LANCASTER, Calif.—Now that the National Football League players and owners have settled their differences and are back on schedule, there will be major league football this season. But the nearest professional team is in San Diego, 175 miles away—a long way for A.V. football fans to travel.

Enter the AV Vikings, a local minor league team based in Lancaster, established in 2010 as AV Vikings Inc.

Last year the Vikings won their division. “For a first-year team that’s really good, winning our division and everything else. I was proud of them last year. Hopefully we can do the same thing (this year),” says Bob Walker, the team’s owner and president.

This year all the minor league teams have been merged into a single division.

The ballclub is a member of the LaBelle Community Football League’s (LCFL) Western Conference, or simply LCFL West. The league has teams throughout the United States. A 2009 press release from the LCFL warns: “This is one of the most competitive professional minor football organizations in America.”

If the name LaBelle rings a bell, it should. The league is endorsed by world-renown singer/philanthropist Patti LaBelle. It began in LaBelle’s hometown of Philadelphia and has plenty of pro ball supporters from the National Football League, including Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas, Terrell Owens, Reggie Bush, and Donovan McNabb. The press release notes the league is “prominently sponsored by several Fortune 500 companies….”

According to the Semi-Pro Football HQ site, there are more than 900 teams in the U.S. that classify themselves as semi-pro, minor league, professional development, etc., in more than 60 different leagues. The site notes that the “vast majority do not get paid to play … they truly compete for the love of the game. This involves the players purchasing their own equipment and usually paying for their own transportation/lodging to/from games.”

Viking players are adults 18 years and older and live in the Antelope Valley. The team’s goal is “to provide a venue for adults to improve and develop the skills needed to move up to the next level of college or professional football, as well as provide the level of competition required by professional football players that join our team to stay in shape during their off season.” The website says the organization “encourage(s) our players to pursue opportunities in higher education and to become positive role models to local youths. We petition our players and fans to assist other local charities in fundraising efforts to promote a general awareness of other important missions and goals in the community.”

AV Vikings Inc. is a nonprofit organization. They are involved in local charity work. The Vikings have also conducted football mini-camps, where they demonstrate the fundamentals of the game to young players.

For the guys that want to move up to the next level of play, game films and statistics are what matter most. “That’s what we’re here for, to get them to that next level,” says Walker. Scouts from arena leagues and pro teams look at these films and stats. Last year, two Vikings players, Erick Jackson and Vernard Wilkins, moved up to the Indoor Football League, which is similar to Arena Football.

Assisting Walker is the coaching staff of Chris Duval handling special teams, and Daniel Dibene as defensive coach. “Our practices consist of defense (and) offense drills, running game, passing tree, blocking, tackling,” says Walker, “just to become a team, as one. That way everybody knows what the next guy is gonna do.” The goal of the practices is to work on coming together as a team.

Defensively, the Vikings feature Garland Baker, No. 69, returning for his second year, one of the team’s leading tacklers. “Last year the defense was the soul of the team,” says Baker. His status is bolstered by the fact that he was second in sacks and led the team in forced fumbles. “We’re a defensive-minded team,” says Baker. We’re looking to come out big and hopefully win some games on the defensive side.” Of Baker, Walker says, “he potential to go to the next level, if he wants to.”

Sean Wilmore, No. 22, patrols the gridiron at the cornerback and safety positions. Wilmore is in his rookie year with the Vikings. He agrees, “Defense wins championships. We’re the reason why the offense keeps moving the ball.” Wilmore played football at AVC, but got injured while there. He is returning to the game after a four-year hiatus because “football’s still in my blood."

Offensively, the fleet-footed receiving corps features Larry Cotton, wearing jersey No. 87, Jaylon Clark, No. 82, and Jeff Williams, No. 9. Lance DiBene is the Vikings’ quarterback.

Carlos Nuñez is the place kicker. Walker says “he’s got a hang time (of) five seconds. He can kick 50-yard field goals all day long.”

Josh King, No. 74, a second-year player, is listed as the team’s center. However, during the last play of the last scrimmage game in Long Beach, King suffered a sprained ACL and has some cartilage damage in the meniscus of the knee. Surgery is possible, but he and the doctors will try to delay it while closely monitoring King’s progress. No one is sure of King’s status as yet. If he is able to return, he is looking at possibly the third game of the season as his earliest opportunity.

King knew some of the players on the Vikings when they started putting the team together last year. They called and told him about the team.

“I played football out here in the Valley pretty much my whole life,” says King. “I still have it in me to play. So I picked up the phone and called, came out and started practicing. We’re a hard-working team… We’ve got players out here that have the potential to go to another level (whether) that be Arena Football, hopefully, or Canadian (Football League) or NFL… It’s a great opportunity for the Valley and everything.”

This year, the Vikes have an expanded roster of 70 players, up from 59. Most just play for the love of the game. Some players work during the day. Walker, himself, played ball for many years. He even suited up last year for a few practices. He, too, works during the day, but his love of the game continues to bring him back to the gridiron. Walker says this team gives players a second chance that they may not have had in college to go on to the next level, be that indoor football or the pros (CFL or NFL).

The AV Vikings’ first game, which they lost 21-20, was Saturday against the San Diego Stallions. The next game is against the California Dolphins on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. There are 10 left on this year’s tough schedule with the last game slated as a bye. All home games are played at Antelope Valley High School, 44900 N. Division St., in Lancaster. Jesse’s Pizza and the Jalapeño Grill are two of the concessionaires that will be at the stadium. The stadium will have plenty of security.

For more information on the AV Vikings, visit www.avvikings.com.