GU Football: Inside the Locker Room

Credits by Eric Kranh

Every college football program around the world is different. Greenville University’s football team is unique in its own way. From the outside looking in many people are unaware of how the football team operates. Many people only see the team perform on Saturdays or just read about it on the website not knowing what really goes into the program. The players, coaches, and servant warriors all play a role in making the GU football program unique. Personally, for me I’ve been a part of another college program and it’s a big difference. The coaches and players here have a wonderful connection with each other.

Transitioning from previous years to this year specifically, the football roster is smaller than it has been in the past. The reasoning behind that is “the focus level will be much higher among the team and everyone would be moving in the same direction,” as Coach Schomaker explained. This makes it easier for the players to buy into the program and so they are able to “embracing the process” as the coaches say. This is one of their four core values of the program. The other three are ME vs ME, Others Over Self, and Reject Passivity. The team has a meeting every Tuesday morning. To start these meetings, coaches ask for prayer requests and they pray as a team. Also the team learns about football through Christ and put him at the center of the program.

The coaches are teaching the players more about life skills and how to overcome any adversity that may come their way. The coaches are strong believers in shaping their players into great men. So in the future they will be better husbands, fathers, or whatever God may call them to be. The program is bigger than football. If the coaches don’t make an positive impact on their players the coaches will feel like they failed at their jobs.

Graduating from the program is always difficult, but with the help of the coaches installing knowledge into their players, it becomes an easier process. The coaches help the players transition from college into the real world a bit easier by setting up certain situations that will prepare them for any adversity. We had a chance to sit down with Tywon Bender who is an alumnus of the football program. The first question that was asked was “What life skills did you learn from the coaches at GU & how did it equip you for life after college?” He replied with “The life skill I took from the coaches is communication. After college, I went right into technology which involves me interacting with 800 plus students and staff daily. Lines of communication is very important when it comes to sending messages and making sure everyone is on the same page.” The next thing question we asked was, “If you could describe the GU Football program what would you say?” He explained that the program helped him find himself being a young man going through a crazy world. Coming right out of high school all he knew was football but from freshman year to his senior year he learned that life is more than just a game. He had to think outside the box and understand the in and outs of daily life. This program continues to build authentic men and future role models.

Media by Eric Kranh

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