The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2022 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY ANTHONY BROOME T he football pro- gram will be re- starting its team trips this summer with a trek around the state of Michigan, it was an- nounced on March 7. The continuation of a "series of educational and experiential learn- ing opportunities" is tentatively scheduled for July 22-29. H e a d c o a c h J i m Harbaugh has taken his team on three of these trips since his arrival in 2015. The Wolverines spent a week in Rome, It- aly, in 2017, saw Paris and Normandy, France, in 2018 and traveled to Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2019. Michigan did not travel during 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Team spokespeople revealed that mem- bers of the senior class approached their head coach to bring the trips back after a positive experience earlier in their col- lege careers. "Harbaugh believes that not all learn- ing is done in a classroom and that these trips serve not only to educate the play- ers about the customs and lifestyles of other cultures and areas, but also provide the opportunity to give back to those local areas," a release from the program read. "Michigan football wants to be ambassadors to communities across Michigan and around the world." Logistics and finer details are still in the works with destinations that could rotate on and off the schedule. The trip is also expected to fa l l a ro u n d the same time as Big Ten Football Media Days, so its ef- fect on the journey is to be determined. "We're going to the Upper Peninsula, we're going to Pictured Rocks, the wa- terfalls in Marquette, Tahquamenon. We're going to Sault Ste. Marie. Going to Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Detroit," Harbaugh said during a press conference March 8. A trip through the state should pro- vide no shortage of options for the Wol- verines. TheTravel.com ranks Michigan No. 8 among the top 20 states to visit in America, cited for its mixture of the Great Lakes, its nature and shorelines, and something to do for everyone. "It's going to be a great enrichment trip," Harbaugh said. "We've done three in the past. We're looking forward to being able to do that again and we're go- ing to get suggestions, too. I'm sure Pure Michigan will have some thoughts and we're having some great people around the state of Michigan that give us some ideas and some thoughts as well, and we'll welcome those." "Anything you can think of doing out- doors, we'll be able to do. So what better place to go do those kinds of activities than Michigan in late July?" Harbaugh continued. "And [there's] a ton to learn, too. I bet maybe 10, 15 of our players have been to the Up- per Peninsula. I bet it's close to that. So how phenomenal is that going to be? "Can't wait to get out there and expe- rience that and so many things. We'll probably have some pep rallies to con- nect with Michigan, connect with our fan base. Do some camps. Do some service work. The pos- sibilities are endless." Harbaugh himself is looking forward most to seeing the Pictured Rocks, lo- cated in the Munising area of the Upper Peninsula. "Have you ever seen Pictured Rocks? Has anybody been there?" he asked the media during his press conference. "It's amazing. We're going to put them in kayaks. We're going to kayak out to Pic- tured Rocks. There'll be rafting. There will be all the outdoors … anything you can think of. "You should really go to Pictured Rocks. You'd think you were in the most scenic place. To me, it's South Africa, the most scenic place I've ever been to. Pictured Rocks are right up there." More on Michigan's trip will be avail- able closer to the travel date. ❑ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Football Brings Back Team Trip, This Time Around The State Of Michigan Michigan football is bringing back its annual summer trip for the first time since going to Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2019. Jim Harbaugh and his squad were not able to do the excursion in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY