The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499505
22 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JUNE/JULY 2023 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said when he arrived in Ann Ar- bor that he wanted his program to be as much about academics as athletics. He proved it early in his tenure in scheduling trips overseas and nationally as learn- ing experiences. They'd been to Rome, France, South Africa and — after COVID hit — around the state of Michigan last year in broadening players' horizons. This year, Harbaugh took his team to New York City; Washington, D.C.; Get- tysburg, Pa.; and the Rock and Roll and Pro Football Halls of Fame in Ohio on what was yet another incredible adven- ture for the team. The Wolverines started things off with a trip to the Statue of Liberty, spending time on the island. The coach then provided other outstanding ac- ademic opportunities for his players, connecting them with former student- athletes who have had great success in business (David Pearson, Jamar Adams and Antonio Bass). Esteemed alum Stephen M. Ross was behind one event, while some players even toured the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Others chose different options, including behind-the-scenes at NFL headquarters to see the business side of the league up close. "I did the NFL experience," gradu- ate student and captain Mike Sainristil said. "It was great. A whole bunch of information I probably wouldn't have known without being there. "Just overall, the hospitality we got from everybody that worked on the staff … the whole thing was great." The first Friday night, April 28, fea- tured an event set up by the Champions Circle. The NIL collective donated the dinner at Bond 45 restaurant that in- cluded an elite spread during which the players feasted on seconds and thirds. Harbaugh spoke glowingly of the day's events, noting how they were em- powering ("M-powering — get it?" he said) the players by providing them in- sight into business … true, hands-on learning. The main event of the night, though, was the NFL Draft, during which every- one stopped chewing, it seemed, when picks were announced, anxious to see where their teammates would go. They celebrated each one, starting with Luke Schoonmaker in the second round to the Dallas Cowboys. From there, some made it to the Em- pire State Building on a rainy night in New York. Others chose different land- marks or events. Sainristil, offensive guard Zak Zinter, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and junior linebacker Junior Colson went to see "Hamilton" on Broadway. "It was great," Sainristil gushed. "Probably one of the best things I've ever seen. It was really cool." Around the corner, meanwhile, on one of Times Square's most visible se- ries of screens, New York welcomed ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Michigan Football Concludes Another Special Spring Trip After receiving a lecture on leadership by Steven Wiley from the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, head coach Jim Harbaugh and the team traveled through the Gettysburg Military Park Museum and Battlefield where they learned about the largest battle waged on American soil. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY