Oregon High Desert Storm Explained

Oregon High Desert Storm
City:	Redmond, Oregon at First Interstate Bank Center
Colors:	Black, sand, silver, white
Coach:	Keith Evans
Owner:	Platinum Events & Security, LLC
President:	Chris Reynolds
Nicknames:	High Desert Storm
League:	American West Football Conference (2021–2023)
Team History:	Oregon High Desert Storm (2021–present)
No League Champs:	0
No Conf Champs:	0
No Div Champs:	0
No Playoff Appearances:	2
Playoff Appearances:	2021, 2023
Arena Years:	First Interstate Bank Center (2021–present)

The Oregon High Desert Storm are a professional indoor football team based in Redmond, Oregon, that began playing football in 2021 with home games at the First Interstate Bank Center at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. It was the first team to play in Central Oregon. They were owned by Platinum Events & Security, LLC, owners of the American West Football Conference.

History

On October 15, 2018, the American West Football Conference (AWFC) was founded by the Idaho Horsemen and added the Skyhawks, Reno Express, and Tri-Cities Fire to create the league.^{[1] [2]}

The AWFC postponed the 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic^[3] and then cancelled the season entirely due to the unavailability of arenas during the pandemic.^[4] The AWFC played the 2021 season, adding two teams in the Oregon High Desert Storm and Tri-City Rush, but the Skyhawks were unable to play any home games due to their home arena, the Town Toyota Center, being used for as a pandemic relief center and vaccination site.^[5] The Storm began play in 2021 at the First Interstate Bank Center at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond.

In 2023, the Storm made it to American West Bowl IV to face the Idaho Horsemen after they defeated the Skyhawks 44–40 in the semi-final. However, they lost the championship to the Horsemen 42–20.^[6] Shortly afterward, the team's website and social disappeared, leading many to believe that they have folded.

Oregon would get the indoor game back with the launching of the Oregon Blackbears of the revived Arena Football League for 2024 and beyond.

External links

• Official website
• American West Football Conference website

Notes and References

1. Web site: A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE . AWFC Insider . October 15, 2018 . November 17, 2023 . October 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231013173352/https://www.americanwestfootballconference.com/news/a-decision-has-been-made . live .
2. Web site: Western US based indoor football league forming for 2019 . Arena Football Talk . October 21, 2018 . November 17, 2023 . September 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929171016/https://arenafootballtalk.com/ . live .
3. Web site: 2020 AWFC Season Postponed due to Coronavirus . www.americanwestfootballconference.com . July 18, 2020 . March 13, 2020 . July 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200718224153/https://www.americanwestfootballconference.com/news/2020-awfc-season-postponed-due-to-coronavirus . live .
4. Web site: THE AWFC CANCELS THE 2020 SEASON DUE TO COVID-19 . American West Football Conference . July 31, 2020 . July 31, 2020 . February 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210209123032/https://www.americanwestfootballconference.com/news/the-awfc-cancels-2020-season-due-to-covid-19 . live .
5. WSkyhawks . It's been a very crazy 2 years for us, players, and most importantly, our seasons ticket holders and sponsors. It's out of our control as well as the TTC. Due 2 the TTC being the relief center as well as the vaccine location, we are unable to play any home games at this time. . 1395753438403694597 . May 21, 2021.
6. Web site: IDAHO HORSEMEN CLAIM VICTORY IN AMERICAN WEST BOWL IV . American West Football Conference . November 17, 2023 . July 2, 2023 . October 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008184055/https://www.americanwestfootballconference.com/news/idaho-horsemen-claim-victory-in-american-west-bowl . live .