Myrtle Beach Freedom

The Myrtle Beach Freedom were a professional indoor football team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and played their home games at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. They were a member of American Indoor Football for one season until the league ceased operations in the summer of 2016.

Myrtle Beach Freedom
Established 2015
Folded 2016
Played in Myrtle Beach Convention Center
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
MyrtleBeachFreedom.com
Myrtle Beach Freedom logo
League/conference affiliations
American Indoor Football (2016)
  • Southern Division (2016)
Team colorsNavy blue, red, silver, white
                   
Personnel
Owner(s)Ronnie McCuin
General managerRonnie McCuin
Head coachRyan David (2016)
Terrance Foster (interim)
Team history
  • Myrtle Beach Freedom (2016)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (1)
  • AIF: 2016
Home arena(s)

The Freedom were the second indoor football team to call Myrtle Beach home, following the Myrtle Beach Stingrays of the National Indoor Football League, which only played part of the 2003 season in Myrtle Beach before moving to Florence, South Carolina, the following season.

History

The Freedom had originally joined X-League Indoor Football (X-League), but the Freedom were forced to choose a new league after the X-League ceased operations. The Freedom joined American Indoor Football (AIF) in October, 2015.[1]

On April 19, 2016, the Freedom replaced coach Ryan David with Terry Foster.[2] Coach David, along with two assistant coaches, resigned from the team in protest of what they considered dangerous conditions for their players.[3] Coach Foster came from the recently defunct travelling team, the Steel City Menace.

Following the conclusion of the 2016 season, the AIF announced that it was ceasing operations, thus leaving the Freedom without a league. The Freedom's assets ended up in the hands of the Myrtle Beach Sharks, who wore the Freedom's uniforms throughout their brief existence in Arena Pro Football.

In March 2017, the Freedom and the AIF were sued for providing unsafe field conditions during their May 23, 2016, home game against the Columbus Lions. Two of the Lions' players, Christopher Donnell Smith and David Toussaint, claim the turf came loose from the floor, which then caught their feet causing permanent damage to their knees and ending their careers.[3]

Final roster
2016 Myrtle Beach Freedom roster
Quarterbacks
  •  8 Will Newsome

Running Backs

  • vacant

Wide Receivers

  • -- Gerron Bryant
  • 89 Ronnie Moses
  • 10 Dontrelle Sanford
  •  3 Edward Victorian
  •  9 Ty Zimmerman
Offensive Linemen
  • 52 Mark Bechtel
  • -- Dontre Brown
  • 47 Torrance Buie
  • 56 Tim Fowler

Defensive Linemen

  • 60 Henry Collao
  • 50 Deangelio Davis
  • 99 Nate Harris
  • 73 Dyrell Porcha
  • 94 Marco Vereen
Linebackers
  • -- Gabe Ostrow

Defensive Backs

  • 21 Jason Booker
  • 13 Vaughn Cross
  • 23 Jeffery Kassoumis
  •  7 Franklin King
  • 44 Quincy Malloy
  • 25 Shaq McAllister
  • -- John Robertson
  •  4 Lindsey Robertson
  • 14 Shawn Sanders
  • -- Jonathan Sharpe
  • 25 Shaq McAllister
  • 24 Jaa Valentine

Kickers

  • 18 Victor Leventritt
Injured reserve
  • vacant

Exempt list

  • 14 Jason Livingston WR (Exempt)
  •  3 Demario Turner DB (Exempt)
  • Rookies in italics
  • Roster updated May 25, 2016
  • 30 Active, 2 Inactive

Final staff
Myrtle Beach Freedom staff
Front Office
  • Owner/General Manager - Ronnie McCuin
  • Director of Marketing/Advertising - Patty Mungo
  • Director of Merchandise - Vickie Gill
  • Director of Ticket Sales - Andre White
  

Head Coach

  • Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator - Terry Foster[4]

Assistant Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator - Larry Green
  • Offensive/Defensive Linemen - Brian Bashaw
  • Strength and Conditioning -

Statistics and records

Season result
League champions Division champions Playoff berth League leader
Season League Division Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLossesTies
2016 AIFSouthern 3rd440Lost Northern Semifinals (Ironmen) 37–78
Totals 450All-time record (2016)

Head coaches' records
Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
WLTWin%WL
Ryan David2016220.500——
Terry Foster2016220.50001

