Attempts to bring a football club to Oakland University have proven to be a success.

Faculty adviser Nic Bongers said he noticed a growing interest in the idea of a Grizzlies football team.

“Our campus and public response to our club since we got approved has been nothing short of overwhelming,” Bongers said. “There is definitely a buzz on campus about our football team. It has energized faculty and staff on campus who have pledged their support, and they are already asking about attending games.”

English grad assistant Allison Bohn put the football club in touch with the OU Filmmaker’s Guild with the idea of a documentary of the team’s beginnings. The Guild was on board from the start, with plans to release the documentary on DVD and YouTube in the future.

“We have a unified vision on how we want it to turn out,” Bongers said. “We want to preserve our first year to show our efforts of getting this started to future generations of OU students.”

 

Getting started

The team joined the National Club Football Association in the Great Lakes Conference. Other teams in the conference include UM-Flint, Ohio State University, University of Miami (OH), Wright State, Southern Illinois University, Xavier and Loyola University.

Rawlings, the sports equipment manufacturer and retailer, is a big sponsor of the NCFA. Originally, the uniform and equipment costs for each player would have been just under $1000. Due to the sponsorship discount, they would now owe $650 instead.

“Players will own all of their equipment,” Bongers said. “It is so much cheaper to buy a helmet and pads from us than getting them off the street.”

The club will accept money for pads and club dues soon. This is how the players commit to playing for the team. Bongers said that there are around 50 students interested in playing.

“We keep them up to date with an eSpace and Facebook page,” Bongers said. “Money is trickling in for club dues and equipment. It’s been great so far. Once their dues come in, they’ll officially be committed and on the team.”

On a yet-to-be-determined date in March, the club will have a fitting day for ordering pads.

“Our schedule will solidify soon,” Bongers said. “Our fall season should be around six conference games between September and into early November.”

The original plan for the team was to play their home games at the Pontiac Silverdome. Due to renovations, it was unavailable. It is likely that they will use Rochester High School’s football field instead, with hopes to use the Silverdome next year.

 

‘A dream job’

Of course, it would not be a team without the leadership and guidance of a head coach. The Grizzlies found that management in Kenny Meyers.

“This is a dream job to me,” Meyers said. “This is the opportunity to be a part of something special, something great. Since we are a new team, everything we accomplish is going to be history and will lay the ground work for building a tradition.”

Meyers is already impressed with the work ethic and attitude of the new team.

“I have a group of young men here that do not use the word ‘I’, everything is ‘we’,” Meyers said. “This showed me quickly that there are no individuals here, only a team. A coach lives for this mindset in his team. You hope that frame of mind develops over a season as you watch a group of kids become a team. That’s when success happens.”

Meyers said that the Oakland football club has the potential to be bigger than anyone has imagined.

“I believe the future of Oakland football is very bright and will only grow and flourish,” Meyers said. “It is something that is long overdue in the area and will create excitement.”

 

Working hard

In order to prepare for future competition, the football team has been training in the Recreation Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 a.m. Club officers Brandon Walker and Bradley Schwarze lead the lifting regiment, which is voluntary.

“People that come are showing their commitment and we are building our team identity through it as well,” Bongers said. “Nobody is turned away.”

David Brosky, president of the club, along with club officers Nick Taylor and Chris Harris, round out a staff that made a dream become reality.

“I have a group of young men who believe failure is not an option,” Meyers said. “I believe everyone will see that I do have a group of great young men who just happen to play football.”

Contact Sports Editor Lindsay Beaver via email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @lindsaybeavs