THE MA PIRATES “KICK OFF” A NEW SEASON

JENNIFER RUSSO

Established in 2017, with an inaugural game in 2018, the Massachusetts Pirates are still a fairly new team…however, it would be a grave error to confuse them for football amateurs. These players and coaching staff have a wealth of experience in the sport and have established themselves as the best of the best. The talent across the team is formidable - made up of a collection of players that were Division 1 National college champions, Division 1 FBS All-Americans as well as former NFL draft selections/ players and 2 Super Bowl champion ring holders (among other accomplishments), they are truly set up as a powerful force and positioned for an exciting season.

So what IS Indoor Football? Played in an arena with a field that is half the size of a traditional outdoor field, each team has 8 players on the field instead of 11, and there are four 15 minute quarters. Rules and points are typically the same (6 points for a touchdown, 3 points for a field goal, etc.) Because the field is much smaller, there is more scoring and faster turnaround, making for a really fun and fast-paced game to watch.

“We saw an opportunity to provide a competitive brand of football during the NFL off-season and introduce this region to arena football,” says Pirates owner and Worcester resident Jawad Yatim, who is also the youngest owner and operator of a professional football team, founding the team at only 27 years of age. The Pirates are the only arena football organization in New England so far.

Yatim began playing football when he was 10 years old for Shrewsbury and played the game for 17 years, including 2 years in arena football, where he realized he really wanted his own team.

“After my playing career I wanted to stay involved in the game and being able to bring a professional football organization to my hometown is a blessing. We take a lot of pride in our product and being from here motivates us even more to represent the city of Worcester and state of Massachusetts in a positive light,” he remarks. Yatim puts an amazing amount of effort in when considering players for the team, working hard to keep current rostered players on the team as well as filling positions with players that meet the needs of the organization with specific talents and depth of experience.

“I research a lot of transactional lists from different leagues including the NFL, CFL, etc. We identify free agents, determine who's interested in playing for us, and then build a smaller list and begin to prioritize that list of players. It's a continuous process of composing players lists and breaking them down until you have the team you are looking for,” says Jawad.

In both 2018 and 2019, the Pirates did especially well and made it to the playoffs, but unfortunately didn’t take home wins in those years. With 2020 being a difficult year for pretty much everyone due to COVID, the AFL cancelled their season and the team turned their attention to reinvigorating their brand, launching a new website, and helping others. Though the Pirates do a lot to help local organizations as a regular part of their mission, they felt it was even more critical during the pandemic. From providing refreshments to hospital workers on the front line to working in youth football camps, they epitomized the true meaning of community. A year later and they were back in the game, having joined the Indoor Football League as the first East Coast team to do so, and were ready to take their game to a whole new level as well. And they certainly did. Not only did they have an incredible season overall, but they won the United Bowl championship in a nail-biter of a game against the Rattlers. The game was won in overtime with a score of 37-34, with nine of the players being recognized with honors and Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield named as the game’s MVP. Coming off their 2021 championship win, the team is feeling confident and ready to tackle anything (and anyone) that might try to get in their way. Led by 2021 Defensive Coordinator turned 2022 Head Coach Rayshaun Kizer, the team is hopeful that they will get a chance to defend the title.

“Last year’s team was a very special group of guys,” says Kizer. “It’s easy to do my job as a coach when you have such great players…what made us stand out last season was the brotherhood they formed with each other. They really enjoyed being around each other outside of football. When that happens, those teams are hard to beat because it’s a great chemistry and connection there.”

Kizer told us that the Pirates have about half of the team they did last year and many new players, and that he is feeling great about the things they are looking to do this season as well.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how this team comes together each week and competes to try to get to the championship game again,” he says.

Kizer says his father is his real hero and told us that the game runs deep within his family. Though initially a reluctant child when it came to playing the game, he grew to love football over the years and had a drive to succeed and “be the one that beat the odds” of going into the sport professionally. He said he is really looking forward to seeing how well he leads the team in his first head coaching season.

Owner Jawad Yatim is also looking toward a successful run this year.

“We want a repeat. We want to continue to build our fan base and win another championship,” he says.

And the Pirates are off to a great start, winning their home opener against Frisco with a score of 30-27. Falling behind at halftime, the Pirates pulled up to a tie in the 3rd quarter and gained significant momentum in the final quarter to pull off the win with a 33-yard field goal, and kicker Josh Gable was named IFL Special Teams Player of the Week.

The Pirates play at the DCU Center here in Worcester and tickets are reasonably priced. Tickets are roughly $18-$100 each depending on where you sit, but any seat is a good seat with a field this size. It’s a great game to bring friends or family to and it’s right in our backyard. Scheduled home games are on April 3, April 23, May 1, May 21, May 28, June 11, and July 16.

“We are a family friendly, very competitive entertainment product that you should come check out. The majority of our players have signed NFL contracts in the past - we have an exciting group of guys to cheer on,” says Yatim.