COMPILED BY JOHN DELL, Winston-Salem Journal■ Fans who go to WSSU games at Bowman Gray Stadium will get a surprise - parking is no longer free.
Parking will cost at least $5 per car for all four WSSU home games starting with the Sept. 1 game against rival N.C. A&T. There will be extra costs for tailgating around the stadium.
“I don’t know of any other Division I program in the country that doesn’t charge for parking on game day,” Athletics Director Chico Caldwell said. “With Winston-Salem State never charging for parking before in its history it will be something different.”
Caldwell said that the city agreed to help with the parking with its employees manning the lots around the stadium.
“After expenses, we will get the revenue from parking,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell hopes that more fans will tailgate. He says that nearly 100 fans have already bought season-parking passes for the four home games that include a spot to tailgate.
Fans can buy season parking passes in various categories ($30 for just parking or $60 for parking and tailgating). There is also another category for tailgating with a recreational vehicle for $120 for the season.
For more information or questions about the parking policy call 750-2141.
■ Coach Kermit Blount instituted a rule during spring practice - players are no longer allowed to attend nightclubs here.
A violation can result in a player’s being removed from the team.
“He banned that in spring ball,” lineman Lonnie Teasley said.
Teasley, who is 23 and a sixth-year senior, says that the rule makes sense.
“A lot of stuff was going on and us as football players don’t need to be in those places, especially during the season,” Teasley said. “We can be front-page material, so it’s best for us and for the university to not go out and take the chance of getting into trouble.”
■ Since the Rams hired a new trainer before last season, the number of injuries is way down.
Darrell Turner, a 2002 graduate of Florida, was a student trainer for the Gators, and he also spent a summer as an intern with the Atlanta Falcons.
He made sweeping changes to the athletics-training department when he took over.
So far this preseason the Rams have suffered just one season-ending knee injury, and that was to defensive lineman Edward Joyner, a redshirt sophomore.
Turner said that taking extra precautions during practices is a must because of the heat during the past two weeks. He weighs each player between the two-a-day practices to make sure they haven’t lost too much weight.
“If they aren’t up to their normal weight for the second practice that day then we make sure they get more fluids into them,” Turner said.
He also constantly gives the players electrolyte-powder packets.
“At one practice, the heat index was up to 108,” he said. “What those packets do is a little different than Gatorade. The powder doesn’t sit in your stomach, which can happen when you drink too much Gatorade.”
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