|
|
HOME ~ College Football History |
Demon
Deacon Fight Songs
O Here's to Wake Forest
1. O here's to Wake Forest
A glass of the finest
Red Ruddy, Rhenish filled up to the brim.
Her sons, they are many
Unrivaled by any
With hearts o'erflowing, we will sing a hymn.
(chorus)
Rah! Rah! Wake Forest, Rah!
Old Alma Mater's sons are we
We'll herald the story
and die for her glory
Old Gold and Black is ever waving high.
2. As frosh we adore her
As sophs we explore her
And carve our names upon her ancient walls. As juniors patrol her
As seniors extol her
And weep to leave for'er her sacred halls.
Wake Forest Scores With "Touchdown 2000"
Bridger Field House
The Wake Forest football program is prepared for the future and future
success because of "Touchdown 2000", a major fund-raising drive that has
made possible a dramatic enhancement of the Groves Stadium complex.
Through "Touchdown 2000 -- The Drive for Wake Forest Football" a new
Bridger Field House has been constructed at the stadium, replacing the
previously existing field house which had served the facility for nearly
three decades. This new structure, built at a cost of $8 million, will
serve the football team in numerous ways and be a major catalyst for the
continued growth and development of the overall program.
Ground-breaking for the structure took place on June 28, 1996. The
football portion of the building is scheduled to be available for this
year's opening game with Northwestern, with completion of the second and
third floor areas following later this fall.
The new Bridger Field House was made possible through the generous
support of Deacon Club members and other loyal Wake Forest supporters,
whose response to the fund-raising appeal was nothing short of
phenomenal.
In fact, with the original $7.5 million goal achieved, Wake Forest now
has the opportunity to reach beyond the Fieldhouse to make other
improvements to Groves Stadium and other athletic facilities with "The
Point After" Touchdown 2000 phase of the capital campaign.
Actually, the entire Wake Forest athletic program will benefit from this
beautiful facility alone, for it includes offices for the athletic
ticket office, marketing and promotions staff and Deacon Club, as well
as a club meeting/banquet room that will be the site of athletic (and
general university) functions for years to come.
The WFU Hall of Fame will also have its new home in the complex, and a
Deacon Gift Shop will be included to service WFU fans not only during
home contests but throughout the calendar year.
The primary focus of the new building, however, is obviously Demon
Deacon Football.
"We are building a football program the right way and want to insure
that when our program reaches the highest level that we keep it there,"
WFU director of athletics Ron Wellman says. "This facility is an
important part of that process and a vital step we need to make in order
to allow our football program to be successful."
A spacious team locker room and new dressing area for visiting teams, a
modern sports medicine unit, team and coaching staff meeting rooms--all
are part of the facility.
The complex will also provide a wonderful setting for prospective
student-athletes as they visit Wake Forest to learn more about the
program. Former Demon Deacon players can also share in this new
facility, which will host Varsity Club activities and other related
functions surrounding home contests.
Activities will include food service for Deacon Club donors, alumni and
friends in a second-floor "club room" and "sports lounge" named for two
Wake Forest greats--Norman Snead and Billy Ray Barnes.
Former Deacon players were actively involved in supporting the new
facility financially as well. One major gift was made by former Wake
standout wide receiver Ricky Proehl, the second-leading receiver in ACC
history and now a member of the Chicago Bears, who committed $100,000 to
the effort.
"This new complex will make a statement to prospective student-athletes
that Wake Forest is committed to a successful football program," Proehl
says. "Any former player will gain a great feeling of satisfaction in
knowing that he contributed to the future success of the Deacons by
being part of this effort."
Another former Deac, Dave Harris, an all-Southern Conference player at
Wake Forest in the 1940s and a member of the WFU Hall of Fame, served as
chairman of the advisory board for "Touchdown 2000".
Head coach Jim Caldwell is, of course, equally excited about the
opportunities that the new facility will bring to his program.
"We have expanded our facilities on campus with a new weightroom,
equipment and sports medicine areas for our football team. Now we will
have taken another major step forward by improving our facility at
Groves Stadium," Caldwell says.
Home Page 
|
