What really goes into a Warrior Football Gameday? 

Most students, facility, and other warrior fans primarily focus on the Winona State University Football game and the game only; however, ever wondered about all the preparation leading up to the big game? Today, we’ve got you covered.  

Coming off of a big win last week, the Warriors gained their first win of the 2024 season 31-14 against the Concordia-St. Paul bears. With this 1-0 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, (NSIC), the Warriors prepared for their most recent battle against Wayne State College on Saturday, Sept. 21. This past win, like for all teams, adds a spark to their mindset, and overall playing ability. Head Coach, Brian Bergstrom, even explained how he plans to use this win to his advantage. 

“Momentum is powerful in sports both in game and throughout a season.  We are using the momentum and success last week as building blocks for more success this week,” Bergstrom said. “We are trying to win every game we are in by focusing on being our best one day at a time.  We focus on the present.” 

However, their past win had no impact on the Warrior’s usual week of preparation leading up to last Saturday’s game. The team’s preparation primarily includes a week full of meetings, strength and conditioning, regular practice, film study, amongst other tasks.  

Along with these, Brian Bergstrom explained the key components to get ready for a game day of.  

“We have [optional] pregame devotional, pregame walkthrough practice, pregame meal, recruiting event for incoming high school players and families, [and a] pregame warmup.” Bergstrom said. 

Focusing less on the team and more on the community, WSU hosts the ‘Warrior Game Day Experience’. This event is full of contagious fan spirit that helps to build a connection between WSU and the larger Winona community. Two hours prior to home football games, the outdoor tailgate at the intersection of Johnson and Mark Street is filled with music, food trucks, student clubs, inflatables, and, of course, so much support for the Warriors.  

The Warrior Game Day Experience comes to a close with the “Warrior Walk.”  the football team, coaches and Wazoo himself lead both the students and Winona community to the field. This experience is favorited by many, including Afton Heidemann, a second-year student-athlete who is a part of the Winona State Dance Team.  

“The band, the cheer team, and us, the dance team, get to lead the football team to the field. It is super cool to be able to do that and represent Winona State,” Heidemann said. “The lively energy of the crowd during [the walk] is contagious, and everyone gets hyped up to cheer on our football team.” 

With all the week’s preparation, the Warriors still fell short on parent’s weekend battling against Wayne State University with a score of 21-28. The warriors battled until the end of the game, as they failed to comeback in the fourth quarter where they scored two touchdowns. Our warriors out-gained the wildcats 356 yards to 247. They also threw 210 passing, and 146 rushing yards compared to Wayne State’s 208 passing and only 30 rushing yards. The warriors outplayed Wayne State; however, the Warriors had two game costing turnovers. 

The Warriors, now 1-1 in the NSIC, travel to Aberdeen, South Dakota on Saturday, Sept. 28 where they will play Northern State at 6:00pm.