Experience Of A Lifetime

“It was very exciting just thinking about the opportunity to not only see what the Maryland football players do in their normal lifestyle but also where they do it,” Ian, an 11-year-old Terps fan, said. “Seeing their locker room and the Jones-Hill House was an amazing experience.”

Ian’s sentiment is one of the many reflections shared by those who experienced behind-the-scenes opportunities offered by the Terrapin Club’s Backstage Pass program. Along with his father, Stephen Flounlacker, Ian got to experience what it’s like to be a Maryland football recruit for the day. Exclusive experiences like these allow supporters to create lasting memories with their families, friends and fellow Terps. 

Backstage Pass selections for the 2024-25 giving year are now available, with the initial round of selections taking place this past week. Donors can select from experiences based on their interests and passions. They are given opportunities such as premium seating experiences, gameday experiences, family-friendly experiences, practice and play opportunities, tours of facilities and many others.  

The Terpoint priority ranking determines dates and times of selection, while the number of selections is based on one’s giving level. Bronze, Silver, Silver275 and Gold members are afforded one experience. Diamondback and SuperTerp members are given two experiences. Finally, the Coaches Club, Top Terp and Director's Circle members have three experiences. 

Flounlacker is not only a Terrapin Club member. He contributes to One Maryland Collective to support Maryland’s NIL efforts and is a men’s basketball and football season ticket holder. A native of Bowie, Md., he grew up rooting for the Terps. Some of his vivid memories were watching the Terps play at the then-named Byrd Stadium. 

Flounlacker passed his Terps fandom down to his son. He cited the main reason and motivation for his continued support of the University of Maryland and its student-athletes as the ability to help others. 

“Just like my son knows all these names of the guys that play there, I know guys from years ago that played for Maryland,” Flounlacker said. “They were my heroes at Maryland.” 

The Backstage Pass program rewards donors for their generosity and serves as a thank you on behalf of Maryland’s athletic department for their continued support. 

Erin Duru, the wife of former Maryland track and field athlete Robert Duru, also partook in the football recruit experience. Robert ran track from 2004-08 in College Park and is a Terrapin Club member who previously served as the president of the M Club. Erin attended with her two sons, Jeremiah and Jacob. Erin and Robert are football season ticket holders, mainly because of their sons and their love for the sport. 

“It far exceeded my expectations,” Duru said. “To be honest with you, we wanted to go to bring our sons, and the whole experience before we went was really focused on that. I can't believe how much I learned, and I was in complete awe of the facilities and the infrastructure and how much has changed over the past 20 years. … Being able to do something together as a family that was enjoyed by both generations was critical.”

Flounlacker shared a similar sentiment.“It's absolutely great, particularly when it involves my son. We were already getting care packages occasionally from the university for our giving level, which we appreciated. … When this opportunity came up, we were excited. From my standpoint, it was a nice opportunity for the university to show me that they appreciated my giving.”  

Both families were promptly introduced to head coach Michael Locksley when they arrived. They then received a tour of Maryland’s football facilities, including the locker rooms, player’s lounge and indoor practice field inside the Jones-Hill House. 

“It's just really cool to see the players we know and love and how they got so good,” Ian said. “All we see is their play on the field during games. … But it's awesome to see what they do in preparation.”

Jeremiah also enjoyed seeing the players practice. “The locker rooms and seeing the players practice,” he said when asked about his favorite aspects of the experience.

Additionally, among many other things, both families got a glimpse into the coaching staff’s recruiting processes and the many resources available to student-athletes. Ian explained how he learned about Maryland’s system for grading each prospect in the transfer portal. The ratings are given based on an array of abilities and traits. The unique deep dive into the program's metrics left a lasting impression on Ian.  

“It’s not just speed and strength,” Ian said. “It was catching, yards after catch and a grade average for each ability. They had so many other categories. It was just amazing. Like 70 data points.” 

As a bonus, Flounlacker and Ian were watching a Big Ten Network segment on Terps football when they saw themselves on TV as they watched Maryland practice from the sideline. 

The football recruit for a day is one of many opportunities the Terrapin Club Backstage Pass offers. However, those who experienced it created lasting memories with their families while gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of collegiate athletics. 

“We've tried a couple of different things over the years, and they're all great,” Duru said. “I think they all give you that zoomed-in perspective on Maryland athletics. As a fan only, it's tough to connect the dots and understand how much work goes behind the scenes to the performance on the field or on the court. I think it's really important for people to see that.”