Harbaugh embraces West Virginia as new Giants era takes shape at The Greenbrier

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The beginning of a new era for one of the NFL’s most recognizable franchises is unfolding in the mountains of West Virginia.

John Harbaugh began his first training camp as head coach of the New York Giants last week at The Greenbrier, bringing a new coaching staff and a young roster to White Sulphur Springs for nearly two weeks focused on football and team building.

Harbaugh quickly embraced the Mountain State after the Giants held their opening practice July 29.

“Thrilled to be here. The opening song of our meeting today was, of course, ‘Country Roads.’ You better believe it,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh also praised the welcome the Giants received from employees at The Greenbrier, the condition of the practice fields and the mountain setting surrounding the resort. He said employees throughout the property repeatedly asked what they could do to help the team and make its stay more productive.

The Giants named Harbaugh the 21st head coach in franchise history in January. He arrived in New York after 18 seasons as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, where he won Super Bowl XLVII, reached the postseason 12 times and captured six division championships.

His first summer leading the Giants is now playing out in West Virginia.

Facility upgrades at the Giants’ headquarters in East Rutherford, New Jersey, prompted the organization to take training camp on the road for the first time since 2012. Harbaugh embraced the move as an opportunity for players and coaches to develop stronger relationships away from their normal routines.

Harbaugh previously described the trip as an opportunity for a young team and new coaching staff to spend nearly two weeks together “in West Virginia in the hills.”

He said the setting would allow the Giants to concentrate on football, share meals and spend more time together without players returning home each evening.

The Greenbrier Sports Performance Center opened in 2014 to host the New Orleans Saints. The 55,000-square-foot complex includes football fields, meeting rooms, offices, locker rooms, training areas, a weight room and other facilities designed to accommodate a professional football operation.

The property has also hosted the Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers, along with the West Virginia University and Marshall University football programs.

West Virginia fans have also made an impression on Giants players during the opening days of camp.

Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton said the fan support exceeded his expectations, with large and energetic crowds attending the first three public practices. He also praised the mountains and wooded landscape surrounding the facility and said the secluded setting allows the team to focus on football.

The Giants are scheduled to return to the field Wednesday for the first of three remaining practices open to the public.

Practices are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, August 5 through August 7. Gates will open at 12:30 p.m., with each practice scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Admission is free and tickets are not required. Fans must purchase a parking pass and use the designated off-site parking and shuttle service because no public parking is available at the Sports Performance Center.

Parking passes, directions, fan policies and any schedule updates are available through the official New York Giants training camp page.

For Harbaugh and the Giants, their stay at The Greenbrier is an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming NFL season and establish a new direction for the organization.

For West Virginia, it provides a national spotlight as a new chapter in Giants football begins in the Mountain State.