#CuseCamp16: Football Spends Off Day at Fort Drum
8/21/2016 3:45:00 PM | Football
FORT DRUM, N.Y. – For the fifth straight year, the Syracuse University football team traveled to Fort Drum to learn from the men and women of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division. The Orange conducted a football clinic for the children of military personnel, ate lunch with members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and enjoyed a rainsoaked afternoon on the paintball course.
The day of community engagement and team-building is the extension of a partnership that began in 2012 when the Orange first spent a portion of preseason camp on post.
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"I have been a part of a lot different things," SU head coach Dino Babers said. "I have never been a partner with a military base, a unit, a famous unit, an active unit. This is the real deal. It really is an honor. It's special. It really is special."
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"When you look at it from a larger perspective, we are both on teams," said Lt. Col. Christopher Morris, commander of the 41st Engineer Battalion. "Every day we wake up and do hard, physical training. They do the same thing. We are always focused on winning. I think there is a lot of similarities between the two."
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The team kicked off the day by holding a youth football clinic. Orange players and staff led the children through various drills aimed at improving their fundamentals. After the clinic, senior linebacker Eric Anthony and redshirt junior quarterback Austin Wilson addressed the participants.
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"The kids here, you could see the excitement," Morris said. "It's really great to see the bond with the players and children going through there. They are developing future football players and future leaders of our nation."
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From there, the Orange sat down for lunch with the men and women of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and their commanding officers. Babers was presented with a ceremonial jersey, commemorating the five-year anniversary of the relationship between the Syracuse football program and Fort Drum. Babers, Morris, and Syracuse University Vice Chancellor for Veteran and Military Affairs Michael Haynie also addressed the media regarding the importance of the partnership and the recently announced football series with Army West Point.
In the afternoon, a little rain didn't stop the Orange from playing a series of informal paintball games with the soldiers.
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"I think the more time we spend around our military personnel, we understand how much we need to appreciate them," Babers said. "Anything that we can do to help them in the future in any way, if it is within my power, we will definitely do it."
Syracuse returns to the practice field Monday. The Orange have one more week of preseason before gearing up for the 2016 season opener Friday, Sept. 2 against Colgate.
Season and individual game tickets for Orange football are on sale now online, by phone (888-DOMETIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $99 ($16.50 per game) with lower-level seats in the end zones available for as little as $125. Single-game tickets start at $20 for non-conference games against Colgate and USF, $25 for the Louisville and NC State games, and $30 for the Virginia Tech and Florida State contests.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse and Syracuse football, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Football), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseFootball), Instagram (@Cusepics, @CuseFootball) and watch exclusive video content on Cuse TV.
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The day of community engagement and team-building is the extension of a partnership that began in 2012 when the Orange first spent a portion of preseason camp on post.
Â
"I have been a part of a lot different things," SU head coach Dino Babers said. "I have never been a partner with a military base, a unit, a famous unit, an active unit. This is the real deal. It really is an honor. It's special. It really is special."
Â
"When you look at it from a larger perspective, we are both on teams," said Lt. Col. Christopher Morris, commander of the 41st Engineer Battalion. "Every day we wake up and do hard, physical training. They do the same thing. We are always focused on winning. I think there is a lot of similarities between the two."
Â
The team kicked off the day by holding a youth football clinic. Orange players and staff led the children through various drills aimed at improving their fundamentals. After the clinic, senior linebacker Eric Anthony and redshirt junior quarterback Austin Wilson addressed the participants.
Â
"The kids here, you could see the excitement," Morris said. "It's really great to see the bond with the players and children going through there. They are developing future football players and future leaders of our nation."
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Some of the best ?? from today's paintball action at @drum10thmtn. ???? #OrangeIsTheNewFast pic.twitter.com/GRlQ2HCEkT
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) August 21, 2016
From there, the Orange sat down for lunch with the men and women of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and their commanding officers. Babers was presented with a ceremonial jersey, commemorating the five-year anniversary of the relationship between the Syracuse football program and Fort Drum. Babers, Morris, and Syracuse University Vice Chancellor for Veteran and Military Affairs Michael Haynie also addressed the media regarding the importance of the partnership and the recently announced football series with Army West Point.
In the afternoon, a little rain didn't stop the Orange from playing a series of informal paintball games with the soldiers.
Â
"I think the more time we spend around our military personnel, we understand how much we need to appreciate them," Babers said. "Anything that we can do to help them in the future in any way, if it is within my power, we will definitely do it."
Syracuse returns to the practice field Monday. The Orange have one more week of preseason before gearing up for the 2016 season opener Friday, Sept. 2 against Colgate.
Season and individual game tickets for Orange football are on sale now online, by phone (888-DOMETIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $99 ($16.50 per game) with lower-level seats in the end zones available for as little as $125. Single-game tickets start at $20 for non-conference games against Colgate and USF, $25 for the Louisville and NC State games, and $30 for the Virginia Tech and Florida State contests.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse and Syracuse football, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Football), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseFootball), Instagram (@Cusepics, @CuseFootball) and watch exclusive video content on Cuse TV.
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