On Top of a Mountain Nate Cusumano

On Top of a Mountain

     On top of a mountain in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania is the upper campus of Bloomsburg University. This is the home of the division two football team, the Bloomsburg Huskies. The practice field, located in upper campus, is where the prestigious team prepares for their games. Practice being the most important part of winning a football game it cannot be taken lightly. Its sole purpose is to prepare the Huskies for the game they have that Saturday. The Huskies have a tradition of winning that has always defined their identity.

    

     The practice field painted with white chalk lines covers the green grass that stretches long and wide. There are views of enormous rolling hills surrounding the entire field. Being on top of the mountain there are great views from the top of the hill. There are two wooden towers placed on the field, this is where Coach Darragh films the practices. Football players gather inside the field displaying maroon and white jerseys that separate the offense and defense. The offense wearing white and the defense wearing maroon you can see them working hard throughout the field surrounded by their coaches. Red pads lay on the beaten and battered dirt to assist in drills for the players. Cones are placed sporadically along the field to assist in the drills. Water bottles are placed around the field in green carriers that await the thirsty players. Athletic trainers are working hastily to make sure the water bottles are always full and that the players play safe.

      As the athletes run onto the practice field they begin the first part of practice, which is called pre-practice. This is a time for coaches to talk about what they are installing into the game plan and for the players to get warmed up. After the head coach, Paul Darragh, blows his whistle, it alerts the players to begin stretching. Lined up 5 yards apart each athlete stretches simultaneously. After the stretching is finished pre-practice is complete. The next session is called individuals and the team breaks up and runs to their groups. They begin their position-oriented session of practice. The following and final session of practice is called team. Team is when everyone comes together and there is offense versus defense.  By servicing each other, both sides of the ball work the game plan for the coming Saturday. Practice concludes with conditioning, then the coach says a few things and dismisses the players from practice.

     "Practice is a place to get better. It's a lot of hard work but the game should be the easy part." explained Qmac Quiteh, a member of the team. Many bystanders can observe the focus and work hard created during the two hours they are out there. You can see proof of the hustle from sweat beading down their fatigue expressed faces. "I come to practice with a mindset to get things done," expresses Qmac, which reinforces the player's motto of working hard.

     Players' attitudes during practice and games go a long way with their tradition of winning. "The men on this team never quit, even in the face of adversity. I think that is how we've grown to have a winning organization," Head Coach Paul Darragh explained. During practice there is very little small talk and joking around, everyone is there to work and to get better. Having a winning season for sixteen years straight goes to show that the winning tradition in Bloomsburg is something very real. Season after season the huskies continue to be above .500, made possible by the sacrifices made on the practice field.

     Being a powerhouse in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference would never come easy. The blood sweat and tears spent on the practice field is the key ingredient to the success of the Huskies. Ironically hours of hard work on top of a mountain has helped the Huskies remain on top of a very steep conference. With a tradition of winning, a culture of hard work and a consistency to get better the Huskies can only be who they are with their preparations made on that practice field.