Chicago Rush

The 2011 Arena Football League regular season has been extended from 16 games to 18, Commissioner Jerry Kurz announced today. The league will consist of 19 teams and each will play 18 regular season games, with the option of two preseason games (one home and one away). The change was passed in an ownership vote last week during the league’s Board of Directors meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

“There has never been a better time for the Arena Football League,” said Commissioner Jerry Kurz. “The product is exciting, our economic model is sound and fans are demanding affordable family entertainment. Extending our season is a great decision, both from a business and fan perspective.”
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The season may be over for the players, but one Rush mainstay is still hard at work.

Grabowski spent Wednesday afternoon participating in the Crew Welcome Walk at the Pepsi Tall Ships festival at Navy Pier.

The walk featured crews from each of the tall ships, as well as the Morgan Park High School Marching Band, and a slew of mascots from throughout Chicago.

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Mike Hohensee has resigned his position as head coach and director of football operations of the Chicago Rush and will leave the team at the end of August, the Rush announced today.

“I want to thank the Chicago fans for their support, and for making the past nine years the most memorable of my career,” said Hohensee “I also want to thank all of the players, assistant coaches and support staff that have worked so passionately over the years to make our hopes and dreams a reality. Together we created a winner!”

“The entire Rush organization is disappointed Coach Hohensee has decided to move his career in a different direction,” said Rush president/GM Ken Valdiserri. “His contributions to this organization have been voluminous, highlighted by the ArenaBowl championship in 2006.
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After finishing the 2010 regular season with a 10-6 record and the team’s ninth-consecutive playoff appearance, the Chicago Rush placed four players on the AFL’s All-Arena teams, the league announced today.

Linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo – who earlier this week was named the AFL’s Ironman of the Year – and rookie kicker Chris Gould – the league’s Kicker of the Year – each were named First Team All-Arena. For Alfonzo, it marked the third-consecutive season in which he was named First Team All-Arena.

In addition, center Beau Elliott and defensive back Josh Ferguson were voted second-team All-Arena.
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Chicago Rush kicker Chris Gould has been named the Arena Football League’s Kicker of the Year, the AFL announced today.

Gould (6-0, 205, Virginia) enjoyed the best season ever for a Rush kicker, setting team single-season records for scoring for a kicker (146), extra points made (113), extra points attempted (121) and consecutive PATs converted (35) in his first season with the team.

Overall, Gould converted 113 of 121 PAT attempts and 11 of 16 field goal attempts. He led all AFL kickers in scoring with 146 points and finished second in the AFL in made field goals and PAT percentage, converting 93.3% of his extra point attempts.
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Chicago Rush wide receiver/linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo has been named the Arena Football League’s JLS Ironman of the Year, the AFL announced today.

One of the game’s most complete players, Alfonzo was a major factor on offense, defense and special teams in 2010 for a Chicago Rush squad that finished 10-6 and advanced to the playoffs for the ninth-consecutive season.
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The Chicago Rush and Gameworks in Schaumburg will host an ArenaBowl watch party for fans who want to gather and watch the NFL Network broadcast of ArenaBowl XXIII next Friday, August 20.

Gameworks, located in The Streets of Woodfield at 601 North Martingale Road in Schaumburg, will host the party beginning at 6:45 p.m. At the watch party, fans will have the opportunity to mingle with Rush players, staff and members of the Adrenaline Rush Dancers.
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The Chicago Rush and Bank of America teamed up Tuesday to host a football clinic for 60 kids from Chicago.

The camp, which was held at the team’s practice facility in Palatine, featured kids ages eight to 14 from the Salvation Army, who bussed from downtown Chicago to spend the day with the Rush.

After dividing the kids – and Bank of America volunteers – into small groups for individual instruction, the Rush players and coaches spent the day running drills, and teaching everyone the fundamentals of the game.
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The 2010 Chicago Rush season came to an end Saturday night in Milwaukee, as the Rush fell to the Milwaukee Iron 64-54 in the opening round of the Arena Football League playoffs.

Ultimately, it was a collection of injuries down the stretch that was the downfall of a team that ended the season losing four of its last five games.

“We just didn’t have the healthy bodies on the field to compete tonight against an opponent that I feel is very capable of winning the ArenaBowl,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “We were so banged up – especially on the offensive line – that we just couldn’t give our quarterback enough time to make things happen.
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The Chicago Rush opens the 2010 Arena Football League playoffs tonight in Milwaukee with a National Conference semifinal game against the Milwaukee Iron. Kickoff for the game at Milwaukee’s U.S. Cellular Arena is set for 7 p.m. with the winner advancing to the National Conference Finals at Spokane next Thursday, August 12.

The Rush and Iron split their 2010 season series, with the Iron winning 71-48 on May 7 in Milwaukee and the Rush evening the series with a 63-56 win June 19 at Allstate Arena.
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