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Aug. 12, 2007
Charlottesville, VA –
Sunday the Virginia football team took a break from practicing for its annual Meet the Team Day at Scott Stadium. While the Cavaliers and fans mingled from 2:45 to 4:15, there was a lot more activities for the team around Grounds.
From 10:30 a.m. to noon the players had mandatory brunch at the dining hall at John Paul Jones Arena. Players could report to the athletic training room in the McCue Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for any medical treatment. At 1 p.m. head coach Al Groh met with a large assembly of media from around the state for a 45-minute interview session. Afterwards Groh, the assistant coaches and members of the various team’s support staff posed for a group shot at the entrance to the football practice fields.
At 2 p.m., football operations director Gerry Capone had the team loaded onto buses and the players were whisked to The Lawn for the annual team photo on the steps of the Rotunda. Several dozen University guests and tourists looked on in amazement as over 100 players orderly packed the steps while Charlottesville photographer Jim Carpenter captured the moment. Afterwards, each position had a group photo shot with their position coaches.
Back on the buses at 2:45, the team made the quick trek to Scott Stadium where more than 3,500 fans turned out for this year’s Meet the Team activities. Under the shade of the pergola, players signed autographs, posed for photos and made new friends with the Cavalier faithful.
At the same time, two dozen players where shuttled in and out of the media area where they conducted interviews.
When the players returned to their recently renovated locker room in the McCue Center, the newcomers paraded out to the practice field to have posed action photos shot. Dinner was scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m. back at JPJA, another treatment session was available at 6 p.m. and then the team had the rest of the evening off.
Monday the team returns to the grind of training camp with practice scheduled at 2:30.