The Heat is On
The North State's Redding HeatStory by: Jon Lewis
Photos by: Bret Christensen
There are two assumptions one should avoid when considering the Redding Heat: 1) it is not a bunch of over-amped knuckleheads trying to relive their high school glory days, and 2) the level of play is not equivalent to a glorified game of touch football in the park.
One safe assumption: playing minor league football for the Redding Heat is a celebration of camaraderie, team spirit, community pride—and hitting people.
“I just love the game. There’s just nothing like being out there with all the guys,” says Alex Cortez, a 31-year-old Redding bartender who played at Shasta College and Humboldt State University.
Cortez, an outside linebacker, says some of his former Shasta Knights teammates talked him into joining the Heat during its inaugural 2011 season and he’s looking forward to this year’s campaign, which kicks off March 17 when the Redding Heat hosts the Capital City Fury at Shasta College’s Memorial Stadium.
“This is something we love to do, and we still have the ability to play at a pretty high level,” says Jayson Burris, the Heat’s co-owner and inside linebacker. At 42, Burris is one of the older players on the Heat but says he has no plans to hang up his cleats anytime soon.
Burris played on the team in 2010 during its first year in the 12-team Pacific Coast Football League, when it was known as the Shasta Longhorns. When the Longhorns disbanded at the season’s end, Burris stepped in and assumed ownership.
Not only does the team provide an opportunity to continue playing football after college, but Burris says he saw an opportunity to salvage a sports team he believes the entire community can rally around. Redding City Councilwoman Missy McArthur shares Burris’ vision and accepted an invitation to become a co-owner of the team.
“Jayson approached me about becoming a co-owner and I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds exciting.’ Making sure Redding has a semi-pro team—that would be cool,” McArthur says. “It sounded like something the community would support.”
To help garner that support, Burris has emphasized professionalism, stability and accountability. Players are prohibited from trash talking during games and Burris says if players find themselves on the front page of the newspaper (for any type of transgression), they’ll find themselves off the team.
“Reputation is No. 1 with the Heat,” says Burris, who owns a tile and masonry business and is the co-owner of both Capone’s and Shameless O’Leery’s Irish Pub.
To polish up the team’s image, Burris spent close to $14,000 on uniforms and another $12,000 on helmets. “We wear the same helmet that Aaron Rodgers does,” Burris says, referring to the former Butte College and Cal player who now stars as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.
Burris and McArthur hope the Heat can build on the momentum from last year, when the team went 9-1 in its regular season and captured the conference title. Switching venues from University Preparatory School to Shasta College, where the team will be able to offer more concessions and a beer garden, also should boost attendance, Burris says.
Heading into the league’s championship game last year, Burris says the Redding Heat was ranked 16th out of 315 minor league teams in the country, thanks largely to a punishing defense and a balanced offense. Unfortunately, the Heat was unable to overcome some crippling turnovers early in the championship game and fell to the Richmond War Angels, 27-14.
That loss did not set well with Heat quarterback Ben Weaver, who has been busy gearing up for the upcoming season. “I felt like I let my whole team down, but after six months, all those bruises are healed up and you’re ready to go.”
Weaver played football at West Valley High in Cottonwood and at Shasta College, and says a big part of the appeal of the Heat is the chance to reconnect with former teammates and opponents.
“You look at the rosters in the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, and there are teams with former Division I players on them. It’s a really, really competitive league and a great opportunity to keep on playing,” Weaver says.
Playing football at that level is not for the faint of heart. Burris says he broke four ribs while playing with the Longhorns and had to sleep sitting up for a month. “This is not your basic recreational league—you can get your head knocked clean off,” Burris says.
Weaver, 33, says the bumps and bruises are worth it. “On Sunday mornings after a football game, I can barely get out of bed. My daughter and girlfriend are waiting on me to go to church and all I want to do is lay there. But for doing something you love, if the price to pay is being sore, I’ll take it.” •
www.reddingheat.com
