The horn sounds signaling halftime at our school’s football game and the teams make their way to the locker rooms. Players and coaches are discussing the game plan for the remaining half. All of a sudden, someone stands up to try and rally the team. Sophomore Jack Rittinger has been our school’s active football team manager since he was in eighth grade after being offered the spot by Coach Joseph McBride.
“Normally, a manager’s job is to get the players’ taped up, fill the water bottles, carry the ball bag but I don’t just do that. I motivate the players. I give them advice and help them find what their part in the team is,” Rittinger said.
Rittinger takes pride in his role for the team by pushing athletes to be their best. He is always the loudest voice on the sideline while cheering on his teammates. This year he has big things planned for the upcoming season and is excited to get to work with the upcoming varsity team.
“The chemistry and the camaraderie with the guys, it just seems to bring the team together when I’m in the room,” Rittinger said.
Football is not the only sport at our school that offers students a position as a manager. Junior Simon Groves has played baseball his whole life and now makes sure our team is always ready to bat.
“At practice, my job is to help feed the balls into the machine for the guys to hit. During games I keep score in the scorebook and just help out when I’m needed,” Groves said.
Groves also treats the field, making sure it is in great condition before the first pitch. He works with athletes during drills and enjoys chatting with his teammates during practice to keep spirits high.
One of the most important parts of preparing for a game is watching film, but who is behind the camera? Junior Sydney Pons is one of a few managers for the boys basketball team. While she is not as active with the players as Rittinger and Groves, her duties are just as important.
“As a manager, our responsibilities are recording the games. For basketball specifically we are in charge of doing the scorebook, which is just keeping track of points and fouls,” Pons said.
Pons also got her job as a result of Coach McBride recruiting her in eighth grade. She has enjoyed working with her friends to keep the team running smoothly ever since.
Many team managers never get the recognition they deserve for their role behind the scenes. Coaches recruit students as managers because they are necessary to run the team, whether it be keeping track of the score or lifting players up when they are feeling down, managers are the unsung heroes of our school’s sports teams.
