Cavs' Gilmore, Main set to retire after AIFA Bowl II

Offensive lineman Ray Gilmore will be retiring from the Wyoming Cavalry after the finish of the championship game. Photo by Tim Kupsick, Star-Tribune.

By DAVID BUCK
Star-Tribune staff writer

Ray Gilmore and Jeff Main are putting their families before football.

The Wyoming Cavalry teammates are retiring after Friday's AIFA Bowl II against the Florence Phantoms in Florence, S.C, leaving Casper to focus on those closest to them.

"I do need to be done," said Main, a Wyoming linebacker. "If I got a chance to play in the AFL, obviously you can't pass on a chance like that, but as far as this league and stuff, my daughter needs me now and it's hard to take care of her when I'm living in another city."

Main's daughter is 3 years old and he'll move to Las Vegas on Monday to become a personal trainer so he can be in the same city as her. Though he loves football and has played it for 20 years, he said it's worth giving up playing to be with his daughter.

He has been a defensive stalwart for the Cavalry for the past three years. The 29-year-old leads Wyoming with 66.5 tackles, 14 of them for a loss and has four fumble recoveries and an interception. Main has played seven years of indoor football, and was an iron man up until this season.

Main missed a game against Utah on June 6 because of twisted ankle, but estimated that was the first contest he missed in more than 70 games.

While he is about to move, Gilmore has already left Casper and is starting his new life in Houston. The 25-year-old center will be coaching the freshman football team and the varsity offensive line while teaching physical education at Aldine High School, where he has reunited with his high school coach and is closer to Fort Worth, Texas, where he grew up.

He'll leave Casper, where he had held two jobs outside of football to "keep afloat" his family, which includes a 3-month-old and a 4-year-old.

"That's how my dad raised me -- family first," Gilmore said. "It ain't the kids' fault. They didn't have a choice. We don't think it's fair to them that they should live poor and humbly. Some people have no choice. If I have to work two jobs that's what I have to do."

Gilmore said his new job is "a big pay increase" and will allow him to coach before heading home to his family instead of going to another job. He retires after three seasons with Wyoming and five years in professional football.

"We'll miss (Main and Gilmore)," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "Just their personalities and what they mean to us off the field. Jeff is a father figure. Ray is a hardworking guy. You can't replace guys like that, but in this game it happens. Guys move on to do different things, and it's just good to see that they are moving on to good things in their life.

"They didn't burn themselves out and they are not leaving this game with nothing. They are advancing their lives, and that's always good to see."

It would be even better if they could move on as AIFA champions. Neither player has won an indoor title, though Main made it to the National Indoor Football Association championship twice.

"I want to win this, and it will make it a lot easier to move on," Main said.

Gilmore feels the same way.

"That would be greatest feeling ever," he said. "To retire on winning the championship."

Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com

AIFA BOWL II TRACKER

AIFA BOWL II: Wyoming at Florence, 5:45 p.m., Friday, Florence (S.C.) Civic Center.

RECORDS: Cavalry (13-3); Phantoms (12-4).

RETIRING CAVS: Wyoming center Ray Gilmore and linebacker Jeff Main are retiring after this season. Gilmore moved to Houston last week and is working as the freshman head coach and varsity offensive line coach at Aldine High School. Main is moving to Las Vegas next week so he can be in the same city as his daughter.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Both Gilmore and Main said winning AIFA Bowl II would help ease the pain of retirement.

HE SAID IT: "That would be greatest feeling ever, to retire on winning the championship." -- Gilmore.