Post by David on Sept 17, 2021 15:48:45 GMT -8
09.17.21
Des Moines, IA - Les Moss's stay in Des Moines was a brief one, as the veteran head coach was let go from the Iowa Barnstormers after one season.
The Barnstormers announced on Friday that they officially parted ways with the veteran arena/indoor football head coach after one season at the helm.
"On behalf of the Iowa Barnstormers, we thank Les for joining us on such short notice for this season," said team president Jeff Lamberti in the team's press release. "We knew the 2021 season would be difficult as we continued to navigate through a pandemic and are appreciative of Les for his dedication to the team and season. We wish him the best in his future endeavors."
Moss, a life-long coach in arena/indoor football going back to 1988, was hired by the Barnstormers as Head Coach back on April 5th, 2021, seven months after he had been named Assistant Head Coach for the Albany Empire of the National Arena League. Moss had resigned from his position and replaced Ameer Ismail, who was hired prior to the 2020 IFL Season that was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ismail was tabbed to be the coach until the team's surprising announcement shortly before the Barnstormers began training camp.
In his as Head Coach of the Barnstormers, Moss led the team to a 6-6 record, good for 4th in the league's overall standings. Iowa was bounced in the First Round of the 2021 IFL Playoffs, losing 34-33 to the Duke City Gladiators on home turf.
Les Moss is out after 1 season as HC of the Barnstormers (image by Peter R. Barber/The Daily Gazette)
This season was Moss's first taste of indoor football after having coached decades in the Arena Football League. He began his career in 1988 as an Assistant for the Chicago Bruisers for two seasons. He then was an Assistant with the Detroit Drive in 1990, earning an ArenaBowl Championship, then spent 13 seasons as the Defensive Coordinator for the Orlando Predators, earning two more ArenaBowl titles (1998, 2000).
Moss briefly left the AFL in 2001, hired by the Orlando Rage of the XFL as a Tight Ends coach in the league's lone season of existence. He returned to Arena Football in 2004 as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers of of the af2. He coached the pioneers from 2004-2009, earning af2 Coach of the Year Honors in 2004.
After the af2 folded and re-formed into the reborn AFL, Moss was named Head Coach of the expansion Jacksonville Sharks. The Sharks found instant success, going 13-3 in its inaugural season and Moss earning 2010 AFL Coach of the Year honors. In 2011, he guided the Sharks to ArnaBowl XXIV, upsetting the heavily favorited Arizona Rattlers in Phoenix. He would earn playoff bids in five of Jacksonville's first six seasons, including an ArenaBowl appearance in 2015. Moss would be let go by the Sharks in 2016 after starting out with a poor 5-9 record.
Moss would eventually return to the AFL as Assistant Head Coach in 2018 with the expansion Albany Empire. In 2019, the Empire would win ArenaBowl 32, which proved to ultimately be the final game in Arena Football history. When the NAL revived the Empire name in 2020, Moss was hired to the same role before taking the Barnstormers job.
The Barnstormers are now underway for the team's next coach for the 2022 season.
- DKH
