players, Schouten said many of them had played with him before, and those players brought on others, while others found the Facebook page for the team. More and more players continued to join until the team’s roster was filled.
Schouten said he plans on running a run-first style of offense.
“It’s more of a pro-style,” he explained. “We are going to pound the ball and set the pass. My defense is a 4-2-5 defense. I believe in putting athletes on the field and letting them be athletes.”
Schouten said his goals for the season are quite simple. Win a championship, and put out a product that the community can be proud of.
The SaberCats will be playing their home games either at Kiel High School, or Lakeland University. Schouten explained that they are waiting to hear back from Lakeland regarding if they will have their restrictions lifted by kick-off for the start of the season.
The SaberCats will start their preseason on April 24th, when they travel to Marshfield to take on the Bandits.
To keep up to date on the team, and to meet the players, visit the Sheboygan County SaberCats Facebook page.