Meet Dan LaMagna... Article published 05/20/2007, The Times-Tribune Age: 30 Job: President and head coach/offensive coordinator of the NEPA Miners Family: Wife, Michele Residence: Scranton Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications from East Stroudsburg University; working toward master’s degree in sports management Do you have any background in football? I was a player and I always have had a passion for football. I played some semi-pro football and had tryouts with some Arena and Canadian football league teams. I always thought big and had dreams of playing in the pros, but injuries sent me in a different direction. I started coaching some semi-pro teams and I was a coach for the Lackawanna College team that won the Valley of the Sun Bowl last year. What made you want to go from coaching to running a franchise? By playing on some semi-pro teams, I had seen the good and the bad of how things were run. I had some ideas of how I would run a team and finally I just wanted to put those ideas into action. In addition to that, I saw how minor-league teams in this area have been successful with hockey and baseball, but football hasn’t done as well. I wanted to change that. What is the benefit of...

Article published 3/25/2007, PA Homepage About 100-players participate in the NEPA Miners first tryout and combine Saturday afternoon at the Riverfront Sports Complex. Athletes were tested in 40-yard dash, bench press, pro agility (short shuttle), a 60-yard shuttle, three-cone drill, vertical jump, broad jump, and the sit-and- reach. Individual body measurements also will be taken. Participants were also given a shortened version of the Wonderlic Personnel Test, which has been administered for the last 30 years to prospective players in the National Football League. The Wonderlic offered is an eight-minute, 30-question test to assess aptitude for learning a job and adapting to solve problems in a wide range of situations. The score is calculated by the number of correct answers given in the allotted time. LaMagna says the team will plan to have their next combine in April. NEPA Miners season opener is June 30th against the Schuylkill County Coal Miners....

On August 22-24, 2004, the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader newspaper presented a three-part series on NAMI PA Scranton member Charlie Wysocki. Times-Leader writer, Joe Petrucci wrote an in-depth series of articles on Charlie’s life beginning with his high school sports career; his being adopted by the Wysocki family; his outstanding football career at the University of Maryland and his experiences dealing with a very severe case of bipolar disorder. Click here to see each of the three articles in their entirety....

Article published 01/27/2007, The Times-Tribune While many of us are contemplating a second run to the doughnut box, some high school football players in the area are getting a taste of what it’s like to participate in the NFL combine. Thanks to the Northeast Pennsylvania Miners football team and UltraSonic Sports, athletes in the region can attend a mini-combine at 8:30 this morning. The event includes everything future pros will need — from agility drills to the psychological testing. "I wish I had this when I was playing," said Dan LaMagna, president and coach of the Miners. "It’s a great opportunity. It’s going to get them ready for college and get them recognized, and they are getting a great experience." The cost for the experience: $100, with walkups welcome. LaMagna thinks it’s worth every penny. "It is more beneficial to the junior class, but even for some of the seniors, it’s another opportunity," LaMagna said. "Last year, I coached at Lackawanna College and they’re getting tapes in every day. And it’s a good gauge to see where you are at." All stations will be videotaped, giving participants a ready-made scouting tape to hand to college coaches. Athletes will be tested in 40-yard dash, bench press, pro agility...

Article published 01/11/2007, The Times-Tribune With a name that is steeped in local heritage and team colors that evoke memories of championships, the black-and-gold clad NEPA Miners football team debuted Wednesday at Uno Fitness in the Icebox Complex. The announcement was highlighted by the signing of its first player. Former Lackawanna College and Scranton Eagle running back Donnie Jackson-Bey became the first player under contract for the Miners. Jackson-Bey, with 14,966 yards on the ground and 154 touchdowns in his 10-year career, is just 356 yards behind former Eagle Frank Yanik’s national minor league football record for career rushing yards. The Miners will play in the 10-year-old North American Football League, an organization of more than 100 teams in 24 divisions across the country. Owner/head coach Dan LaMagna was quick to steer away from the "semi-pro" moniker, preferring to call it "minor league" football. "We are hoping to bring in some players that we can hopefully develop for the next level," LaMagna said. "At the least, we want to make them the best possible football players and people they can be." Also, the Miners are hoping to not only to put on a family-friendly atmosphere, but also get involved in all levels of football in the...

