ICE STORM HISTORY

2001 was the inaugural year of the Vermont Ice Storm. But a number of the coaches and players on the Storm that first season already possessed a collective "history" of sorts in the world of semi-pro football. As members of the Plattsburgh Northstars of the Empire Football League, these men had coached and played semi-pro football together for as many as ten years for the team across the lake in New York. Beginning in 1991, the first year of the Plattsburgh team, a few dozen stalwart Vermonters, who were supremely motivated to play and to coach football, traveled across the lake to be involved in semi-pro ball. Taking the Grand Isle Ferry at their own expense, these men had to spend five or six hours in order to be able to attend each and every practice in Plattsburgh.

By the Ice Storm’s start-up year of 2001, our Head Coach Doug “Doc” Perez, our Special Teams Coordinator Mike LaBarre, our Wide Receiver Player-Coach Troy Canada, linebacker Dave Baldwin, and offensive lineman Russell Humphrey had all been members of the Northstars (by then re-named the Lake City Stars) teams of the ‘90s. Tired of the long commute and having every game be an "away from home" game, these men, and several others who have since retired, formed the nucleus of the group that started up the Vermont Ice Storm.

The Ice Storm entered the New England Football League in 2001 at the “A” level, and became winners immediately. Going 6-1 during the regular season in “A” ball, the Storm ended up winning a playoff game at home and, then, losing in the Championship Game to Southern Maine.

2002 found the Storm playing at the “AA” level, in a five team league. The Ice Storm went 7-1 during the regular season in “AA,” again won a home playoff game, and traveled down to East Boston Stadium to play in the Championship Game against the New England Stars. The game was played in a driving wind and rainstorm, with the on-the-field temperature dipping down to 38. In control all the way, the Vermont Ice Storm became “AA” Champions of the New England Football League with an 18-0 shutout upset of the home team. Final Record = 10-2-1 Overall (counting pre-season)

In 2003, the Ice Storm continued its winning ways with a regular season mark of 6-3. The playoffs began with still another home game victory in the first round. Traveling for the second season down to play New England, the Storm lost a thriller, 7-3, on a cold, early Winter’s day (the Stars won the Championship the next week against Connecticut). So far the Storm’s “worst” season, 2003’s team ended up 7-4 for the league season, 9-5 overall.

In 2004, still playing “AA” football in the New England Football League, the Ice Storm went 9-1, and narrowly missed winning the regular season title. Winning at home in the first round of the playoffs again, the Storm lost in the Championship game at Connecticut. While losing out on the chance for a second Championship ring, the Storm posted its best-ever season at 10-2.

In 2005, it’s last season in the New England Football League, the Vermont Ice Storm again made it to the playoffs with a record of 6-4. Winning the “now traditional, first round playoff game at home,” the Storm traveled to meet the Seacoast Hawks in the playoffs. Losing to the Hawks – who ‘won it all’ the next week - the Storm finished at 7-5 league, 9-5 overall.

In 2006, the Vermont Ice Storm achieved a long held goal; to enter into the Empire Football League and play at the “AAA” level. Proving some detractors wrong, the Storm moved up to the “AAA” level and continued its winning ways. Going 8-2 during the regular season, the Storm won a first round playoff game – for the 6th season in a row - against its cross-lake rivals from Plattsburgh. This was the third victory of the season against the Lake City Stars and it set up a semi-final loss to the Watertown Red and Black in Watertown. At the end of the season, the Storm was honored with an invitation to play in the National Championship Tournament at the “AAA” level. A first round, on-the-road victory against the Bliztin’ Bears from Massachusetts proved that after six long years of hard work on the part of several hundred people Vermont belonged at the highest levels of the sport. The Storm lost in the quarter finals to an Albany team that went on to play in the National Championship game in Florida, losing in overtime. Final “AAA” record for 2006, 10-4.

For as successful as has been the history of the Ice Storm, it can easily be asserted that 2007 was the best season ever. It was the type of year that some teams never, ever experience. Three pre-season victories were followed by a spotless, 10-0 regular season record in the EFL. Winning at home against Chateaugua in the opening round of the playoffs, the Storm hosted the perennial power-house Watertown Red and Black for the EFL championship. On a cold, muddy field, in a 9-8 game that went down to the wire (the Storm scored to take away the final victory with just 4 seconds remaining in regulation), the Vermont Ice Storm completed a "perfect season" at 15-0 as Empire Football League Champions. At the end of the year, the American Football Association named the Storm its "2007 National Champions." But since there are several organizations that name national champions, the Storm opted to play in a "bowl game" in Florida to see if still another accolade could be achieved. Losing by just one touchdown (22-14) to the Detroit Black Ravens, the Storm finished the season with still another trophy, this one for the USA Bowl's 2nd Place-in-the-Country finish.

In its seven years of existence, the Ice Storm has acquired a reputation for solid, sophisticated, clean, hard football that is known far and wide. Winning over 70% of it’s games at the “A,” “AA,” and “AAA” levels of semi-football, going undefeated at home in six years of playoff action, going 15-0 in the regular season and playoffs in 2007, and winning the AFA National Title in 2007, the Vermont Ice Storm now moves on to the 2008 season, its third in the Empire Football League, with pride and the determination to improve (even) upon 2007!