Josh Resignalo

WHEELING — The Wheeling Miners of the American Arena 2 Indoor Football League will begin their inaugural training camp Monday morning at the Highlands Sports Complex. The camp, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs through Thursday, is open to the public.

Head coach/general manager Josh Resignalo said that 40 prospective players were expected to report to the Friendly City last Thursday and were given physicals on Friday. They were to attend a welcome dinner on Friday night before going through a series of meetings on Saturday.

“We’re excited to get going, especially myself,” Resignalo said. “I played in 2006 and 2007 and I’ve been around the indoor league since then, but I took last year (2023) off, so I’m super excited to get started.”

“We will cut down to 25 players,” Resignalo noted. “Of the 40 players expected to report, four are from Wheeling University; two are from West Liberty; two are from Waynesburg University and one from Bethany College.”

There are some familiar names, as well, including former West Virginia Roughriders defensive lineman Larry Ford, placekicker Anthony Prevost, offensive lineman Israel Evans and linebacker Cameron Dixon.

“Larry played at WVU and has played for me the last four years. Anthony was a fan favorite here,” the head coach/GM said. “Israel and Cameron have both played here before.”

Resignalo also said quarterback Grant Russell, who played at Ohio Dominican University, will be in camp.

“Grant was the quarterback of the Columbus Destroyers in 2019,” Resignalo noted.

On March 7, 2019, Russell was assigned to the Baltimore Brigade of the Arena Football League (AFL). Four days later, he was traded to the Destroyers for future considerations. After being named the backup to Danny Southwick to open the season, Russell entered the Destroyers’ first game of the regular season in relief of an ineffective Southwick.

Russell saw limited action at Ohio Dominican as a freshman. During the 2015 season, he started eleven games. He became a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate in 2016 and was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a senior in 2017.

Russell attended Newark High School in Newark, Ohio, where he was a multi-year letterman in baseball, basketball and football.

His career statistics include 700-1022-8,729 passing yards, 73TDs, 20 INTs and 14 rushing TDs.

After the roster has been finalized on Thursday, the team will be off on Thursday and Friday and then get right into game-week, according to Resignalo.

The first game is against the Steel Valley Stampede on Saturday, April 19 at the Warnanco Sports Center in the Whitehall/Bethel Park section of Pittsburgh. The home opener against the New Jersey Bearcats is tentatively set for Saturday, April 26, but could be moved.

“We’ll have to wait and see if the Wheeling Nailers make the ECHL playoffs, if they do, then we’ll move the game to Monday, April 28,” he said.

The other two teams on the schedule are the Maryland Eagles and the Maryland Warriors. Wheeling will play each team twice.

On Sunday, April 7 season ticket holders can pick up their tickets at Generations Pub at 3 p.m.

“The season ticket holders will have the opportunity to meet the players, coaches and members of our dance team, along with our mascot, Cole,” Resignalo said. “It should be a fun time.”

He said the community support has been very welcoming.

“Everybody has been great so far. The community has been really receptive and we’ve got some great sponsors and partners.”