Article published 01/11/2007, Lackawanna County website On Wednesday January 10, a press conference was held at UNO Fitness in Scranton to announce that the NEPA Miners are ready to begin their first ever football season. The Miners are a minor league football team located in Lackawanna County. They will play in the Pennsylvania division of the North American Football League beginning in the summer of 2007. The NAFL is the largest football minor league in the world with over one hundred teams. The president of the Miners is Dan LaMagna. He will also serve as head coach and offensive coordinator. He spent the past season as running backs coach for the undefeated Lackawanna College Falcons. LaMagna also has previous head coaching experience with the Southern Tier Green Machine and the Scranton Eagles. The Miners are dedicated to offering an exciting form of family entertainment. The team will include players from the local area who share the love of the game. Northeast Pennsylvania has a long and successful history of football at this level and the Miners plan to continue it. Also in attendance was Donnie Jackson-Bey. He is a minor league football legend and plans to carry the ball in 2007 for the Miners. Please...

Article published 01/11/2007, CitizensVoice.com With a name that is steeped in local heritage and team colors that evoke memories of championships, the black-and-gold clad NEPA Miners football team debuted Wednesday at Uno Fitness in the Icebox Complex in Scranton. The announcement was highlighted by the signing of its first player — former Lackawanna College and Scranton Eagle running back Donnie Jackson-Bey. The Miners will play in the 10-year-old North American Football League, an organization of more than 100 teams in 24 divisions across the country. At this point, the Miners have yet to firm up a practice facility or officially name a site for their home games. Owner/head coach Dan LaMagna was quick to steer away from the "semi-pro" moniker, preferring to call it "minor league" football. "We are hoping to bring in some players that we can hopefully develop for the next level," LaMagna said. Among LaMagna’s assistant coaches will be former Meyers and University of Maryland star Charlie Wysocki, who will be quality control coach. Marty Evans will be defensive coordinator, Travis Grobes will be assistant defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, and former Scranton Eagles coach Mike Woodard will handle the special teams....

Article published 01/10/2007, The Times Leader Local football coach Dan LaMagna is giving area sports fans a reason — besides the addition of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees — to get excited this summer. He’s bringing the hard-hitting excitement of minor league football to Northeastern Pennsylvania. LaMagna is the owner of Lackawanna County’s newest sports team, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Miners. And while the idea of a minor league football team isn’t a completely new one for the area — the Scranton Eagles have been playing games in the area for years — the difference is that the Miners will represent the area in the North American Football League, the largest minor league football organization in the world. "The NAFL consists of over 100 teams all over the country," said LaMagna. "We play a 10 game season, at the end of which the top 30 teams in the league will compete in a playoff series for a chance to play in the championship game, held in Disney World in Orlando, Florida." With over 100 teams all vying for first place spot in the league, a first year team like the Miners will need something special to even hope to stay competitive in a league of such seasoned veterans....

Article published 01/10/2007, The Times Leader The Northeast Pennsylvania Miners football team has announced that running back Donnie Jackson-Bey has agreed to carry the ball for the team in 2007. Bey is 336 yards away from breaking the all-time minor league career record of 15,301 held by former Scranton Eagle Frank Yanik. The NEPA Miners are the newest member of the North American Football League, pending stadium approval. On Wednesday, Jan. 10, the team will hold a press conference at Uno Fitness in Scranton to introduce President and Head Coach Dan LaMagna. The Miners aim to provide family entertainment, offering an opportunity to play for love of the game and promoting football in Northeastern Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce and will draw players from the local area....

Article published 01/08/2007, The Times Leader Beginning in the summer, the NEPA Miners will kick off their inaugural season in the Pennsylvania Division of the North American Football League. The minor league football team will be located in Lackawanna County and be coached by Dan LaMagna, who formerly coached Lackawanna College, the Southern Tier Green Machine and the Scranton Eagles....