COYOTES SIGN BRYANT UNIVERSITY AND TWO-TIME ALL-NEC PLAYMAKER CHAD WARD JR.

(INDIO) – Two-time All-Northeast Conference wide receiver Chad Ward Jr., a 6-3, 205-pound playmaker who made history at Bryant University with 2,254 yards, has signed with the four-time champion SoCal Coyotes, the professional non-profit sports leadership organization announced today.

A business management major, Ward’s 100-yard games came in Bryant’s biggest games. A clutch, big-play receiver, Ward averaged nearly 20 yards a catch, was a multiple NEC Player of the Week, and caught five game-winning touchdowns in his career.

Ward played in the Gridiron Showcase in Dallas in January, where his size and strength impressed scouts from the NFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League, as well as Coyotes director of pro personnel Marvin Jones. After going undrafted, Ward met with the SoCal Coyotes to continue his career.

At Bryant University, Ward was a frequent community volunteer, spending his free time with at-risk youth. “Football is about giving back,” says Ward, the oldest brother of four. “I love mentoring kids, and that also drew me to the Coyote program. I’m excited to meet the youth in the Coachella Valley and show them they can be great if they put their mind and hard work to it.

“I’m just a normal kid from South Florida, who would rather be known as a man of great character than just a guy who could catch a football.”

The son of Chad Ward Sr. and Fredericka Shannon, Ward grew up in Delray Beach, Florida, and earned three varsity football letters and graduated with honors at Atlantic High School. He also starred in basketball and track, where he was a record-setting, three-time conference champion in the 800m run, and three-time Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Coyotes team president Don West Jr. finalized Ward’s transition to America’s #1 Developmental Pro Football Program Wednesday night. Athletic Director Sean Tully said Ward is now enrolled in the team’s Head of Household Work Leadership (HOWL) Program and will complete his orientation and medical intake with Director of Operations Cinthia Paiz Thursday.

Ward reports to the Coyotes July 28, where he joins an incoming rookie class expected to rival any in franchise history. The Coyotes, who went 11-1 last fall, are the defending LCFL champions. This will be their first season in the vaunted Southern California Football League, home to four of the nation’s top 10 teams.

The Coyotes open at home at Shadow Hills August 13, against the Central Coast Seminoles of Oxnard.

SILVER STRETCH – Coaches began immersing Ward in the Coyotes Silver Stretch Run ‘n’ Shoot playbook Wednesday afternoon. He enters training camp surrounded by talented skill players that includes veteran and league Most Valuable Player James Calhoun Jr., who amassed 2,206 total yards, scored 32 touchdowns and set seven franchise records.

ON THE FIELD, 70 PLAYERS EACH YEAR earn the distinction of ‘Defending the Shield’ in the uniform of the SoCal Coyotes. Many will earn a shot with NFL, CFL or AFL opportunities, or graduate into business careers. Off the field, more than 30,000 Coachella Valley youth annually participate in Coyote Leadership Training and receive published Coyote Leadership Curriculum.

THE SOCAL COYOTES affect every community they touch. Coyote programs reach thousands of youth through coordinated efforts with numerous local charitable and civic organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, the Desert Strength Academy, the Boys & Girl Scouts of America, and Rotary International.

DISCOVER how The Pro Football Educator, operated by former Denver Broncos GM and two-time Super Bowl winner Ted Sundquist, selected the SoCal Coyotes as America’s #1 Developmental Pro Football Program. Visit www.thesocalcoyotes.com.