MUSKEGON – No matter what league they’ve played in over the years, there’s been one constant about the West Michigan Ironmen – they win a lot of games and have a reputation to uphold.

That’s incentive enough for the Ironmen, who will kick off their 2022 season on Saturday night at 7 p.m. with a showdown against the Charlotte Thunder, another traditional power in the indoor football world.

The Ironmen won’t be competing for a league championship this year, because the new league they joined in the offseason is still taking shape.

But they will play more games this season – between six and eight, compared to four last season – and they will be competing against higher-caliber teams.

Pride will be on the line for the Ironmen, and they will go all out to defend it, according to Nate Smith, the team’s general manager and head coach.

“These guys take a lot of pride in playing for Muskegon, and being the best they can be for each other,” Smith said. “They have a lot of high standards they hold themselves to. These guys love to play, and we love to give them the opportunity to do so.”

The Ironmen will again have a lot of familiar names on the roster, as well as some talented newcomers. When asked to compare the talent level of the current Ironmen to past versions of the team, Smith said it’s too early to say, but he definitely likes the early signs.

He says he will know a lot more after Saturday, when the Ironmen play the Thunder in a matchup of teams that were both undefeated last season.

“In some ways we will be as good as we’ve ever been,” the coach said. “We have the potential to be a very, very good team, and right away we will be playing another team with a lot of really good players. As a coach you would like to have a big game like that a few games into the season, but we’re getting it right out of the gate, and we’re excited.

“We will know by Saturday around 10 p.m. just how good we are.”

The most familiar name to fans will be returning quarterback Alex Carder, who has been calling the signals for the Ironmen every year but one since they first started playing in 2016.

Carder has been in football for a long time, but his skills have not abated at all, according to Smith.

“I would say last year he looked better than he did the previous few years, and this year so far I would say the same,” Smith said. “He’s in much better shape physically and his knowledge of the game is great.

“He’s confident, he puts the work in, and he’s a great teammate. He has experience playing literally all around the world, and there’s not a lot that rattles him.”

Carder will again be handing the ball off to veteran running back Dakota Smith, a bulldog of a back who can run over and past a lot of people, which is necessary in arena football, where the field is only 50 yards long and pretty crowded.

“You have to run like Dakota in the indoor game, because there’s not a lot of space,” the coach said about Smith, who’s been an Ironman since the team’s first season. “He’s compact and strong and likes to run physically, yet he’s quick and can make some moves.”

The team’s receiving corps will be upgraded and dangerous this season, the coach said. Perhaps the most lethal threat will be Keyondre Banks-Craig, a Muskegon High School grad who left the Ironmen at midseason last year to play in a higher league, but is back with his hometown team this season.

Joining him will be returning receivers Mike Wynn and John Ross, along with rookies Sterling Alexander and Mason Partlow.

“Number one through number five, the receivers will be as good as we’ve ever had,” Smith said. “When someone gets tired or hurt, we will have other guys to step right in, so we won’t miss a beat.”

Smith is extremely excited about the offensive line, not because there are any new starters, but because last year’s starters – center Danzel Maze and tackles Anthony Younger and Dyron White – have bulked up considerably in the offseason.

That bodes well for the running and passing game.

“The offensive line is in better shape than it’s ever been,” Smith said. “They are the same names, but three different people. This year they are much more explosive, with much more power.

“The more time they can give Carder in the pocket, the more he can slice things up.”

The defense will again be built around linebacker Derek VandenBosch, another veteran who has been with the team since the first year.

“If the defense has an Alex Carder, it’s him,” Smith said about VandenBosch, an Orchard View High School graduate. “He knows the game inside and out, and he’s calm, physical and prepared. He is everything you would ask for in a defensive leader. He is the heart of the defensive side of the ball.”

The defensive line, long known for getting a lot of quarterback sacks, will return intact from a year ago, with veterans Ryan Armstrong, Nick DeKraker, Karey Morrow-Bey and Clay Oliver back to wreak havoc.

“The D line has put in a lot of work, and our coaching staff has installed some different stunts and techniques for them,” Smith said. “We’re excited to get more sacks this season in different ways.”

The defensive secondary will be built around veterans Alje Buiter and Jamaal Abbey.

“Buiter has been getting better and better every year, and we anticipate a breakout season from him,” Smith said. “Abbey is saavy, he anticipates well, he’s a hard worker, and he has a knack for being in the right position at the right time.”