Switzerland’s Winterthur Warriors Sign Former UCLA Bruin EJ Woods
Switzerland’s Winterthur Warriors have signed veteran defensive back EJ Woods for the 2017 season.
Woods, 6’1″, 215 lb, played for two years at UCLA before transferring to New Mexico Highlands for the final two years of his collegiate career. He spent the 2015 season with the Warsaw Eagles in Poland before seeing action with the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the Canadian Football League. In 2014, he played both offense and defense for Vantaan TAFT in Finland.
Winterthur head coach Evan Harrington:
“EJ is a versatile athlete that you can put at any position on the field and he will make an impact. He plays with high energy that is contagious to his teammates. We are very excited to have a player of his caliber joining us for the 2017 season”.
American Football International asked EJ about his move to Switzerland and expectations for the upcoming season.
American Football International: You played in Europe in 2014 and 2015. What brought you to Switzerland and the Warriors?
EJ Woods: I played in Finland ’14’, Poland ’15’, Hamilton Ticats ’15’ (CFL). i was suppose to play with Evan at Frankfurt but I decided to try out the CFL. Evan is now the head coach at Winterthur and he asked me if I wanted to help bring a championship to the town. I can’t wait to join my new team and help them accomplish all of their goals!
AFI: What did you do in 2016?
Woods: Enjoyed life! It felt good to finally have some time to myself. I wanted to work on finding MY purpose in life. I felt like I wasn’t growing and I needed sometime to myself so I decided to sit out and get my MIND right! Im fired uo for the 2017 season! I have a lot of unfinished business! I want to show that I’m the best player in ALL of Europe
AFI: What do you bring to the Warriors?
Woods: I am a natural leader on and off the field, always representing my organization in a healthy and positive way. My skill set, flexibility, willingness to adapt and continue to learn, as well as my knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball allows me to perform on a high level no matter which system I am in. I am a driven individual that wants to continue my football career and continue to grow and make myself better. I am an effective, and VERY versatile player that can make a DIFFERENCE on both sides of the ball.
AFI: What foods did you enjoy in Europe?
Woods: I really enjoyed the kebabs and cabbage rolls, the pea soup was pretty good but my favorite was the popsicles lol.
AFI: What are your expectations for the 2017 season?
Woods: My expectations are to win the championship in 2017 prove Im one of the best athletes in Europe and help spread my knowledge with the young athletes in Switzerland. I plan on dominating and showcasing my skills so i can put myself in the best situation possible for an opportunity with the NFL/CFL.
Check out EJ Woods highlights with Vantaan TAFT in Finland
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