MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 27, 2000

LAPLACE – Many a future professional football player has played their high school ball at East St. John’s Joe Keller Stadium.If approval can be reach by the St. John the Baptist Parish government andschool board, Joe Keller Stadium may be home to its own professional team.

The Louisiana Hurricanes, a North American Football League franchise currently based in New Orleans, is looking to play its final games of the 2000 season at Joe Keller Stadium and relocate there for next season.

The Hurricanes, currently in first place in the Southwest Gulf Division with a 7-1 record, have home games remaining against the Gulf Coast Sting Rays and the Louisiana Gators. With victories in those games (theHurricanes defeated both teams earlier in the season), the Gators would also host a NAFL playoff game.

Paul Rando, a River Parishes resident and the offensive and defensive line coach for the Hurricanes, has already met with St. John Parish PresidentNickie Monica and Economic Development Director Julia Remondet about the idea of the team moving to the parish. He is waiting to hear fromschool superintendent Chris Donaldson and the school board about permission to use Joe Keller Stadium.

Rando said a move to St. John Parish would create more interest in theteam which currently practices and plays its home games at Harrell Park in New Orleans.

“These people love football,” Rando said. “I know they will support us ifwe come out here.”The Hurricanes have a track record of success. The team played in theIndependent Football League the last two seasons, advancing to the championship game in 1998 and reaching the playoffs again last season.

The Hurricanes were formed in 1998 by general manager Keith Balin and are owned by Sandra Barone, an independent New Orleans businesswoman.

The Louisiana Hurricanes are coached by Joe Riley, a coach in the New Orleans Recreation Department. Rando’s son, Rick, is an offensive linemanfor the Hurricanes and a St. Charles Catholic High School graduate. Anotherlocal resident playing for the Hurricanes is defensive back Chad Cammon, an East St. John grad.The team would likely be called the St. John Parish Louisiana Hurricanes.The team plays its games Saturdays from the end of July to October with the playoffs extending into late November. This year’s championship gamewill be held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Rando pointed out that the teamjust needs to win three games in the playoffs to be national champions.

Rando said the team would also have a tryout here as well as another location. Tryouts are held in April and May with the team practicing untilthe end of July.

The NAFL is a professional minor league football team that currently has 100 teams in 20 divisions throughout the country. The league wasincorporated in 1999 and has its headquarters on Madison Avenue in New York City.

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