Junior Kristen Gee has been a part of the basketball program since her freshman year. She attends practice daily and goes to each and every game, yet has chosen not to play on the team.
Instead, Gee serves as the manager for the Roberson girl’s varsity and JV teams, working with the coaches to complete necessary tasks such as keeping the team statistics, compiling the record books during games, and helping with other daily tasks.
“At times it can be difficult, but it is also really rewarding,” Gee said.
Gee is just one of many Roberson students who has served as managers for various sports teams, both at the high school level and with middle schools.
Sophomore Olgeta Cumberbatch helped manage the girls’ basketball team last year and feels that the experience she gained contributed to her success in making the team this year.
“Managing was really fun, especially when you have someone to work with,” she said. “I definitely think it helped me create a better relationship with the coaches and just know the sport better as a whole. When tryouts came around this year, I was more prepared.”
According to boy’s varsity basketball coach Adam Ballard, managers are desperately needed.
“We would love to have a manager. I’ve tried to ask around, and even searched some people out, but no one has stepped up to the responsibility,” Ballard said.
Ballard sees the duties of a manager as a huge part of the success of the team. By having someone assist with the behind-the-scenes aspects of getting ready for practices and games, he would have more time to focus on improving the team.
“It seems like in past years, people would be intuitive enough to realize that if they didn’t make the team, they could manage and really learn the sport of basketball. A lot of people know how to dribble and shoot, but they don’t know what it really takes to do what we do,” Ballard said
Apparel and childhood education teacher Mary Smith’s son Nick served as the manager of the football team for five years, beginning when he was in the fifth grade. Smith feels that this was a rewarding experience for both her son and her family as a whole.
“I would pick him up from school every Friday and he would come over to Roberson and have dinner with the team before helping them set up for the game. He absolutely loved it, and it gave him a huge advantage in making the team once he reached high school,” Smith said.
Ballard agrees that serving as a manager can boost the odds of making the team.
“If we had a manager that worked hard, did what was asked, and attempted to learn, it goes without saying that the next year, their chances of making the team would increase compared to if they hadn’t managed,” he said.
This year, sophomore Dariann McCurry helped manage with the football team. She decided to participate in order to gain more knowledge of the sport itself, but also to be around aspects related to the health and safety of the players.
“I want to go into the sports medicine profession, and I’m hoping to do my senior project on athletic training. I mainly worked with Hodges, the athletic trainer, to see what he did. It was a really fun and rewarding experience,” McCurry said.
Despite the advantages that managing provides athletes, Ballard feels that there are still misconceptions held by students.
“I think that there are negative connotations with it–like ‘oh, you’re just a manager.’ But that’s not the case. Managing is a huge help to coaches and allows prospective players to see what high school sports are really like. And, what they need to do to get to that level,” Ballard said.
Instead, Gee serves as the manager for the Roberson girl’s varsity and JV teams, working with the coaches to complete necessary tasks such as keeping the team statistics, compiling the record books during games, and helping with other daily tasks.
“At times it can be difficult, but it is also really rewarding,” Gee said.
Gee is just one of many Roberson students who has served as managers for various sports teams, both at the high school level and with middle schools.
Sophomore Olgeta Cumberbatch helped manage the girls’ basketball team last year and feels that the experience she gained contributed to her success in making the team this year.
“Managing was really fun, especially when you have someone to work with,” she said. “I definitely think it helped me create a better relationship with the coaches and just know the sport better as a whole. When tryouts came around this year, I was more prepared.”
According to boy’s varsity basketball coach Adam Ballard, managers are desperately needed.
“We would love to have a manager. I’ve tried to ask around, and even searched some people out, but no one has stepped up to the responsibility,” Ballard said.
Ballard sees the duties of a manager as a huge part of the success of the team. By having someone assist with the behind-the-scenes aspects of getting ready for practices and games, he would have more time to focus on improving the team.
“It seems like in past years, people would be intuitive enough to realize that if they didn’t make the team, they could manage and really learn the sport of basketball. A lot of people know how to dribble and shoot, but they don’t know what it really takes to do what we do,” Ballard said
Apparel and childhood education teacher Mary Smith’s son Nick served as the manager of the football team for five years, beginning when he was in the fifth grade. Smith feels that this was a rewarding experience for both her son and her family as a whole.
“I would pick him up from school every Friday and he would come over to Roberson and have dinner with the team before helping them set up for the game. He absolutely loved it, and it gave him a huge advantage in making the team once he reached high school,” Smith said.
Ballard agrees that serving as a manager can boost the odds of making the team.
“If we had a manager that worked hard, did what was asked, and attempted to learn, it goes without saying that the next year, their chances of making the team would increase compared to if they hadn’t managed,” he said.
This year, sophomore Dariann McCurry helped manage with the football team. She decided to participate in order to gain more knowledge of the sport itself, but also to be around aspects related to the health and safety of the players.
“I want to go into the sports medicine profession, and I’m hoping to do my senior project on athletic training. I mainly worked with Hodges, the athletic trainer, to see what he did. It was a really fun and rewarding experience,” McCurry said.
Despite the advantages that managing provides athletes, Ballard feels that there are still misconceptions held by students.
“I think that there are negative connotations with it–like ‘oh, you’re just a manager.’ But that’s not the case. Managing is a huge help to coaches and allows prospective players to see what high school sports are really like. And, what they need to do to get to that level,” Ballard said.