While many students will give up their Saturday afternoons this week to watch the Virginia Tech game, a number of the players will forgo a conventional Thanksgiving dinner at home in order to face the Hokies.
Thanksgiving football acts as a unifying force for many families, yet for University players such as Earl Sims, Yubrenal Isabelle and Jermese Jones, distance and time constraints separate team members from their loved ones over the holiday.
Three years ago, as a first year, Virginia linebacker and Miami resident Sims faced the prospect of spending his first holiday away from home stranded in his dorm.
That year, however, the families of Billy Baber and Jared Woodson, now fourth years, offered to cook Thanksgiving turkey for the stranded football players. Because each family lived in close proximity to the University -- Crozet and North Gardens -- the players could enjoy a holiday meal while still practicing for their Thanksgiving Day game.
"It was just like home away from home," Sims said.
"I'm from North Carolina, and that's a three-hour drive," Jones said. With practice Thursday morning and departure for the Virginia Tech game on Friday, "it's not like I'll be able to go home."
Now the practice begun by family friends Kathy and Ronnie Woodson and Pattie and Goldie Baber has become a holiday tradition for their sons' teammates.
"We want the boys to have a home-set Thanksgiving dinner," Mrs. Baber said. Baber also said they were excited about hosting the holiday meal for all team members who had to stay in Charlottesville.
"They are kids in school who sacrifice a whole lot of their life for Virginia football," Mrs. Woodson said. She thinks it's important for them to know someone "cares about them as people, not just as football players."
For that reason the Babers and the Woodsons not only have supported the team at Thanksgiving, but throughout the rest of the year as well.
"They're a part of my extended family," Sims said. He recalled how both families have been there for him when he has been in the hospital. Jones remembered how Mrs. Woodson made him a lemon pie when Jared told her how much Jones liked it at Thanksgiving two years ago.
Although they still are awaiting the final headcount for this year's dinner, to be held at Crozet Baptist Church, the entire team has been invited.
And just how much food does it take to feed an army of football players?
In addition to a 20-pound turkey, four turkey breasts and four giant spiral hams, "We're having everything you can imagine," Mrs. Woodson said.
Even parents from outside Charlottesville are eager to help the Woodsons.
"It's hard to know what everyone does at Thanksgiving," Nancy Luzar said. Luzar is driving up from Williamsburg with husband Rex and daughter Tilly to help with the dinner that her sons, first-year Kase and third-year Chris, will be attending.
"I hope that each guy will be able to find something of his tradition with his family," Mrs. Luzar said.
To help, Mrs. Baber has enlisted the help of a slew of family members, who not only will be cooking parts of the meal, but will be providing dishes and cleaning up as well.
Perhaps the most important activity of the night will be the team bonding in a non-football setting.
For Jared, who has been out most of the season following neck surgery, the dinner "means more to me this year than it ever has. We all come together and we're close, just like brothers."
"It definitely brings you closer," Sims said. "It adds not just unity, but an aspect of family."
Mrs. Woodson said her fondest memories of Virginia football have been getting to know her son's teammates through listening to their stories at these Thanksgiving dinners.
"You get to know them as people, not just as numbers or positions on the field," she said.
With all the fixings of a traditional Thanksgiving feast present, there will be only one thing missing at dinner Thursday.
"There won't be any football games on," Mrs. Baber said. "We're going to focus on what Thanksgiving's all about"
Read More
Dreaming of drunken noodles at Thai Cuisine and Noodle House
By Lizzy Goldstein | YesterdayI was amazed by how the tamarind sauce and variety of spices created a cohesive link among all the dishes, tying the dinner together and leaving everyone feeling satiated.
Breaking my silence
By Cecy Juárez | 3 days agoI, Cecy Juárez, am one of the three “squirrels of U.Va.” running the @thesquirrelsofuva page.
Lending a hand during the finals push
By Abby Snowdon | 5 days agoThe race to the end of the year has begun, and University groups have set up pit stops along the course to help students get to the finish line.
