A local semi-pro football team, Midwest Venom helps players score on and off the field

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A local semi-professional football team full of unique characters hopes to score points on and off the field.

President Anthony Hazelwood created Midwest Venom in July last year, a semi-professional football team in Topeka that stands more than just the game.

“This organization is first to consider family, we come together to play a sport that everybody loves,” Hazelwood said. “Regardless of if you’re white, black, yellow, purple, or green we’ll still consider you family as long as you support us, we’ll support you any way we can.”

“It gives them the opportunity to get together with a community and a group of guys that has a passion for football and they get out here every weekend and practice hard and come game times we play hard,” Hazelwood added.

Athletes start at the age of 18 and they all come from different areas in the state.

“I have guys come from Kansas City, Missouri, Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, and Wichita,” Hazelwood explained. “I’ve got guys that are in school, I have guys that work a regular 9 to 5, 8 to 5, or whatever their schedule is. We’re now an 11-man team so there’s more players.”

Some athletes say the team provides something you can’t find anywhere else.

The wide-receiver of Midwest Venom, Freddy Mitchell emphasized one thing, “with this team, it’s about the fact that they’re not trying to kill each other. I’ve played on other teams where every day, every practice, we’re playing to play, we’re not getting paid to play.”

“There’s no reason to leave here like hurt. What makes it different is that people who truly love the game for the game itself, not loving it because it’s the best team in the league,” Mitchell added.

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life, so putting the cleats away as hard,” the quarterback of Midwest Venom, Justin Self said.

“So to have that semi-pro we can still come out and play the game you love and have an opportunity to compete against the same type of people from different places is cool. Family is most important whether it’s on the filter off the field, family always comes first,” Self emphasized.

The Midwest Venom doesn’t hope to just score touchdowns, their goal is to improve the community.

Athletes volunteer in their community for over 500 hours.

“It gives someone an outlet, it gives us something else to do,” Self said.

“If they were in a bad place in their life, this is a great place to find structure, to find that discipline that you need to keep going,” Mitchell agreed. “Community service is always good, I think with that going and showing support in Topeka and then having Topeka show that same respect in return would be great.”

The first game is on April 17th in Wichita and their first home game is on April 24th at 5 P.M. located at 3909 SW Burlingame Road.

On May 15th, Midwest Venom is having a special game that will advocate against gun violence in the community.

You can find more information on Midwest Venom here.

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