NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – After more than 15 years, the Nashville Cats are bringing arena football back to Music City.
The Arena Football League is back and so are the Kats. The team began training camp on Saturday at Lipscomb Academy.
“It's always fun when you step on the field on the first day of training camp,” said Cats president of football operations Jeff Fisher. “So this is all about the connection between the Nashville Cats and the community.”
Fisher is no stranger to Nashville, having coached the Tennessee Titans for more than a decade.
“In theory, I never really left Nashville. I was away for a few years, but I came back,” Fisher said. “The great thing about this is that it's been going on for three or four months. It's been really fun to see all the different pieces coming together. The excitement and enthusiasm of the community has been very impressive.”
Fisher isn't the only familiar face helping bring the Cats to life. Dean Kokinos is the head coach in Nashville. Kokinos, a veteran arena football coach, was on the Cats' staff from 2005 until the 2007 season.
“It's an honor to reopen this and restart the Cats. It's still a very well-known name in our community,” Kokinos said. “I’m excited to do that with Coach Fisher and our new ownership group.”
The revival of the league and the team is also an opportunity for the players. Former Vanderbilt offensive lineman Saige Young is looking forward to getting back on the field in Music City.
“It just brings back all the memories,” Young said. “It's honestly a blessing just to be able to come back here and play the game that I love. This opportunity is great for myself and for the players that are here. We're really excited.”
The team will begin the season on April 27th against the Minnesota Mythology at Municipal Auditorium.
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