STORMING INTO A NEW ERA IN DES MOINES

When you think about iconic sports franchises in North America, teams like the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers, Boston Celtics and Montreal Canadiens come to mind. As for the long and storied history of indoor football, there have been a number of franchises that have set the tone for the fifty-yard indoor war. 

Some of those franchises currently play in the Indoor Football League including the Iowa Barnstormers who will host Fishers Freight at Casey's Center this Saturday night at 8pm ET on Overnght Media.

Born in 1995, the franchise has gone through a few different iterations but the common thread has been the loyal and passionate fans of Des Moines who have cheered on great players of the past like Kurt Warner, Garry Howe, Aaron Garcia and Kevin Swayne and are now watching the development of the current team led by Head Coach Andre Coles.

The Iowa Barnstormers continue to carry out a legacy that began 31 years ago.

THE TRADITION CONTINUES IN IOWA

After the original Iowa Barnstormers franchise moved to New York following the 2000 season, a new franchise was born and the team played in a developmental indoor football league. After one season in 2001, the franchise went dormant for six seasons and came back to life in that same league for two seasons in 2008 and 2009. The franchise then joined another league where they would play for five seasons from 2010 to 2014 before joining the Indoor Football League in 2015.

The long and storied history of Iowa Barnstormers football in Des Moines continues today.

"We've been doing this a long time now," said Barnstormers Owner and President Jeff Lamberti. "We think it's good for the community. It's an important part of the history and to keep this thing going is important and that's why we've done it for so many years. We think we have a really good game. To still be around says a lot so we're pretty proud of that." 

While the focus today is on building a winning team, there is still a nostalgic feel to the franchise. When most people think about the Barnstormer's history, the name Kurt Warner comes to mind. 

The quarterback's incredible football story was launched in 1995 when he was found by then Barnstormers Head Coach John Gregory stocking shelves in a supermarket. Warner played three seasons for the Barnstormers before going on to an NFL career that landed him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His number 13 is retired and hangs from the rafters at Casey's Center where you still see plenty of fans wearing his jersey at home games. 

Even the younger fans. 

"You still see as many jerseys walking around the arena from the 90's as you do more current," said Lamberti. "They're walking around with Kurt Warner stuff or Garry Howe stuff so we're always going to maintain that and we try to blend in merchandise items that try to give a throwback. We do want to preserve our history and make sure our fans are aware of it." 

That history has now spanned through three different leagues, but it's what's happening in the Indoor Football League that really has the 63-year-old Lamberti excited about what lies ahead. The IFL version of indoor football is a bit different than what Barnstormers fans were used to seeing in other leagues in that it mirrors the outdoor game as much as possible on the fifty-yard field surrounded by dasher boards. 

That's why the IFL is the "Major League of Indoor Football". 

"I like the game that we play in indoor football more than the rules of the old leagues," said Lamberti. "I think it's better for our athletes. It has skills that are transferrable to the outdoor game."

And the IFL is stronger now than it has ever been before. 

"I think we're in as good of a position as a league as we've been in the history of me being a part of all these different leagues," said Lamberti. "We have a group of pretty strong owners and I think we're poised to grow. I really think the future is good." 

And the hope is that the Barnstormers can replicate what took place in 2018 when they captured the only league championship in franchise history beating the Sioux Falls Storm 42-38 in the IFL's United Bowl.  

"We'd all like to win another one," said Lamberti. "It was fun (in 2018). It was really rewarding for all the work that we had done for so long. We want to get back to that."

Another championship in Des Moines would certainly have a nice ring to it.

LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER

When the Barnstormers returned to the fifty-yard field in 2008, John Pettit was named team's Chief Operating Officer. As the years went on, Pettit also served as the team's Vice-President and General Manager until he passed away in 2020 as a result of complications from COVID-19. He was once described by Lamberti as "the heart and soul of the team" because he had such a positive impact on every aspect of the franchise.

