For all but the most hardcore-college football fans, practice is an afterthought. As long as players perform well on Saturdays, most casual fans could care less about what goes on at practice.
The field on which the players practice is even less of a concern.
This summer, however, the practice field for Winston-Salem State has taken an extreme beating and could be dangerous for players.
A close look at the practice field reveals sizable patches of dirt, stripped of the grass that once blanketed it. When stepping off the grass and on to the dirt, there is a small, but noticeable drop. Some stretches of bare soil run 15 to 20 yards.
The brutal summer heat that has blanketed Winston-Salem and the Triad for much of the summer has hardened the exposed earth. Throw in an occasional summer shower, and the Rams’ field of dreams can be a potentially dangerous area for players.
The Rams have been forced to practice at their current location, just below the Gaines Center , as a result of WSSU’s recent exponential growth. Their old practice field has been turned into a parking lot. The good news for the Rams is that their current practice field is only a temporary home. A new practice facility will be in the Civitan Park area near Bowman Gray Stadium. It will have both 100- and 50-yard fields. However, the new facility will not be ready until 2008.
In the meantime, the Rams’ current practice field is being used not only by the football team, but also by the band, as well as the cross country and track-and-field teams.
Mike Ketchum, the Rams’ defensive coordinator, believes a big reason for the current condition of the field is the fact that it has become a multi-purpose field.
“The far end is where the shot put is,” Ketchum said, pointing to the far right of the field. “There are some holes down there. The band uses it, everybody uses it. It just gets used a lot.”
In an e-mail, Athletic Director Dr. Chico Caldwell said the field is in about the same condition it is every year. He also said that his major concern is North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley’s ban on watering for state institutions.
“With the team practicing every day, there is not much that can be done about the field until the season is over,” Caldwell said. “I think the team will be fine.”
While most players said the condition of the field is something they didn’t give much thought to, they are aware of the effect the ground has on their bodies.
“I don’t really think about it too much,” said one player who asked to be unidentified. “But after practice, my feet do hurt.”