Amarillo Venom

The Amarillo Venom are an professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. The Venom began play in 2004 as the Amarillo Dusters, a charter member of the Intense Football League, a small indoor football league based in Texas. They won the championship in their first and only season with the IFL. The following year, the Dusters became the first team to leave the Intense Football League and join the af2, where they played for four seasons until the af2's folding in 2009. At that point, the team held a fan vote as to whether to join their af2 brethren in the new Arena Football 1 or enjoy numerous Texas rivalries in the Indoor Football League. On October 9, 2009, it was announced that, because of a 65-35 percent margin in the fan vote, the Dusters would be moving to the Indoor Football League for the 2010 season. The team plays their home games at Amarillo Civic Center.

The team was featured on an episode of Only in America, a show that airs on the Discovery Times channel.

On December 21, 2008 the Dusters introduced a new color scheme for the team. The new colors were revealed as Crimson, Grey, and Black.

It was announced on January 28, 2010 that the Dusters would have to be renamed, because the Arena Football 1 owns the rights to the Dusters name and logo. On February 8, the new Amarillo Venom name and logo was unveiled.

IFL success
The Amarillo Dusters finished their only season in the Intense Football League with a 13-3 record en route to a league championship. Coach Don Carthel lead the Dusters to the cup as they defeated the Lubbock LoneStars. The Dusters would abandon their spot in the IFL to play in the af2. Carthel would take the head coaching job at West Texas A&M mid-way into the first Dusters af2 season. Steve Perdue took over the Head Coaching job but, never had the success Carthel had.

Season-By-Season
!Totals || 51 || 62 || 0
 * colspan="6" align="center" | Amarillo Dusters (Intense)
 * 2004 || 13 || 3 || 0 || 1st League || Won Round 1 (S.A. Stampede 41-29)Won Intense Bowl I (L. Lone Stars 62-47)
 * colspan="6" align="center" | Amarillo Dusters (af2)
 * 2005 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 4th NC Midwest || Won NC Round 1 (Oklahoma City 59-56)Lost Semifinals (Memphis 71-30)
 * 2006 || 4 || 12 || 0 || 5th NC Midwest || --
 * 2007 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 4th NC Central || --
 * 2008 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 3rd NC Central || Won NC Round 1 (Tulsa 65-62) Won NC Semifinals (Bossier-Shreveport 59-45) Lost NC Championship (Spokane 79-49)
 * 2009 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 3rd NC Central || --
 * colspan="6" align="center" | Amarillo Venom (IFL)
 * 2010 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st IC Lonestar West || Won IC Round 1 (West Texas 56-36) Lost IC Semifinals (Arkansas 46-31)
 * 2011* || 0 || 0 || 0 || -- || --
 * 2007 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 4th NC Central || --
 * 2008 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 3rd NC Central || Won NC Round 1 (Tulsa 65-62) Won NC Semifinals (Bossier-Shreveport 59-45) Lost NC Championship (Spokane 79-49)
 * 2009 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 3rd NC Central || --
 * colspan="6" align="center" | Amarillo Venom (IFL)
 * 2010 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st IC Lonestar West || Won IC Round 1 (West Texas 56-36) Lost IC Semifinals (Arkansas 46-31)
 * 2011* || 0 || 0 || 0 || -- || --
 * colspan="6" align="center" | Amarillo Venom (IFL)
 * 2010 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st IC Lonestar West || Won IC Round 1 (West Texas 56-36) Lost IC Semifinals (Arkansas 46-31)
 * 2011* || 0 || 0 || 0 || -- || --
 * 2011* || 0 || 0 || 0 || -- || --
 * 2011* || 0 || 0 || 0 || -- || --
 * colspan="2"| (including playoffs)

* = Current Standing

2005 season
In their first year in the af2, the Amarillo Dusters reached the playoffs with an 8-8 record, which was good enough for a wildcard. The Dusters, lead by Julian Reese, came from 21 points down at the start of the 4th quarter to quiet the Cox Convention Center crowd to win Round 1 over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. The Dusters fell in Round 2 to the eventual-af2 champion Memphis Xplorers.

2006 season
The Dusters tried to build off of the moderate success they had in 2005. However, in 2006, the team suffered many injuries and failed to make it to the af2 playoffs. Quarterback Steve Panella was injured early in the season, forcing numerous backups to take the job. The Dusters then lost receivers. They ended the season with a 4–12 record.

2007 season
Looking to rebound after the previous losing season, injuries plagued the Dusters' offense. After a win against the Lubbock Renegades in Week 2, Steve Panella required hand surgery, putting him out for the season. The Dusters struggled for the remainder of the year but were still able end the Quincy Carter-led Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings' perfect season with a 51–49 upset.

Death of Donte Newsome
On July 5, 2008, Dusters running back Donte Newsome was shot to death outside of a nightclub in Huntington, West Virginia, home of his alma mater Marshall University.

On The Field
Under the leasdership of Head Coach Chris MacKeown the Amarillo Dusters went 10-9 in 2008, and played for the af2 National Conference ArenaCup Finals. Following the Dusters most successful season, in their af2 history, MacKeown stepped up to AFL as the offensive coordinator for John Elway's Colorado Crush.

Future
On October 25, 2007, the Dusters signed a contract to remain at the Amarillo Civic Center until at least 2011. It was announced that their offices would be moving into the historic Paramount Building in Downtown Amarillo.

Present

 * Craig Fulton Jr., WR
 * Jim Lukowiak, WR
 * Julian Reese, QB

Past

 * Donte Newsome, RB/LB
 * Jarrod Rouanzoin, WR/LB/QB
 * Kendell Walker, WR/DB/KR
 * Kareem Larrimore DB
 * Ron Jenerette, DL/OL
 * Titus Ivory, FB/LB