BLOG 35: Redshirting is no walk in the park for Bulldogs

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris’ squad includes a few players who have redshirted previously or are redshirting this campaign (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Taking a redshirt season is not exactly an easy thing. In fact, players who are redshirting oftentimes end up working as hard as or harder than players not sitting out of game action.

Bulldog assistant coaches such as Dave Schlump and Andy Bronkema spend a lot of time working with some of the redshirts. The work is almost a constant. Work takes place before practice, after practice or even prior to some games. Understanding the level the redshirts need to be at, to truly compete at the tough NCAA Division II level in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, assistants like Schlump and Bronkema (and fellow volunteer assistant Bill Killian along with full-time assistant Cory Anderson and head coach Bill Sall) push this year’s group of newcomers, including true freshman Max Gover to work harder to be better.

It isn’t just Gover. Jim Boylan is a redshirt freshman this season who spent much of the 2007-08 campaign being pushed to his limits by the coaching staff to improve. Redshirts do much of the same work (if not more in some ways) and get little glory. Depending on the program, and the situation, sometimes redshirts dress for games (without competing), but other times they simply watch in street clothes from the bench or stands.

But, for some players, redshirting is the only sensible option. It beats wasting a season sitting on the bench (or playing very limited minutes) when a player can get that true freshman season back and attach it to the back end of their career when they’re just reaching their full college potential.

Convincing a kid to redshirt is sometimes a tough sell. But, a lot of the true freshmen who make the decision to sit out and work hard to improve tend to appreciate their decision down the line.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com