The Battlehawk Brief

For the third consecutive season, your St. Louis Battlehawks will open their schedule on the road.  Even with a couple of scrimmages and joint practices mixed into training camp, the general consensus is that players are ready to start banging helmets with someone other than their own teammates. There is an added anticipation from players and fans alike as a unified spring league provides competition amongst the best players spring football has to offer.

For those who keep track of such things, the Battlehawks will be wearing gray jerseys and gray pants in the season opener.

Kickoff at the Michigan Panthers is set for 3 p.m. CT and will air on FOX and simulcast on FOX Sports Radio (SiriusXM channel 83).

LEADERS OF MEN

–Lots of worthy candidates, but there were cheers of respect and approval as Steven Gonzalez, Willie Harvey, A.J. McCarron, Darrius Shepherd, and Pita Taumoepenu were named as the St. Louis Battlehawks team captains for 2024.

MOTOWN REUNION

–The season opener on Saturday will be a homecoming for several Battlehawks as Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Channing Stribling all played football at Michigan. Mike Panasiuk played at MIchigan State. Jake Sutherland grew up in Ortonville, Michigan which is about 50 miles north of Detroit.

But no one is expected to have more fans in the house than Lavert Hill, who not only played for the Wolverines, but grew up about 15 minutes from Ford Field.

“The youth league in Detroit, our championship for each level was held at Ford Field,” shared Hill. “Every year I went to the little league championship and scored a touchdown there. I played in a couple of city championships too.”

He then attended Martin Luther King High School and helped capture the 2015 Michigan 2A State Championship.

“We won the last second of the game,” recalled Hill. “We drove 95 yards to win the game on a ‘Hail Mary’ play. It was my senior year, so that was a pretty memorable moment. My former teammate, Donnie Corley, caught the game-winning touchdown.”

Hill is one of nine All-XFL honorees that will be suiting up for the Battlehawks this season.

IT’S OFFICIAL

The St. Louis Battlehawks are teaming up with Ballpark Village and Hotshots to provide Official Battlehawks Watch Parties for all five of the team’s away games this season.

Fans can gather downtown at Ballpark Village and nine area Hotshot’s locations (Arnold, Bridgeton, Edwardsville, Fenton, O’Fallon IL, South County, St. Charles, Webster Groves, Wentzville) to watch all of the Battlehawks action on their giant big screens plus enjoy food and drink specials.

Team representatives will be stopping by different locations each game with special giveaways beginning this week at Ballpark Village and the Hotshots in O’Fallon (IL) and Wentzville.Registration for the St. Louis Battlehawks Kids Club is available online at TheUFL.com/tickets.

KAW PATROL

–Among the new features this season is the Battlehawks Kids Club presented by Stonebridge Financial. This new opportunity to celebrate football in St. Louis is open to all children aged 12 and under.

Membership in the St. Louis Battlehawks Kids Club is only $41 and includes two upper-level tickets to a Battlehawks game, the ability to purchase additional tickets at a discounted rate, a youth t-shirt, a lanyard, and additional promotions throughout the year.

PEP RALLY

–Mark your calendar for 5:30pm on Friday, April 5th as the St. Louis Battlehawks are hosting a Pep Rally at Ballpark Village. Head coach Anthony Becht and the team will be stopping by to greet fans on the eve of our home opener. The event is free and open to the public.

Thanks for reading and look for another Battlehawk Brief soon.