Racine Raiders
Encyclopedia
The Racine Raiders American football
club is an Elite MCFL team based in Racine, Wisconsin
. Founded in 1953, they are the oldest Minor League Football team in Wisconsin (United States) that is still in existence. After one season in the Mid-States Football League, the team announced a move to the Elite MCFL in 2011. The Raiders were the first minor league football team to gain 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit status from the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS). The Organization is composed entirely of Volunteers.
President: Bob Milkie
VP - GM: Bob Marcado
Head Coach: Jordan Kopac
The team was able to sustain itself until 1975 when it disbanded. Although they did not field a team for the 1976 and 1977 season, they remained organized for those seasons. New owners started the Racine Gladiators in 1978. They paid players and were successful on the field, winning three National Championships. Unfortunately, the team fell on hard times and disbanded in 1985.
In 1986, Bob Milkie, a retired bearing company executive, Joe Mooney, a police sergeant, Jess Levin, a local banker, and others rebuilt the team, this time as community-owned, non-profit organization.
Perhaps the biggest moment in the team's history, as well as that of minor league football, came in 1989 when the team traveled to Ottawa, Canada, to play in a World Championship game. While the team won the game in five degree weather and a blizzard, just playing the game was the important element. The team was now able to apply for, and received, 501(c)3 Not-For-Profit status from the Internal Revenue Service, setting the tone for dozens of minor league football teams since to be able to do the same.
The Raiders have won seven National Championships and have had nearly a dozen players with National Football League (NFL) experience. They also have 26 players, coaches or staff in the American Football Association (AFA) Semi Pro Hall of Fame, more than any other team.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
club is an Elite MCFL team based in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. Founded in 1953, they are the oldest Minor League Football team in Wisconsin (United States) that is still in existence. After one season in the Mid-States Football League, the team announced a move to the Elite MCFL in 2011. The Raiders were the first minor league football team to gain 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit status from the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS). The Organization is composed entirely of Volunteers.
- Helmet Design: Black background with a cowboy bandit in black with a half and half bandanna of cardinal and black on a white circular background in a triple circular outline of silver, cardinal and black
President: Bob Milkie
VP - GM: Bob Marcado
Head Coach: Jordan Kopac
Summary
Wigs Konicek, a local restaurateur at the time, started the Racine Raiders in 1953. The team began in the Bi-States Football League (BSFL) and won their first league championship in 1954.The team was able to sustain itself until 1975 when it disbanded. Although they did not field a team for the 1976 and 1977 season, they remained organized for those seasons. New owners started the Racine Gladiators in 1978. They paid players and were successful on the field, winning three National Championships. Unfortunately, the team fell on hard times and disbanded in 1985.
In 1986, Bob Milkie, a retired bearing company executive, Joe Mooney, a police sergeant, Jess Levin, a local banker, and others rebuilt the team, this time as community-owned, non-profit organization.
Perhaps the biggest moment in the team's history, as well as that of minor league football, came in 1989 when the team traveled to Ottawa, Canada, to play in a World Championship game. While the team won the game in five degree weather and a blizzard, just playing the game was the important element. The team was now able to apply for, and received, 501(c)3 Not-For-Profit status from the Internal Revenue Service, setting the tone for dozens of minor league football teams since to be able to do the same.
The Raiders have won seven National Championships and have had nearly a dozen players with National Football League (NFL) experience. They also have 26 players, coaches or staff in the American Football Association (AFA) Semi Pro Hall of Fame, more than any other team.