2016 season
2016 Myrtle Beach Freedom season
Head coachRyan David
Terry Foster (interim)
General managerRonnie McCuin
OwnerRonnie McCuin
Home fieldMyrtle Beach Convention Center
Results
Record4–4
Division place3rd
Playoff finishLost Northern Semifinals (Ironmen) 37–78

Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Exhibition

All start times were local to home team

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 Sunday March 6 7:05pm Carolina Dynasty W 49–22[5] 1–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
2 Monday May 9 7:05pm South Carolina Ravens W 43–20 2–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Regular season

All start times were local to home team

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 BYE
2 BYE
3 BYE
4 BYE
5 Monday March 28 7:05pm Savannah Steam W 34–33[6] 1–0 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
6 Saturday April 2 7:05pm at Central Florida Jaguars W 47–34[7] 2–0 Lakeland Center
7 Monday April 11 7:05pm Georgia Firebirds L 20–49[8] 2–1 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
8 Saturday April 16 7:05pm at Columbus Lions L 15–65[9] 2–2 Columbus Civic Center
9 Saturday April 23 7:05pm at Georgia Firebirds L –56[10] 2–3 Albany Civic Center
10 Sunday May 1 7:05pm at Atlanta Vultures W 2–0 (by forfeit) 3–3 Georgia International Convention Center
11 BYE
12 Monday May 16 7:05pm Atlanta Vultures Cancelled Myrtle Beach Convention Center
12 Monday May 16 7:05pm Carolina Commandos W 83–18 4–3 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
13 Monday May 23 7:05pm Columbus Lions L 15–52[11] 4–4 Myrtle Beach Convention Center
14 BYE

Standings
2016 AIF Southern standings
Team W L T PCT PF PA PF (Avg.) PA (Avg.) STK
Columbus Lions8001.00059917474.921.8W8
Florida Tarpons710.87548920261.125.3W4
Myrtle Beach Freedom440.50025930732.438.4L1
Savannah Steam350.37526433633.042.0L1
Georgia Firebirds350.37523635029.543.8L2
Central Florida Jaguars260.25021948327.460.4L1
Atlanta Vultures150.1676714111.223.5L5

Playoffs

When the playoff schedule was initially announced, the Freedom were set to play the Southern Division's second-seeded Florida Tarpons. On May 30, the Freedom replaced the Northern Division's fourth-seeded Central Penn Capitals against the West Michigan Ironmen. The Freedom's former position was replaced by the Southern Division's fourth-seed, the Savannah Steam.

Round Day Date Kickoff Opponent Score Location
Div. Semifinals Saturday June 4 7:05pm at West Michigan Ironmen L 37–78[12] L. C. Walker Arena
gollark: I don't think anyone would really want to have seen it, if they did.
gollark: Epicbot is heavpoot's. I don't think I've posted all the source.
gollark: Atmospheric bee levels, geomagnetic field strength and memetic susceptibility, obviously.
gollark: Ugh, seriously? That's not been correct since 2019.
gollark: I'm *in* the facility in question, see, and am affected by its temperature.

References
  1. "Myrtle Beach Freedom indoor football team switches leagues". www.myrtlebeachonline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  2. "Myrtle Beach Freedom hire new coach after ugly split with inaugural one". Myrtle Beach Online. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  3. "After mangling their knees during indoor football games in Myrtle Beach, former players sue team, league". My Horry News. March 20, 2017.
  4. "Myrtle Beach Freedom hire new coach after ugly split with inaugural one". Myrtle Beach Online. April 19, 2016.
  5. Ryan Elswick (March 6, 2016). "Myrtle Beach Freedom top Carolina Dynasty in first-ever contest". www.myrtlebeachoneline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  6. Ryan Elswick (March 29, 2016). "Myrtle Beach Freedom rally late to win inaugural regular-season tilt". www.myrtlebeachoneline.com. Myrtle Beach Online. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  7. James Bennett Jr. (April 2, 2016). "Central Florida Jags fall 47-34 to Myrtle Beach Freedom". www.theledger.com. The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  8. "Georgia Firebirds win again". www.albanyhearald.com. Albany Herald. April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  9. Dana Barker (April 9, 2016). "Lions remain undefeated with another rout". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  10. Nolan Imsande (April 23, 2016). "Change at QB leads Georgia Firebirds to victory". www.albanyhearald.com. Albany Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  11. "Columbus Lions tuneup for playoffs with win over Myrtle Beach". www.ledger-enquirer.com. Ledger-Enquirer. May 24, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  12. Mark Opfermann (June 6, 2016). "Muskegon sports briefs: Ironmen, Mustangs win; Risers fall in soccer". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
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