FOOTBALL: Respect Weekend Is A Great Gesture

BIG RAPIDS - This weekend, Ferris State University and Ashland University will be competing their hearts out on the football field trying to get a win.

Before, during and after the game, there will be a focus on sportsmanship between the Bulldogs and the Eagles and between foes on the gridiron around the nation. We hear about so many of the bad things that so often are associated with college athletics and we hear way too much about the lack of sportsmanship.

This event, being sponsored by the American Football Coaches Association, is a great move to give a little reminder to a good number of people that there is great competition on the field, but there can still be competition with sportsmanship.

Here is a portion of the press release from Athletics Communications:

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University football program will take part in a nationwide effort to promote sportsmanship with a special ceremonial pregame handshake prior to this Saturday evening's (Sept. 5) contest against Ashland at Top Taggart Field.

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the NCAA are partnering on the national sportsmanship initiative called "RESPECT Weekend," which is set to begin with the Sept. 3-7 weekend of the college football season.

The AFCA and NCAA are encouraging all college football teams to meet at midfield before the kickoff of each game for a pregame handshake. The two head coaches and the two directors of athletics (or a representative of the athletics department) are to lead the sportsmanship gesture.

FSU head coach Jeff Pierce and Ashland head coach Lee Owens will highlight the pregame handshake along with FSU Athletics Director Tom Kirinovic and AU Athletics Director Bill Goldring in addition to players and staff from both institutions prior to the coin toss.

"This is a symbolic initiative that says to the football world, our fans, our students, our student-athletes and athletics departments that sportsmanship is a vital part of the successful football programs we have in this country," said AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff. "We wanted to show sportsmanship in a clear way."

For the full press release, visit: http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/fball/2009-10/releases/respectweekend