Оқу экспресінің тарихы: Пенсильванияның индор футбол командасы

The Reading Express were a professional indoor football team based in Reading, Pennsylvania. They were most recently a member of the United Conference of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Express began play in 2006, as an expansion team of the American Indoor Football League. The team was originally going to be named the Reading RiverRats, but passed on that name in favor of the "Reading Express." The RiverRats name and logo was moved to an AIFA team in Pittsburgh in 2007. The owners of the Express were Ted & Lisa Lavender. They played their home games at the Sovereign Center.

On September 14, 2005, the Express were announced as an expansion team of the American Indoor Football League (AIFL). On November 6, 2005, the Express named Ollie Guidry the team's first ever head coach. On Sunday, March 26, 2006, the Express won the AIFL's very first overtime game 41 38 against the Johnstown Riverhawks on the road, as kicker Erik Rockhold booted the game winning 45 yard field goal. On Friday, May 12, 2006, the Express managed to knock the Erie Freeze out of the #1 spot in the conference by getting revenge 59 48. At the end of their inaugural year, the Express held the highest record in the AIFL's Northern Conference, at 12 2. This, however, was padded by two games against amateur outdoor franchises—the Cumberland Cardinals and a team known as the Philadelphia Scorpions, both of which were blowouts. In the opening round of the 2006 AIFL Playoffs, the Express managed to knock out the fourth seeded Huntington Heroes with a 56 23 victory. In the Northern Conference championship game, they faced the second seeded Canton Legends for the Northern Conference title and a chance to participate in the American Bowl. Unfortunately, the Express got derailed as they got shut out in the second half and fell 44 24. Even though they fell one game shy of the league championship, it wasn't a total loss, as wide receiver Carmelo Ocasio was named the 2006 Northern Conference Offensive MVP.

In the 2007 season, now part of the AIFL's reorganized form (the American Indoor Football Association), the Express built on their success in the previous season, finishing a league best 14 2 in the regular season, defeating the Pittsburgh RiverRats 42 24 in the first round, and defeating the Canton Legends 66 51 to claim the Northern Conference Championship and earn a trip to AIFA Championship Bowl I at the Florence Civic Center. Unfortunately, the Express got derailed yet again, losing to the Lakeland Thunderbolts 54 49.

In the 2009 season, the Express had another fantastic season, finishing the regular season 11 3, defeating the Baltimore Mariners 50 20 in the first round, and defeating the Columbus Lions 60 51 in the conference championship game to earn another berth in the AIFA Championship Bowl III in Casper, Wyoming. This time in the title game, the Express were overpowering and they defeated the Wyoming Cavalry 65 42 to win their first AIFA championship.

DateOpponentHome/AwayResultMarch 13D. C. ArmorHomeWon 51 28March 22Baltimore MarinersAwayLoss 59 49March 28South Carolina ForceHomeWon 47 27April 4D. C. ArmorAwayWon 39 19April 11Erie RiverRatsHomeWon 47 13April 18Baltimore MarinersHomeLoss 40 36April 26Erie RiverRatsAwayWon 66 48May 2Florence PhantomsAwayWon 66 55May 9Fayetteville GuardHomeWon 63 53May 17Harrisburg StampedeHomeWon 44 6May 23D. C. ArmorAwayWon 51 35May 30Fayetteville GuardAwayLoss 57 53June 13Erie RiverRatsHomeWon 45 27June 27Harrisburg StampedeAwayWon 41 19July 2Baltimore Mariners (Playoffs)HomeWon 50 20July 13Columbus Lions (Playoffs)AwayWon 60 51July 26Wyoming Cavalry (AIFA Championship Bowl III)AwayWon 65 42

On July 21, 2010, the Express announced that they would be promoting interim head coach/offensive coordinator, Chris Thompson, to head coach for the 2011 season. On August 18, 2010, the Express announced that will be leaving the AIFA and joining the Indoor Football League (IFL).