When it comes to the makeup of a team there are coaches, fans, and refs but none are as important as managers. Being a manager requires being at all the practices and games as well as staying late and waking up at the crack of dawn. For softball manager Jackson Shivers, at games he’s up in the press box announcing names, playing the walkup songs and keeping up with the scoreboard. However, out of all Shivers does as a manager, his favorite part about the role is the friendships he has made. 

“[The best part of being a manager is] probably the people,” Shivers said. “It’s just a fun environment for any sport, but especially when you’re directly involved with said sport, everything becomes more important. Everything kind of hits  home more, the wins are more fun, the losses hurt more.” 

While bonds between managers and athletes are formed in any sport, there are things that only managers get to experience. For example, volleyball managers get to sit courtside with the players, getting an inside look like only the players and coaches would. Much like in volleyball, wrestling managers also get the chance to view the matches up close and personal.

“Being so close to the mats is definitely a cool part [of the job],” wrestling manager Isabella Aguilar said. “This might be a bad thing to say, but I think seeing some injuries can be kind of cool too. You’ll see people get pinned or start bleeding and then everybody’s rushing to help them.” 

Being a manager is more than getting close to the sidelines or being there for every practice; they also get to see every aspect of a player’s life. For wrestling it’s the weigh-ins and the naps in between matches. For softball it’s being in the dugout, getting to see players focus and lock in. 

“When one of those moments happen; when a big run comes in or a big hit happens I’m certainly running up and down,” Shivers said. “I think that’s what’s so great about sports, especially softball. As long as you’re invested in something. For someone who doesn’t really just talk a bunch and [has] always kept to himself, sports is something so good and structured.”