Eyes on the End Zone
Photo by Brynne Norton
Article by Reese Borchert
NEWBERG, Ore. - For football fans, Stoffer Family Stadium is the place to be on a fall Saturday afternoon. For those making the games possible, the process begins long before kickoff.
At 8:30 a.m. on the day of a home game, football players start with team chapel and breakfast in Canyon Commons. Meanwhile, George Fox University (GFU) Director of Athletics Adam Puckett arrives earlier, with his suit to change into later. Puckett and the rest of the department staff begin preparing the stadium, turf, and technology required for the game to run smoothly.
The facilities are ready to welcome fans after extensive cleaning, checking, reserving, and set up. Everything must be arranged from the student section to the vendors in the parking lot.
At the first home matchup against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, about 2,690 attendees were counted entering the stands. With crowds this large, it would be a considerable liability if someone failed to store the rake for the long jump pit.
“It’s a rhythm that we have: game week,” says Puckett. Considering all the logistics to manage, “livestream, play clocks, scoreboard, anthem, run out, visiting team, sideline video…” game day isn’t just a task for Athletics, but also Media Production Services, Plant Services, and Campus Public Safety.
“I’m honestly stressed until the minute we kickoff,” says Puckett. The ones running onto the field might say the opposite. Many GFU football athletes began playing when they were in elementary or middle school, proving that preparation takes years.
The program has refreshed their coaching staff and is hoping to develop under new leadership. A group of sophomore athletes who experienced last season with the old staff have detected shifting tides. They agree that Head Coach Spencer Crace took the team and “formed a brotherhood.”
“The culture has changed, the way the coaches have integrated faith and are prioritizing character,” says Noah Lubisich, a sophomore defensive end.
“He brings God into 90 percent of what we do,” says Gage Gibson, a sophomore wide receiver. This applies during practice time, and after, when Crace encourages the players to be involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“It is great to have coaches that care not just about football but the guys, and how we turn out as men,” says Kuyper Assink, a sophomore defensive end.
Sunday evenings, the team gathers at Northwest Christian Church for a team dinner. “We break bread and talk amongst ourselves,” says Assink.
During these dinners, they enjoy listening to Crace tell stories with biblical truths that teach them spiritual lessons. Through this, a stronger connection is established between teammates as well as coaches
“The culture’s there, so it’ll start showing up on the field soon,” says Lubisich. He has noticed more energy on the sidelines, and describes practice as more focused and fast-paced than in the past.
“Sports draw in the kids that wouldn’t necessarily come to George Fox, and I love that,” says Puckett. The athletic department at GFU is “aimed at the eternal” and exists to connect lovers of the game to the truth about what Christ has done for them.
There remains a competitive edge as well, and the desire to win is strong. “I want the good for you in that,” Puckett says regarding victory for the student-athlete.
The defensive line shows up to the field two hours before kickoff to get additional work in. “But at the end of the day, every day, it is always worth it,” says Assink.
Members of the GFU community, ranging from students, to donors, to coaches, continue to support the football program and anticipate its near future success.
