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The Panthers are on the field and on the prowl
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This article appeared in the Thursday July 20, 2006 issue of the Banner.
By: Serghino René


The Boston Panthers are not exactly a household name. But don’t tell that to the owner of the semi-pro football team.

“I’ve always wanted to own my own football team,” said co-owner Schneider Dorisca. “My goal is to make [the Boston Panthers] the next best thing outside the NFL.”

The team has been in existence for five years, but this year marks their first season as official members of the Eastern Football League (EFL). Dorisca has joined with founding owner Delaney Roberts and together they hope to make the Boston Panthers a common household name.

They are just one of over 400 semi-pro football teams in the nation. Their latest victory came at the expense of the Randolph Oilers as the Panthers easily dominated the field, winning the game by a score of 19-0.

The players are not typical athletes. Within this eclectic group of over 50 men, you’ll find an offensive lineman who has dreams of going pro, a kicker who tackles an advertising and writing career and a general manager who fixes computers full-time.

“This is a working man’s league,” said Panthers head coach — and private investigator — Don Williams. “We’re like a big family and we look out for each other.”

The players range from 18 to 42 years old. While there is no age limit, it is understood that a player must be able to endure a lot of physical stress.

The vast majority of these players have played high school or college sports, including football or track & field. Most have full-time jobs; none want to give up their passion.

Kieve Robinson is one of them.

A Pop Warner veteran and former football star at South Boston High School, the 24-year-old wide receiver mentors kids at the Ella J. Baker House during the day. Rather than talk about the past, he chose to create some new glory days.

“I depend on myself to put points on the board,” said Robinson, a resident of Dorchester.

But for one lifelong Boston sports guru, joining the Panthers was an “accident.”

An author and 15-year veteran in the world of advertising currently at Arnold Worldwide, Mark St. Amant had no idea he would one day be kicking for the semi-pro football team. In the early stages of writing his upcoming book, “Just Kick It: Tales of an Underdog, Over-Age, Out-of-Place Semi-Pro Football Player,” he researched a number of semi-pro football teams, eventually contacting general manager Reggie Murphy.

“We talked for a while and during the course of our conversation I mentioned that I played soccer in college,” said St. Amant. “Reggie said, ‘We could use a kicker.’”

It wasn’t long before St. Amant was attending practices and kicking for the team on a regular basis.

As for his book? Well, what began as an informative work of non-fiction exploring the world of semi-pro football eventually evolved into a semi-autobiographical story about a kicker who joins the Boston Panthers.

Known for his previous work, “Committed Confession of a Fantasy Football Junkie,” which provides readers with an insider look at the phenomenon, obsession and nationwide explosion of fantasy football, St. Amant’s “Just Kick It” is set for a mid-October release.

For a former Northeastern football jock, playing the game was more important than the uniform he wore.

Mohammed Bitahi was still an undergraduate at Northeastern University when he joined the Panthers. His college coach had resigned and Bitahi chose to leave the program. He is now the team captain.

“I didn’t want to start with a new coaching staff after Coach [Don] Brown left, and leaving gave me an opportunity to focus more on my academics,” said Bitahi, 24.

When not on the field, Bitahi applies business development strategies for the technology company CMIT Solutions. Football is a part of his life that adds balance and structure to his day-to-day routine.

“It’s a treat,” said Bitahi. “I put in my nine to five during the day and in the afternoon I play football.”

For some players, the dream of going pro never dies. A few players may receive a chance to play in the Arena Football League or the National Football League. But that’s about it — a chance.

Defensive lineman Derek Alcindor begs to differ.

Alcindor is a former West Roxbury High School football starter who has had a lifelong dream of playing pro football since his early Pop Warner days.

“Football is my life,” said Alcindor, 22. “I took the initiative to use the positive feedback people gave me as my motivation. They told me how good I was and I knew for myself that I could make it.”

His chances of going professional look pretty good. The AFL’s Albany Conquest and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens are keeping a close eye on him.

In the meantime, he awaits that life changing phone call that will have him packing to play for the NFL. But for now, Alcindor is content playing for the Panthers.

While some members of the team are making their dreams come true, Murphy, a proud Bostonian, drives the Panthers towards success.

“Being born and raised in Boston, I’ve always had a sense of pride that stays close to my heart,” said Murphy. “I don’t do this for the financial gain, but for the love of the sport. I want to see the team progress.”

When Murphy, 39, is not working on team marketing strategies, scheduling games, or seeking sponsors, he does computer repair as a desktop technician for DST Solutions.

“I have two full-time jobs,” said Murphy.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.