The Traverse City Wolves announced today that they have signed Outside Linebacker Ryan Salisbury for the 2012 Season. Salisbury (5’10 205), a Local Grand Traverse County Sheriff (K-9 Unit) looks to help a linebacker core that has lost All-Stars Ryan Brown and Tyler Alpers this past off-season.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the TC Wolves for the 2012 Season. I look forward to bringing some hard word leadership to this already successful team. It will be very exciting and fulfilling being involved with community activities as a TC Wolves member”, Salisbury had to say about joining the Wolves.

“Adding a player like Salisbury, not only athletically but with his leadership skills, is exactly what we need from our Linebacking core”, said head coach Micham. “Salisbury has a great presence and feel for the players around him. I am not sure if it is because he is a Sheriff or not, but he has already earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his work ethic and leadership qualities.”

The Traverse City Wolves announced today that they have signed Jonathan Craven for the 2012 Season. Craven (6’2 180) played for the Detroit Diesels(GLFL) the previous 4 years, mainly as a receiver and filled in at Quarterback the last 4 games of last season. Craven will join a list of recent acquisitions that the Wolves made this off season to improve the offensive side of the ball (Chandler, Tomaszewski, Conklin, and now Craven), that they are hoping will help them take that next step.

“Sometimes you get lucky” were the words Skibbe used to describe how Craven came to sign with the Wolves. Like most Semi – Pro players Jonathan Craven has a full-time job, and when he was notified that his company would be opening up a store in Traverse City, he immediately contacted the Wolves about being able to join the team.

“Adding a player like Craven to the talent that we have been able to accumulate this off season will help make us a very explosive and dangerous team. When you have 6 players that can run a 4.6 or better (Craven, Conklin, Chandler, Ohlert, Tomaszewski, and Fancy), it will allow us to stretch the field, which allows more running lanes for our backs due to the fact that we can hit the big play anytime”, said head coach Micham.

When asked about joining the Wolves, Craven had this to say. ” First and foremost I would like to thank God for leading me in this direction, for it is not my will but thy will. I am just really excited to be able to join a great organization like the Wolves, and getting to know my new teammates. As players you cannot ask for anymore than the Wolves provide, I just hope I am able to help my teammates bring a championship to this great organization and city”.

Other Notable Merchants participating in Family Video’s “Round up for Lymphoma” Program:

• Dino’s Pizzeria
• Qdoba Mexican Restaurant
• Culvers
• Applebees
• Rolling Farms Cafe
• BC Pizza

“When it comes to Cancer, regardless of the type we need to find a cure. Every person has had someone; a family member, friend, or co-worker that has been affected by this disease. We are proud and honored to help Family Video along with all of the vendors in this project.”

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of cell that forms part of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Thomas Hodgkin published the first description of lymphoma in 1832, specifically of the form named after him, (Hodgkin’s disease). For further information on Lymphoma please visit their website at www.lymphoma.org.

It may not quite be the NFL, but it is a next step. The T.C. Wolves have announced today that former lineman Scott Long has signed a professional contract with the Saginaw Sting, an indoor arena team that plays in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The Sting regular season will kick off on March 18th and conclude on May 19th. Long, who played for the Wolves during the 2011 season, will join the Wolves team shortly after the conclusion of the Sting season.

When asked why he would come back and play for the Wolves after playing professional football, Long had this to say: ”Who wouldn’t want to play for a top notch organization like Traverse City. I was blown away by how well Mr. Skibbe ran the organization. He truly is a players’ owner and that goes a long way in this business. It also doesn’t hurt that he has put together a terrific coaching staff with great players that go to work every day to get better. I will forever be greatful and humbled by the chance Mr. Skibbe and Coach Micham gave me last season. I signed with the Wolves half way through the 2011 season and the overwhelming acceptance that my teammates showered me with makes me want to return, without even giving it a second thought. The relationships that I built with my teammates and coaches are priceless memories that I will be able to take with me for the rest of my life.”

