Minor League Football Comes to Woburn

Have you ever dreamed of gridiron glory?

A new minor league football team that will begin games this summer is forming in Woburn. The Woburn Warlords will be part of the New England Football League, a semi-pro league that has been around since 1994 and boasts itself as one of the largest semi-pro leagues throughout the entire country.

“We are actively recruiting,” said Nolan Griffiths, co-founder of the Warlords. “We have a broad range of people, some were big-time college athletes, others haven't played since pop warner.”

The Warlords will be calling Connolly Field home turf during their 8-game regular season. There are also 2 playoff games and a championship for teams with the best records. 

Griffiths is co-founder of the team, along with Victor Figueroa and former Boxing Welterweight Champ, Micky Ward, who was recently profiled in the Mark Wahlberg/Christian Bale movie "The Fighter." 

The Warlords will practice at the indoor facility at Strike One in Danvers. Practices kick-off March 30.

“It's an opportunity to play football for people that may not have such an opportunity,” said Griffiths.

Cost for signing up is $100 in annual dues, $50 for jerseys, plus cost of equipment. If you are interested in joining the Warlords, head over to their website, www.woburnwarlords.com for more in-depth information concerning joining the team.

There is more than just semi-pro football games surrounding the Warlords formation.

“We want to be heavily involved in charity work,” said Griffiths. “We have set-up a partnership with the already and seek to be a very active part of the community.”

Charity efforts are already in place as well. The Warlords will be donating 10 percent of sales from tickets, jerseys, and concessions into a scholarship fund in honor of slain .

“I'm in love with football as much as anybody, but these things are much more powerful than anything football could bring,” said Griffiths, talking about the prospects of charitable work for the Woburn community.

The first Woburn Warlords home game will take place July 16 on Connolly Field behind . The season will stretch throughout September. However, no exact game times have been set. Make sure to check back with Woburn Patch for times when the season begins.