BLOG 6: Ferris battles through tough Michigan weather conditions

By Sandy Gholston

Big Rapids - - This week in particular weather conditions have not always been particularly cooperative for Ferris State’s football team, but the show must go on.

Ferris State University defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Duane Wilson instructs the linebackers through a drill during practice this week in Big Rapids at Top Taggart Field. (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

Thank goodness for Top Taggart Field’s artificial turf. Though this particular turf is an older model, that is now outdated and scheduled to be scrapped this summer in favor of a state-of-the-art and $1 million dollar replacement, it still serves a valuable purpose this time of the year when weather wreaks havoc on natural grass. The new turf should be fully installed by Aug. 1, said Richard Duffett, vice president for Administration and Finance, at the March 21 Board of Trustees meeting. In the meantime, it’s business as usual on the old turf that was installed in 1998. At times this week, Ferris’ team has braved rainy, cold and windy conditions, but that is all part of college football in the state of Michigan – whether it’s spring or late in the fall.

“We’ve had some tough times, but that’s once again a reason we’re fortunate to have this artificial turf that allows us to be able to continue to compete even when the weather is not ideal like it has been,” Ferris head coach Jeff Pierce said as he continues to put the Bulldog players through the fundamentals that are typical of spring practice and necessary to younger players who do not have the game experience of the veterans. “To be honest, if we were on the grass with the amount of water and snow it has taken and with the rain we’ve had this week, we’d be sliding around all over the place in mud.

“That’s why the turf is so good and the new turf we’re going to have installed is going to be even better for our program.”

Prior to the start of spring practice, Pierce felt it might be at least a couple of weeks before his players might practice on natural grass. However, this week’s heavy rainfall and cold conditions have slowed down that plan.

“The weather hasn’t always been great, but we’re still out here and we still have work to do,” said Pierce, whose team canceled the scheduled first date of practice with the plan being to make that practice up at a later date.

The team wanted to get this week’s practices in to be well-prepared for its first scrimmage of the spring, on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. at Top Taggart Field.

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