Christopher Eugene Respress is former

indoor American football Indoor American football, or arena football, is a variation of gridiron football played at ice hockey-sized indoor arenas. While varying in details from league to league, the rules of indoor football are designed to allow for play in a smaller a ...

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

. He played football and also ran

track & field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

collegiately at

Defiance College Defiance College is a private college located in Defiance, Ohio and affiliated with the United Church of Christ. The campus includes eighteen buildings and access to the Thoreau Wildlife Sanctuary. History The college began as Defiance Female ...

Early life

Chris was a graduate of Meadowdale High School in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

. He excelled in both football and track & field.

College career

Chris attended

, an

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...

institution in

Defiance, Ohio Defiance is a city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States, about southwest of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo and northeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Ohio's northwestern corner. The population was 16,494 at the 2010 United State ...

. He was a standout member of both the football and track & field teams.

Football

While on the football team, Chris played under coaches Robert Taylor and Greg Pscodna.

Track & Field

Chris' most outstanding school record places. *He's tied for 5th fastest 100 M Dash times in school history with - 10.83 (2001) *He owns the 4th fastest 200 M Dash time in school history with - 22.76 (2001) *Owns the 10th longest jump in the school's Long Jump history with - 20' 8" (2003) *Owns the 8th longest jump in the school's Triple Jump history with - 41' 8" (2001)

Professional career

Miami Valley Silverbacks

In 2007, Respress quickly jumped at the opportunity to try out for the local indoor football team, the

Miami Valley Silverbacks The Dayton Silverbacks were a professional indoor football team based in Dayton, Ohio. The team was a member of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The franchise started as the Miami Valley Silverbacks and joined the CIFL in 2007 afte ...

. He made the team and played 3 seasons for them starting as a cornerback, and occasionally returning kicks. He helped the team to their first ever playoff berth. In 2008, he had 47 tackles and 5 interceptions.

Cincinnati Commandos

In 2010, Respress left the more local Silverbacks, to join the newly founded

Cincinnati Commandos The Cincinnati Commandos were a professional indoor football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team suspended operations for the 2013 season, with hope of returning in 2014. They began play in 2010 as an expansion team in the Continental Indo ...

. He contributed 16.5 tackles and three interceptions while starting in a defensive backfield that proved to be the league's best, en route to

CIFL Championship Game The CIFL Championship Game was the annual championship game of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). In 2006, it was the meeting of the two semifinal game winners. Following the 2007 and 2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, cl ...

victory.

Dayton Silverbacks

In 2011, he returned to the Silverbacks, as the team relocated to Dayton. Respress went on to have quite possibly the best season of his indoor football career posting 18.5 tackles, one sack and eight interceptions while leading the Silverbacks to an appearance in the CIFL Playoffs. He was named the 2011 CIFL Defensive Player of the Year, while playing for Defensive Coordinator,

Lorenzo Styles Lorenzo Cavelle Styles (born January 31, 1974) is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for six seasons for the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams, and spent half a season as the Head Coach of the Marion Blue Racers ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Respress, Chris Living people American football defensive backs Dayton Sharks players Cincinnati Commandos players Defiance Yellow Jackets football players Players of American football from Dayton, Ohio Year of birth missing (living people)