The Storm's best player and face of the franchise since the team was founded in JAL 13, Tyler Hudson, was getting frustrated with Anaheim's downward spiral of competitiveness. In JAL 13 the team made it to the WWCD Cup, but then followed it up by missing the playoffs last season, and currently sit 0-3 at the midway point this season. For Hudson, a breaking point was reached and he decided to ask (now former owner) Kyle Koopman to obtain the team. Citing frustration over having certain signings of potential new talent not pay off, and a growing tendency to lose recruitment battles for free agents against other teams, Koopman decided the time was right and a peaceful transition of power followed.
"I think the Storm were getting a little stagnant, we weren't going in any particular direction," said Hudson.
"I have all the faith in the world in Tyler," said Koopman on his hope that Hudson can make the team a contender again.
Koopman is still currently on Anaheim's player roster, but his days (and others currently on the roster, besides Hudson) may be numbered.
"I plan to tap into my connections with another group of athletes in the Longview/Kelso area instead of the tapped out group in Castle Rock," says Hudson on his plan as the new owner. "I know I will make this team a contender (again)."
Doing so as early as JAL 15 though will be extremely difficult. As mentioned earlier, the Storm are sitting 0-3 and in dead last in the National Conference with only 3 games left. At best they can finish .500, but even that may not be enough when you consider they've already dropped head-to-head games against the Rapids and Bison - 2 teams they'd be in a battle with to snag a bottom seed into the playoffs.
"This season might be a little tough with the 0-3 start, but I have hope for the future," said Hudson.
Be on the lookout over the next few weeks for the Storm to make major overhauls with their roster under Hudson. The roster is currently maxed out at 5 players which include: Kyle King, Zach Sheldon, Tyler Hudson, Kyle Koopman, and Taylor Spears-VanCamp. Any new signings will obviously require cuts to be made to the current roster to make room.
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