Sports Managers Explain Their Purpose

Every sport has its own set of people behind the scenes, such as coaches and sports managers. Coaches are often applauded for leading their team to victory, but the role of sports management is often overlooked. The managers of these sports teams don’t manage for the popularity, but manage for various reasons.

Students like sophomore Blair Williams started managing because of their like for the sport. Williams started managing in August after he applied and went through the interview process. 

“I wanted to be a manager because I personally don’t play basketball, but I love the sport,” Williams said. “There’s something about helping with making sure players are okay and setting things up so they can succeed that makes me happy.”

As a basketball manager, Williams must collect data for the team, deliver balls and towels for the players, help with stretching and transport injured players to a trainer. 

“It can be difficult to be organized in a crazy sport like basketball, but it’s so important for them to be successful,” Williams said. 

Williams wants to be a nurse practitioner and says that being a manager is training him for that in certain ways.

“After high school, I plan on going to medical school, so helping other people out like I’m doing now will help me prepare for the actual job,” Williams said.

Other students like sophomore Eden Murchison became a manager because of their family’s love for the sport.

“My family is a football family. We all love football,” Murchinson said. “I thought that with being a manager I could be closer to the field while still helping the players do everything they need to do to win, so I just decided why not.”

Murchison, along with other football managers, keep inventory of uniforms, fix helmets, ensure that everything is in the players’ lockers, and assist with packing for away games. 

“I love being able to travel and watch football games for free,” Murchison said. “You also get the perk of being on the football field, so me and the managers get the best view.”

Then, there’s other students like senior Payton Majors that started managing because they were invited by the coach.

Majors’s dad was one of the coaches for the wrestling team, meaning that she would always be around the team. 

“Whenever my dad was coaching after school, I would just stay with him and watch,” Majors said. “I would just help set up, put things in the right place, all that stuff.”

After a while, one of the other coaches, Coach Ronnie Watson, invited Majors to be a manager for the team. Majors said yes and that’s when her job began.

As a wrestling manager, Majors has to keep track of sports equipment, help clean up the mats after practice and matches and help keep inventory of uniforms.

“We pretty much keep everything organized so Watson doesn’t have to stress about it,” Majors said. “It teaches you responsibility, how to be organized and leadership skills.”