Two seniors have designs on football ring

After a successful season including a second Eastern Collegiate Football conference championship and a program-first national playoff bid, the Norwich football team is awaiting its rewards.

Since the end of the season in late November, two seniors have been working diligently creating the team's second championship ring. The final drafts came out the week of Jan. 16.

"It's not something you can design in a day," said Rob Sturgis, 21, a lineman and senior communications major from Holden, Mass.

"The rings are going to be the same for over a hundred individuals, we want them to be as close to perfect as possible."

The two men are trying to design features into the ring that will remind the team of the season and program.

"We included our conference record (7-0)," said wide receiver Jason Hill, 21, a senior from Canajoharie, N.Y. "The shield was included for a symbol of the program and its history."

The shield was featured on the side of the Cadets' helmets from the 80s to early 2000s. The new symbol is similar to the original shield but holds the letters N.U. in replacement of the eagle.

The new shield was placed on the top of the ring. While the old was moved to the side, "[the 2009 championship ring] had the old shield on the top," Sturgis said. "We wanted this one to be different."

Similar to the Corps of Cadets ring, the two seniors are trying to create traditions for future rings. "Having the same shield, letters, names, or records is important," Hill said. "The placement of them is what can vary."

The final design was approved on Jan. 17 by Jostens, a company specializing in collegiate rings, and Norwich football. Sturgis, Hill, and head coach Mark Murnyack proceeded by placing the order through Jostens. The company gave the best price for the ring designed. Each ring will come out to about $170. All players and coaches will be able to order a ring along with select staff. The ring count is estimated at 130, with the total price estimated at just under $20,000.

It isn't uncommon for players to purchase their own rings, especially in division III. "When I played for Springfield College we won our conference and purchased our own rings," said assistant football coach Carl Mintken.

"Each person will have to purchase the ring themselves," Hill said. "I don't think players will have a problem."

Norwich University does not have a ring policy, according to coach Murnyack. "Effort to design the rings and purchase them has been performed on the team level," he said.

"Women's lacrosse won its conference and received a bid but did not get rings," Sturgis said. "Our team wants the rings for a lot of reasons."

The rings are more than just jewelry, according to offensive lineman Colin Young, a sophomore criminal justice major from Franklin, Mass. "I never won a championship in high school, this was my first and I want to be able to remember it."

According to Jostens' website, the slogan for its sports department is "Celebrate the moment forever." This is exactly what the Cadets are trying to accomplish.

The company has been working with professional champions since 1952. "Our experience begins with helping you capture your story within the design of a fine quality ring. From the first design concept to the ring presentation ceremony and every detail in between, no other company has the capabilities to deliver the design, planning and celebration experience that you expect." Jostens is the best company to work with, said Sturgis.

Jostens has created rings for the Division I college football national champions, Alabama, as well as for other NCAA sports.

The different designs and symbols picked out by Sturgis and Hill will help teammates like Young remember all the joy of playing the 2011 season.

"The rings will be able to remind us of our time at Norwich, and the men we shared it with," said Sturgis.

Sturgis, the 2011 team captain, is the last of a run of players from Holden, Mass. Prior to him, Rocco DiMieco and Dan Wilde had attended Norwich and played football, both serving as captains during their senior season.

"It's an end of an era," said Hill. "Something like that doesn't happen often."

From a recruiting standpoint, the rings are a definite plus. Football and other school sports invest a great amount of time, effort and money on recruiting top athletes. "On our football Friday visits, it's usually one of the first things the prospects ask me about," said Bill Russell, assistant football coach, who hails from Maine.

Norwich is expecting a great recruiting year after a successful season. "Norwich is a winning program with great tradition," Hill said. "It is simple: Guys want to win a ring when they come here."