The Cleveland Gladiators named Ron Selesky their new head coach on Tuesday afternoon. He replaces Steve Thonn as head coach. Thonn went 66-67 as the Glads head coach and took the team to ArenaBowl XXVII in 2013.
Ron Selesky Named Cleveland Gladiators Head Coach
Selesky served as the defensive coordinator and the assistant head coach for the team during the 2016 season. Over his six seasons in Cleveland, he also served as the Director of Player Personnel from 2010-2014. In 2015, he left the team to serve as U.S scout for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
“I’m honored to be named the head coach of the Cleveland Gladiators,” Selesky said in a press conference on Tuesday, “I’ve waited ten years for my next head coaching opportunity and I’m ready to hit the ground running full speed.” He was the head coach of the Alabama Steeldogs in the arenafootball2 from 2006-2007.
Selesky played just two two games for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987. He also spent time with the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions from 1988-1992.
He began coaching in the Arena Football League back in 1997 as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm. The team went 31-11 in the three seasons Selesky coached them. The Storm also advanced to the ArenaBowl in 1998.
His first head coaching job came with the af2’s Louisville Fire in 2001. He was named Coach of the Year in 2002 and the Fire finished the season with a 13-3 record.
About the Arena Football League
The league currently only has five teams set to play for the 2017 season. The other four teams are the Storm, the Philadelphia Soul, the Washington Valor and a team based in Baltimore, MD. The Baltimore team will announce their name in January.
After the Soul won ArenaBowl XXIX, the Orlando Predators, Los Angeles KISS and Portland Steel ceased operations. The Rattlers moved to the Indoor Football League and the Jacksonville Sharks joined the National Arena League. 2017 will be the league’s 30th of play.
