League News · 2027 Expansion

Announcing the New Dallas Grid League Team

The United Grid League is adding a team in Dallas-Fort Worth for the 2027 season, and the three people building it already know the league from the inside. Joel Del Rosario, Rebecca Rouse, and Jocelyn Williams all come from the Tampa Bay Brigade. Rouse and Williams played for the Brigade as strength specialists, and Del Rosario has helped run the team as its general manager.

Dallas as the Perfect Grid League City

Players from the Dallas area already compete on Grid League rosters, and Texas is the second most active state in the country for Grid League players, online viewers, and events. The Houston Bandits have played in the state since 2025. Additionally, the 2026 regular season ended in Mesquite, just east of Dallas, with six matches over two days at the North Texas Strength Expo.

“Dallas has a massive, high-energy sports culture and fan base. After playing at the North Texas Strength Expo for the past two years, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring a new sports team to DFW in 2027. I am incredibly excited to introduce Grid to the community that I love and call home.”

Rebecca Rouse

A Leading Sports Market

Dallas-Fort Worth fans support a team in every major American league including prominent teams in the Big Four, FC Dallas in MLS, and the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.

Del Rosario, who lives in the Dallas area with Rouse, says the mix of skills on the Grid is what will bring those fans in.

“Grid brings together some of the best high-performance athletes in the world. There’s something special about seeing gymnastics, weightlifting, speed, skill, and raw strength work together to accomplish a mission. I’m looking forward to showing the world what the Dallas team can do.”

Joel Del Rosario

The Ownership Group

Del Rosario is a retired U.S. Marine who received the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat in Iraq. He is also a strength and conditioning coach known for his kettlebell training. He and Rouse, who are married, founded READI Performance Solutions, a tactical strength and conditioning business, and the Semper Stronger Foundation, which supports injured service members and first responders. Along with his general manager work for the Brigade, he and Rebecca have helped in various roles at the League level to gain experience and to help out as needed.

Rouse joined the Brigade as a rookie in 2024 and plays as a strength specialist. She competed in gymnastics for 12 years before moving to kettlebells and then to Olympic weightlifting in 2018. At the 2024 USAW National Championships she placed third in the 64kg weight class with a 206kg total, made up of a 92kg (203lb) snatch and a 114kg (251lb) clean and jerk. She is a 3-time Texas state weightlifting champion, and she works as a tactical strength coach for military members and first responders.

Williams joined the Brigade midway through the 2023 season and played her first full season in 2024 as a strength specialist. She swam competitively for 12 years, including at the Division I collegiate level, and now competes in Olympic weightlifting. Outside of the Grid, she works as an oncology physician assistant in Tampa and owns a small business teaching strength training to cancer survivors.

Rebecca Rouse (left) and Jocelyn Williams (right) competing for the Tampa Bay Brigade in 2026.

“Grid has changed my life over the past four years. It has introduced me to some of my best friends, strengthened my confidence as an athlete, and given me a true appreciation for what it means to be part of a team. When presented with the opportunity to partner with Rebecca and Joel to build a Grid team in Dallas, the decision was easy. I’m excited to help grow the league and create more opportunities for athletes to experience what Grid has given me. My hope is to leave the sport even better than how we found it.”

Jocelyn Williams

Meet the Dallas Deputies

The Dallas Deputies will play their first season in 2027. League Commissioner Mather Wiswall pointed to what the three owners have done both inside and outside the sport.

“This ownership group represents a lot of positive impact within the sport of Grid, but also outside of it. That includes impressive accomplishments in athletics, the military, business, their communities, and an overall positive influence on the world. The collective Grid team ownership group just improved, and we added an incredible sports market to boot. We are very excited.”

Mather Wiswall, Commissioner, United Grid League

In a joint statement, Del Rosario, Rouse and Williams said they plan to combine their unique perspectives to build a cohesive Dallas team.

“The Grid League has afforded us countless unforgettable moments and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Expanding into a new market feels like a logical next step for us, and we can’t wait to apply the lessons we’ve learned to help grow the sport.”

Up Next

Before the Deputies take the floor in 2027, the 2026 Grid League Championships run Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Dallas Deputies will be there, and anyone interested in getting involved with the new team can meet the owners at the event.

Have a question? Email us at staff@unitedgridleague.com