2010 Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... /Away Home team In team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans... |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 26 | McHenry County Pirates | Home | W, 20-18 |
| July 3 | Stallions of Country Club Hills | Home | W, 34-0 |
| July 10 | Roscoe Rush | Away | L, 29-37 |
| July 17 | Leyden Lions | Home | W, 19-17 |
| July 24 | Chicago Thunder | Away | W, 28-19 |
| July 31 | Chicago Mustangs | Away | L, 5-14 |
| August 7 | Kilbourn City Hawks | Home | W, 58-0 |
| August 14 | Northern Illinois Cowboys | Away | W, 51-10 |
| August 21 | Racine Threat | Home | W, 41-38 |
| August 28 | Lincoln-Way Patriots | Home |
American Football Association (AFA) Minor League Football Hall of Fame
| 1982 | Harry Gilbert | Coach Category | ||
| 1987 | Bob Milkie | Player Category | ||
| 1988 | Kurt Kampendahl | Player Category | ||
| 1988 | Ed O'Reilly | Coach Category | ||
| 1989 | Greg Johnson | Player Category | ||
| 1990 | Charlie Bliss | Player Category | ||
| 1994 | Norm Killion | Coach Category | ||
| 1996 | Ron Hart | Player Category | ||
| 1997 | Tom Kohr | Coach Category | ||
| 1999 | Arnie Garber | Coach Category | ||
| 1999 | Joe Mooney | Executive Category | ||
| 2000 | John Scardina | Player Category | ||
| 2001 | Phil Micech | Player Category | ||
| 2002 | Tony Lombardo | Player Category | ||
| 2003 | Jordan Kopac | Coach Category | ||
| 2003 | Dennis Galipo | Player Category | ||
| 2004 | Brian Forston | Player Category | ||
| 2004 | Brian Erickson | Player Category | ||
| 2005 | Ron Anton | Player Category | ||
| 2005 | Terry Converse | Coach Category | ||
| 2005 | Gary Kuykendall | Player Category | ||
| 2005 | Mike Willkomm | Player Category | ||
| 2006 | Dan Dragan | Player Category | ||
| 2006 | Gary Suhr | Media Category | ||
| 2007 | Chris Pivovar | Coach Category | ||
| 2007 | Scott Smith | Player Category | ||
| 2010 | Greg Fictum | Player Category | ||
| 2010 | Jerry Kupper | Coach Category | ||
Minor League Football News Hall of Fame
| 2007 | Brian Forston | |
| 2007 | Peter Deates | |
| 2007 | Jordan Kopac |
Retired numbers
| 10 | Jim May | Quarterback | 1964-1965 |
| 11 | Charlie Bliss | Quarterback | 1980-1989, 1992 |
| 23 | Tony Lombardo | Running Back | 1962-1966 |
| 51 | Bob Milkie | Center | 1957-1971 |
| 53 | L. Fred Vondra | Center | 1979-1985 |
| 55 | Wilbert Kennedy | Defensive Tackle | 1988-2009 |
| 74 | Kurt Kampendahl | Defensive Tackle | 1982-1993 |
| 75 | Ron Hart | Defensive Tackle | 1964-1975 |
| 82 | Ron Anton | Tight End | 1964-1973 |
| 83 | Phil Micech | Defensive End/Defensive Tackle/Tight End | 1985-1995, 2001 |
Players that played in the NFL
| Jim Haluska Jim Haluska James David "Jim" Haluska is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was selected the Chicago Bears in the 30th round of the 1954 NFL Draft. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin–Madison... , Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... , Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (1956) |
| Tony Lombardo, Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... (1964) |
| Tim Rucks, New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (1983) |
| Ron Daugherty, Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... (1987) |
| Phil Micech, Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... (1987) |
| Brett Wilson, Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... (1987) |
| Matt Turk Matt Turk Matthew Edward Turk is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1993... , Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... (1995-99), Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (2000-01, 2003-05), New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (2002), St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... (2006), Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... (2007-present) |
| Brent Moss Brent Moss Brent Moss is a former American football running back for the Wisconsin Badgers from 1991–1994. Moss also spent some time in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and St... , St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... (1995) |
Head coaches
| 1953 | Don Perkins | (1-2-2) |
| 1953 | Les Kalchik | (1-6-0) |
| 1954-1962 | Frank Schinkowitch | (46-47-5) |
| 1963 | Jim Haluska | (2-8-0) |
| 1964-1967, 1982 | Harry Gilbert | (44-9-2) |
| 1968-1969 | Jim Thompson | (11-12-0) |
| 1970-1972 | Bruno Wojtaszek | (15-24-0) |
| 1973-1974 | Warren Greco | (16-9-0) |
| 1975, 1979 | Larry Benjamin | (15-12) |
| 1980-81, 1986-90, 1997-2000 | Bob Milkie | (137-29-0) |
| 1983-1984 | Pete Bock | (32-3-0) |
| 1985 | Rich McClure | (9-7-0) |
| 1991-1994 | Terry Converse | (49-3-0) |
| 1995-1996 | Kurt Kampendahl | (29-4-0) |
| 2002-2004 | Gregg Brenner | (36-10-0) |
| 2001, 2005-2007, 2011-present | Jordan Kopac | (49-16-0) |
| 2008-2010 | John Mamerow | (17-10-0) |
Offensive Coaches
- Matt Nelson - Offensive CoordinatorOffensive coordinatorAn offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
- Nick Aiello - Running Backs
- Arnie Garber - Offensive Line
Defensive Coaches
- Alex Powell - Defensive CoordinatorDefensive coordinatorA defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
- Wilbert Kennedy - Defensive Line
- Pedro Trevino -Defensive Backs