With all eyes always on the game and players, almost never getting recognition are those who work behind the scenes for school sports teams; the managers.

Manager duties consist of bookkeeping, timing, scorekeeping, analyzing stats and more.

“Some of my tasks as manager are keeping track of stats during games and practices and also averaging them,” senior volleyball manager Michael Leahy said. “I also have to keep track of points, time-outs, turnovers and record every substitution made all at a very fast pace.”

All school sports teams typically have at least one team manager to fulfill important day to day tasks. Managers usually consist of current students who are looking to assist a team in different ways.

“I became a manager because I knew I wouldn’t be able to play another season but I couldn’t just leave the sport,” senior field hockey manager Lydia Peters said. “”Being a manager has allowed me to still be involved and be a part of the team.”

Along with managing things like scorekeeping, timing, bookkeeping and equipment, managers have the important role of motivating and encouraging players on their respective teams.

“My most important job is to encourage and help set an atmosphere that allows the team to enjoy playing the game,” Peters said. “This is done at practices, games and in the halls of school.”

Often times former players of a team become a manager for the team in a later season.

“I chose to be a manager for cross country because I didn’t want to run this season but I still wanted to be able to help out the team in some way,” senior cross country manager Sammy Wondwossen said.

Being a team manager can potentially have a stressful aspect to it as well. With multiple responsibilities as a manager, time could be tight.

“The only stressful part of being a manager to me is managing the time it takes out of your schedule,” Leahy said. “We have day long tournaments, daily two hour practices, and games that could last for multiple hours too.”

At the end of the day, being a manager has many responsibilities and tasks to fulfill, but their role is essential to their team.