New indoor football team set to kick off in Salina

By Terry Tebrugge

SALINA – At a press conference Wednesday afternoon Salina’s new indoor football team, the Salina Liberty, was officially introduced.

The team will replace the defunct Salina Bombers in the CIF (Champions Indoor Football) league. The team will begin play in 2016 at the Bicentennial Center.

The team will be owned and operated by Precision Sports, LLC, a group of ten local Salina business owners and operators.

Francis Flax was named the team’s General Manager. Flax, a Salina resident, has a long history within the Salina sports community, serving in the Brown Mackie College sports department as both the head basketball coach and athletic director for more than two decades. Flax spent 23 seasons as the head basketball coach with Brown Mackie leading the school to two national titles in 1999 and 2005.

“Today I am pleased to announce that Indoor Football is alive and well in Salina and that the Salina Liberty will be in action this coming season,” said Flax. “We will do our best to ensure all football fans in Central Kansas are treated to great family fun and entertainment, with as much local flavor as we can provide.”

Flax also introduced Eric Clayton as the Salina Liberty Head Coach for the 2016 season. Clayton was a Salina Central graduate and played collegiately at Kansas State University. He has coached locally at all levels and currently coaches at Salina Central. Clayton served as defensive coordinator and head coach for the Salina Bombers, where posted a 17-7 record. He works for the Salina Fire Department and resides in Salina with his wife and their three children. Clayton is joined on the Liberty coaching staff by former Bombers assistant coaches, John Ludes and Daniel Green.

The Salina Liberty wrapped up the festivities signing the team’s first player defensive back, Isiah Barfield. The Haven, Kansas native played collegiately at the University of Kansas and played the past three seasons with the Salina Bombers.

Last year, Barfield collected numerous Player of the Week honors as one of the top defensive backs and special teams players in the league.

Season tickets for the 2016 season are currently on sale at the Bicentennial Center Box Office or by calling 785-826-7200. 2015 Salina Bombers season ticket holders will have first right to their seats if they reserve by September 11. For pricing and more information, visit www.BicentennialCenter.com or call 785-826-7200.