Spokane Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley has won two championships, named 2010 ArenaBowl MVP and written himself into the AFL record books, but the road for this Ivy League graduate had many twists and turns.

Hurt his junior year in high school, Rowley knew a high-level Division I school was not going to be an option. So when Rowley was recruited on the first day of Brown University’s football camp, he jumped at the opportunity to play. Starting as quarterback for just one year, Rowley still managed to break school passing records in a single season.

After graduating from Brown with a Visual Arts degree, Rowley surprised everyone when he decided to further his football career.

“When I graduated, a lot of people expected me to go out and start making money,” Rowley said, “but I just started sending tapes out. I wasn’t getting a good look at the NFL, so I sent them to some AFL and af2 teams.”

Rowley started practicing with an af2 team two hours from his home in Rhode Island to Connecticut. The Mohegan Wolves needed a practice squad quarterback after two of the quarterbacks were injured during the middle of the season. Although Rowley just signed a two-day waiver, he got his first glimpse of Arena Football.

“I went to one game, and I was like ‘wow’. It was just one of those shootouts and that is when I said to myself that I was going to play Arena Football. It was amazing. I thought to myself, ‘they’re not running the ball on 3rd down and 3?’ That’s great,” Rowley said.

After a few months of sending out tapes, Rowley got an official call from the Charleston Swamp Foxes. Rowley packed up his stuff and moved 900 miles to compete for the starting quarterback position in South Carolina.

“The tough thing about Arena Football for guys just coming in is that your college credentials and bio don’t guarantee that you are going to be a good arena football player. So it was tough to just break into the starting line-up because you never know how guys are going to pan-out,” Rowley said.

At Charleston, Rowley saw limited playing time during games and was soon traded to the Columbus Wardogs in Georgia. He eventually nabbed the starting position and met future coach, Rob Keefe, who also played for the Wardogs at that time. Rowley stayed in Columbus for just one season and continued to bounce around the af2, playing for seven teams in just five years.

“I was trying to win a championship in the af2. The goal was to play in the AFL, and I was having a lot of success statistically,” Rowley said. “I thought if we had the best offense in the League, and I don’t get picked up by the AFL, then winning a championship will do it.”

Rowley had that chance after being traded to Spokane from Bossier in 2006. Spokane was 6-2 when Rowley arrived and was looking for a new starting quarterback. On July 8, 2006, Spokane was down by two touchdowns at halftime against Albany. Rowley played the last half of the game and won the starting quarterback position.

“I went in and we ended up winning the game. I never looked back from there. We went undefeated and won the ArenaCup,” Rowley said.

With the ArenaCup Championship, Rowley got his chance to play in the AFL. In 2007, Rowley bounced around in the AFL, playing just three games as a holder. For the 2008 season, Rowley bumped back down to the af2, playing as the starting quarterback for the Arkansas Twisters. Rowley continued to lead the af2 statistically, being in the top two of total offensive yards, passing completion percentage and passing touchdowns during the 2008 season.

In 2010, Rowley finally had a chance at his ultimate goal. Former roommate and friend, Rob Keefe, became head coach of the Spokane Shock and recruited Rowley to Spokane. The Shock bumped up to the newly remodeled Arena Football League in 2010. On August 20, Spokane defeated the Tampa Bay Storm in ArenaBowl XXIII in front of a home crowd. Rowley had now taken Spokane to an ArenaCup and an ArenaBowl.

“Both felt great. When I was in the af2, I couldn’t have imagined how much success I would have in Arena Football,” Rowley said. “I also couldn’t imagine how much it would take for someone to just give me a chance in the AFL.”

During the championship game, Rowley showed he was a major contender not only in the af2, but now the AFL. Rowley broke a new ArenaBowl record with 10 touchdowns, two above the previous record, and helped teammates Markee White and Huey Whittaker mark their names into the record books as well. Rowley’s performance elected him MVP.

“My whole goal is always one thing, and that’s winning a championship in whatever League I’m in. You can’t win three at a time, you can only win one at a time. So what I try to do is erase that whole last season. Right now it’s just a memory. It’s not who I am. It’s something we did. It was great, but can you prove it again?” Rowley said.

Winning another championship with the Shock is exactly what Rowley plans to do next.

“Everyone has a different goal. Some guys are just coming in for five months. Their goal is to get out and hopefully get picked up by the NFL or UFL. There are fewer guys out there like me who have the same goal I have, which is to be a mainstay in the Arena Football League. I want to be one of the top players in Arena Football for years to come. The only way to prove that you are the top players is to win championships so that is what my sight is set on. ”

The Ivy League graduate currently holds the single season record for passing yards (4,428) and passing touchdowns (100). Rowley dedicates his success to his teammates, coaches and the love of Arena Football.

“My whole thinking is you have to do what you’re passionate about or you won’t find success. It was fairly obvious what I was going to do and that was to play football just because that is what I love to do.”

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