ARIZONA RATTLERS

Arizona Rattlers’ coach Guy: ‘The plan is to win it every year’

Feb 13, 2014, 8:06 PM | Updated: 8:06 pm

Follow @theAdamGreen...

LISTEN: Kevin Guy, Arizona Rattlers Head Coach

Winning a championship is difficult.

Defending it may be even harder.

The Arizona Rattlers were able to do just that in 2013, and are heading into 2014 as the two-time defending Arena Football League champions.

“I’m excited about this year,” he told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM as part of Newsmakers Week Thursday. “Being able to, as an organization, win the last two championships and (have) a chance to come back and win another one.

“We’re not going to start screaming three-peat or anything like that; the plan is to win it every year.”

Guy, who has been with the Rattlers since 2007, has a record of 62-24 with the team. And if not for a last-second touchdown against them in ArenaBowl XXIV in 2011, they may be the three-time defending champs.

But the challenge now, just as it was last year, is making sure his team does not rest on its laurels.

“As long as we don’t allow complacency to set in and we’re hungry and we don’t become complacent, then I like our chances,” he said. “Obviously health is going to play a lot in it, playing 18 games, but our guys have been working hard.”

Guy said he’s seen a lot of his players training during the offseason, which is a big reason why he feels good about his team’s chances this season. He understands being the champs puts a target on his team’s back, meaning everyone is going to give the Rattlers their best effort.

“Teams are going to be ready to play, they’re going to be fired up to play us and we’re going to have to be in the right mindset and be ready to play,” he said. “We lost three games last year; all three of them I didn’t think we were mentally in it.

“That just comes with success, sometimes you just start getting complacent throughout the season and then you’ve got to get a little wake up call, then everything gets back on track and you get rolling again.”

Getting to that point is not easy, though, and Guy credits the team’s ownership for much of what they’ve been able to do.

“I think it starts at the top, our ownership,” he said of the success. “I’ve went on record and said this, when he’s gone, I’m gone. But I love working for Ron Shurts. He sets expectations and I’ve never worked for a guy like this before.”

Shurts has been the team’s majority owner since May 2011, and Guy said the boss made it a point to everyone at the time that no one will ever be ashamed to be an Arizona Rattler.

“He has held up everything that he has said, so I enjoy it,” the coach said.

Arizona Rattlers

Desert Diamond Arena...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Rattlers announce move to Desert Diamond Arena, leaving downtown Phoenix

The Arizona Rattlers' three-decade run playing in downtown Phoenix will end. The IFL team will move to Glendale's Desert Diamond Arena.

5 months ago

(Photo via Arizona Rattlers/Twitter)...

Nikash Nath

Wranglers come from behind to stun Rattlers in IFL Western Conference Championship

The Northern Arizona Wranglers defeated the Arizona Rattlers 52-51 in what was a competitive shootout that featured a controversial ending.

2 years ago

Ray Anderson, vice president for university athletics at Arizona State...

Arizona Sports

Listen to all the Newsmakers Week interviews here

Another year, another Newsmakers Week on 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station is in the books. Listen to all of this year's interviews here.

2 years ago

(Photo via Arizona Rattlers/Twitter)...

Doug Franz

Arizona Rattlers fall to Massachusetts Pirates in 2021 IFL United Bowl

The Arizona Rattlers dropped another championship game in their own backyard, losing to the Massachusetts Pirates in overtime.

3 years ago

(Twitter photo/Arizona Rattlers)...

Alex Weiner

Arizona Rattlers QB Drew Powell named IFL MVP

After leading the league in both completion percentage and rushing yards, Rattlers quarterback Drew Powell won the IFL MVP award on Saturday.

3 years ago

(Twitter Photo/@ArizonaRattlers)...

Jake Anderson

Arizona Rattlers headed back to United Bowl after crazy last-second victory

The Rattlers are headed back to the United Bowl for the third time since 2017 after a 58-55 win over Duke City at Footprint Center on Sunday.

3 years ago

Arizona Rattlers’ coach Guy: ‘The plan is to win it every year’