Sports managers are the unsung heroes of the Devine Athletics Department and they have many responsibilities during their particular season.  Some people may not know the various jobs that a manager partakes in.  The manager is a close peer to the coach and they are there to help encourage the athletes.  Managers are the glue that holds the team together.

“We do all the behind the scenes work and anything our athletes need,” Junior Brittany Kern said.

“We try to help the coaches and athletes as much as we can on and off the field or court.”

Managers develop a special bond with their athletes similar to that of a coach.  When an athlete is struggling with anything, they most often look to their managers for advice and support.  A manager becomes a close ally to the athletes they manage.

“I think managing Cross Country brought me closer to the athletes,” Avion said, “I became friends with a lot of the runners.”

Manager Brittany Kern decided to become a manager after her doctor told her she was not allowed to play sports.

“I really wanted to stay involved in sports so I just kind of fell into managing,” Brittany said. “ I don’t regret managing or I would never have gotten to know any of theses amazing girls.”

When a manager is needed to do anything; keep lines, wash towels or even fetch medical supplies; they are there doing just that. “It doesn’t matter what it is, if my girls need something, even a band-aid I’m right there,” Brittany said.

Deciding which sport to manage is more difficult than it seems.

“I manage volleyball, cross-country, basketball and track,” Brittany said. “I decided to manage these sports because each one is during a different season and I always have something to do. I’m never bored.”

Managing a sport is not just sitting on the sidelines, it is much more than that; it’s supporting athletes and peers.  Support and encouragement can mean a world of a difference; it can mean the difference between succeeding or failing, on or off the court or field.