Through all of those years, his daughter Juli was learning the ropes working in a variety of capacities with the Barnstormers including merchandising, game operations, internal operations, community relations, and media relations. Juli was inspired by her father to pursue a career in sports and she worked her way up the ladder to where she is now holding one of her father's positions as she was named the Barnstormers' General Manager in 2021.

"I was very lucky in the fact that he worked in sports his entire life and I think a lot of my knowledge I learned (from him) without realizing it," said Pettit. "I was able to learn a lot before I even realized I was learning a lot. It just felt really natural to eventually follow in those footsteps." 

To say that Pettit grew up around the team would be an understatement. As she was finishing up high school and going on to college to major in sports management, her intentions were not necessarily to work for the Barnstormers, but as history would have it, it was her destiny. 

She interned for another pro sports team and then she interned for the Barnstormers…and the rest, as they say, is history.

"I just kind of fell into it because it was something that I just really enjoyed doing," said Pettit. "Being able to step into that position…it definitely means a lot to me."

So much so that she played a big role in reconnecting the current team to the past when the team brought back the wings on the front of the Barnstormers jersey and the propellers down the side of the pants. Throw in one of the most recognizable helmets in all of football and you have the Iowa Barnstormers going "Back to the Future". 

"We recognize that it is about being with the community and being as involved as possible and that's something that we really pride ourselves on," said Pettit. "That means a lot to us. 

John Pettit certainly has to be smiling down from heaven.

His daughter had a chance to learn so much from him and now she is trying to emulate as much of his contributions to the franchise as possible. 

"He was definitely an inspiration," said Pettit. "He very much cared about his staff and about the people around him and that's what he put first and that's what I try to carry into my role as well." 

Appropriately, in 2021, Juli Pettit was the first recipient of the IFL's John Pettit Person of the Year Award, given out annually by the league to "a caring individual who always has the best interest of their team, fan base, community and the Indoor Football League in mind." 

BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN IOWA

Building a winning team, in any sport, is not an easy thing to do and the Barnstormers are certainly going through some growing pains. After a 1-15 campaign in 2025, the Barnstormers are off to an 0-4 start this season. But with new Head Coach Andre Coles on board, the plan is for the Barnstormers to get back to their winning ways.

The team believes that Coles is the right person for the job as he brings an impressive resume to the Barnstormers. Coles was previously the Head Coach of the Frisco Fighters and the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator of the Tulsa Oilers. 

"We've struggled the last few years and we're off to a rough start although with the new coach, you have to give him time," said Lamberti. "He's driven to get where he needs to be. He's been a winner everywhere he's been and I'm pretty confident we'll get there. We're not here just to take up space. We want to win." 

It's year one of a new program in Iowa, so much of the Barnstormers roster is inexperienced. There are some players to keep an eye on including Ivan Corbin who took over the quarterback duties for this past weekend's loss in Green Bay and threw two touchdown passes while also adding a touchdown run. 

The people who follow the Barnstormers on a daily and weekly basis can see that there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. 

"I'm very honored to call games for the IFL and the Barnstormers, said play-by-play broadcaster Alex Cohen. "All you have to do is have one conversation with Coach Coles to know how serious they are when it comes to building a winner in Des Moines. There is a clear and meticulous process and intentionality with the decisions of that organization. Good things are on the horizon."

"I couldn't be more impressed with Andre Coles and the passion he has for wanting to revitalize the Barnstormers franchise," said analyst Anthony Herron. "I do think the team we see later in the season will likely be drastically different than the one we're seeing here early in the season and that's going to be a great thing for Barnstormers fans to follow their path getting to that point." 

And that knowledgeable fan base in Iowa is hungry for a winner and it looks like they are on the right path with a coaching staff in place that has a plan on how to build a successful team. 

The Iowa Barnstormers have been one of the most iconic franchises in the history of indoor football dating back to their birth in 1995. This is a franchise with a history of winning including five division championships, two conference championships and the 2018 Indoor Football League championship.

As they build a new winning team, brick by brick, the organization continues to be a sense of pride for the community as they look to bring another championship to the indoor football fans of Des Moines.