Tampa Names President, Head Coach for 2015

With their first full season set to kick off a month from now, and with a growing list of recruits to take the pitch, the Tampa Bay ARFC are putting their leadership pieces in place with a good deal of experience in the game behind them.

In press releases on Tuesday and Wednesday, the club announced Mark Lumsden as its first president, and longtime USAFL veteran and former USA Revolution player Dustin Jones as its first head coach.

Lumsden joins Tampa after spending most of his footballing life with South Croydon of the Eastern Football League as a coach and administrator.  He completed a two year stint as president this past December, during which time the senior club finished 5th and 7th each season, respectively.  As a player, he played just about every level with the Bulldogs, starting with the U10 side and continuing onto the senior squad, where he won back to back EFL premierships.

”I’m keen to get involved with the community and build relationships,” he said. “I hope to use my previous experience in my new role and build the club to new heights.”

That community is relatively familiar to Lumsden, who spent time studying at the University of Florida during his time in college.  Now he looks to build a new club that in its first six months has been very ambitious with its moves on and off the ground.

”We’ll set our goals extremely high,” he added. “Our goal is making Tampa Bay the premier Australian Rules football club in the United States.”

Jones, meanwhile, has 15 seasons of USAFL football under his belt, first with the Lehigh Valley Crocodiles, then the Florida Redbacks, the team that his new club is effectively replacing.  A pacey forward with a nose for goal, he has represented the USA on numerous occasions and has several MVP awards from the Revos in his mantle.  He has played in two International Cups (2005 and 2008) and has spent time training with the AFL’s Essendon Bombers.

Tampa took to the field for the first time back in November, just three months after their foundation.  There, they teamed up with the Houston Lonestars to defeat their in-state counterparts Fort Lauderdale 42-18 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium.  Season 2015 for Jones, Lumsden and company will begin there too, as they are set to take part in the USAFL Eastern Regionals on April 17th and 18th.

The club is still actively recruiting players for 2015 as they build for the future.  For more information on Tampa Bay ARFC, visit their website.