The T.C Wolves have announced the signing of former running back B.J. Chandler for the 2012 season. Chandler originally joined the Wolves in 2010, when he was one of many players that made the journey to Northern Michigan with former Head Coach Brad Haney. Chandler will look to help jump start a Wolves running game which finished the 2011 season ranked 32nd in yards per carry(1.5).

Chandler quickly became a fan favorite with his humble attitude, and hard work ethic. Chandler would end the 2010 season(262 Carries for1,173 Yards Rushing & 11Touchdowns;32 Receptions for 386 Yards Receiving & 4 Touchdowns) holding many of the Wolves single season records. Those numbers would earn Chandler a trip to Myrtle Beach for the 2010 NAFL All-Star game, where he would earn the MVP award for the Northern Conference.

When asked why he decided to return to Traverse City, Chandler had this to say, “I decided to return, because of the commitment of the organization and players. I feel like traverse City is the best opportunity to further my career, and besides that, I love this town and their fans. Traverse City is by far one of the top notch organizations in Semi-Pro, and I am honored to wear the “Wolves” Name on my jersey and bring a title to this great town.

“I was very pleased to hear that B.J. Chandler will be wearing a Wolves jersey once again. As an assistant during the 2010 season, I had the pleasure of coaching B.J. as he helped us make it to the Conference Championship Game. Now as Head Coach I am looking forward to working with B.J. once again in the 2012 season and I know he will do everything in his power to help us get back to going deep in the playoffs again”, said Head Coach Micham when asked about the signing of B. J. Chandler.

Whenever you can add a thousand yard rusher and All-Star MVP to your roster, it’s a great thing. There is no doubt that Chandler will help our run game, but the more important thing is he will bring a balance to our offense, and that was something that we did not have last season.” said Skibbe.

“We are excited to be able to bring our fans not only a more exciting Game Day with the addition of Blitz, but we are elated at the start of our Kids Club Program. Our goal from the outset was to get involved with our communities youth, and I think we just took a major step today”. Said team owner Daniel Skibbe.

The Kids Club will be available for all children up to the age of 12. Each Kids Club member will receive a welcome Letter from Blitz and many discounts/certificates to local businesses in Traverse City. Included with each welcome letter each member will receive 6 (set of 16) autographed Football cards of your TC Wolves.

Registration for the Kids Club is free and available at www.tcwolves.com/site/kidsclub beginning January 10th.

If the Wolves are to make it back to the playoffs in 2012 they will have to get back to the basics of tough hard work and discipline that was a staple the first 2 seasons. The Wolves failed to make the playoffs for the first time in their existence in 2011, and that has not set well with Head Coach Micham or team Owner Daniel Skibbe.

“Big things are coming,” Skibbe said last week via social media, and the first one was delivered Saturday Night when Skibbe announced the signing of MMA Champion Christios Piliafas in front of a capacity crowd during last week’s “Caged Aggression 30” at Ground Zero Night Club. The news brought the crowd to its feet with a chant of “Chris-Tos”( a fan favorite) .

“Piliafas made the team in 2009 at our original combine held in Kalkaska, he was an All-State Defensive and Offensive player in High School at Boystown in Nebraska. But at that time he decided to focus on pursuing a fighting career (ranked #8) in the MMA field, while also starting his own MMA training facility and hosting events for his own MMA business (Great Lakes MMA).  ”Which he has done quite well in” said Skibbe. “The discipline that is needed in his fighting career will carry over to not only in his practice habits but also carry over to his teammates, which we are hoping will make us a better team.”

“Mr. Skibbe and I sat down, he had a few concerns with my career, we agreed on them and I am playing next season. It is an opportunity that I actually thought had passed me by when I decided not to play in 2009. I am very appreciative for this opportunity and I will not let our fans or this team down. It is time for this team to take that next step and bring home a Championship”, said Piliafas.