Shalon Baker
Encyclopedia
Shalon Baker, born August 22, 1973, at Seattle, Washington
, was an award winning Canadian Football League
player and was a player/coach in the Arena Football League.
Playing with the University of Montana Grizzlies
between 1991 and 1994, Baker caught passes for 2,561 yards (3rd best in school history) and 26 touchdown receptions (a team record.)
He went to Canada
, playing with the Edmonton Eskimos
. In his first season, 1995, he had 79 catches gaining 1,156 yards and 5 touchdowns, and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
. He played in the CFL for 2 more years, but did not enjoy the same success and after one season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
in 1997, he left the CFL.
Baker started playing with the San Jose Sabercats
of the Arena Football League in 1998 as a wide receiver
/linebacker
. This was the beginning of a 7 year career, in which Baker would catch 261 passes for 3551 yards and 61 touchdowns. He would also make 128 tackles and 7 interceptions.
Baker ended his playing career as the All-Time leader in assisted tackles and ranks in the top 10 in 9 categories for the San Jose Sabercats. In 2006 he began a new career as the Offensive Coordinator of the World Champion San Jose Sabercats. Under Baker's direction the 2006 Sabercats became the most prolific offense in the history of the Arena Football league. Baker credits is success to Terry Malley his long time mentor, coach and the current Offensive Coordinator of the San Jose Sabercats.
Baker is now a single father of daughters Kailyn, Quincy and Kendal. He owns an import/export business and was a football conditioning coach as well as an offensive quality control coach at Chandler High School
in Chandler, Arizona
. He recently was hired by his alma mater, the University of Montana, as the Grizzlies Wide Receivers Coach.
in 1991.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, was an award winning Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player and was a player/coach in the Arena Football League.
Playing with the University of Montana Grizzlies
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
between 1991 and 1994, Baker caught passes for 2,561 yards (3rd best in school history) and 26 touchdown receptions (a team record.)
He went to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, playing with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
. In his first season, 1995, he had 79 catches gaining 1,156 yards and 5 touchdowns, and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
The Most Outstanding Rookie Award is annually rewarded to the player deemed to be the best player in his first year in the Canadian Football League. This is the fifth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it...
. He played in the CFL for 2 more years, but did not enjoy the same success and after one season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
in 1997, he left the CFL.
Baker started playing with the San Jose Sabercats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
of the Arena Football League in 1998 as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
/linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. This was the beginning of a 7 year career, in which Baker would catch 261 passes for 3551 yards and 61 touchdowns. He would also make 128 tackles and 7 interceptions.
Baker ended his playing career as the All-Time leader in assisted tackles and ranks in the top 10 in 9 categories for the San Jose Sabercats. In 2006 he began a new career as the Offensive Coordinator of the World Champion San Jose Sabercats. Under Baker's direction the 2006 Sabercats became the most prolific offense in the history of the Arena Football league. Baker credits is success to Terry Malley his long time mentor, coach and the current Offensive Coordinator of the San Jose Sabercats.
Baker is now a single father of daughters Kailyn, Quincy and Kendal. He owns an import/export business and was a football conditioning coach as well as an offensive quality control coach at Chandler High School
Chandler High School (Chandler, Arizona)
Chandler High School is a high school located in Chandler, Arizona, United States. One of the oldest high schools in Arizona, it was founded in 1912, the year in which Chandler was founded and Arizona became a state....
in Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
. He recently was hired by his alma mater, the University of Montana, as the Grizzlies Wide Receivers Coach.
"There is nothing more important to me than the unconditional love of my wife and daughter. I would give all this success and wealth away any moment for them. Everything I do is from my heart and what you saw this year was a true blessing from God. Not a day goes by where I do not thank him not only for being here but for my lovely wife Amy and daughter Kailyn." ~Edmonton 1997
Childhood
Baker grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and graduated from Evergreen High SchoolEvergreen High School (Vancouver, Washington)
Evergreen High School is a public high school located in Vancouver, Washington. It was founded shortly after the district was formed in 1945. Evergreen was the first high school in the Evergreen Public Schools.-Facilities:...
in 1991.