Managing Your Managers

Most coaches have a good handle on their responsibilities and those of their players. In many programs, these responsibilities are very detailed and almost always put in writing.

But often overlooked are the roles and responsibilities of team managers. That’s unfortunate, since having solid, detail-oriented team managers can be a blessing to a coaching staff – giving them more time to focus on helping their players be successful on the field.

In my coaching career, I placed great value on having good team managers. I gave my managers many responsibilities and demanded a lot of them but I also treated them as members of the team. I encouraged players who did not make the final squad to remain part of the team as managers – a role which many gladly accepted.

Whatever the size of your program or the number of team managers you have, giving them detailed responsibilities and seeing that they follow through on them will mean you and the rest of your coaching staff will spend more time coaching and less time worrying about off-the-field issues.

Here are my checklists of managers’ roles and responsibilities. While your specific needs will vary, I hope these lists help you get the most out of your managerial staff this season.

By making sure your team managers have clear-cut responsibilities, you’ll free up more time to concentrate on coaching.

You Are a Team Manager

• You are a full-fledged member of the team with all the privileges and responsibilities that go with that honor.
• Study your responsibilities and take pride in being neat, organized and thoroughly prepared.
• Use your initiative and ingenuity to anticipate needs and add to the value of your contribution to team success.
• When in doubt, confer with the coach.
• Do not be intimidated or “cornered” by players.
• You must have a highly developed sense of responsibility.
• You cannot do this job part time.
• Your commitment in terms of daily time and effort must be the same as all team members.
  

Pre-Season Duties

• Arrange equipment in equipment room  – itemize and inventory.
• Unpack and check new equipment.
• Size and separate all varsity and JV protective equipment including shoulder pads, girdles and practice pants with thigh and knee pads inside.
• Number and letter new equipment where directed.
• Check all helmet hardware, inserts, face masks and chin straps.
• Keep record of lockers and locker room assignments.
• Record lock, serial number and combination of  players’ lockers.
• Put pads on blocking sleds.
• Inflate all balls. Separate varsity, JV and freshman.
• Keep daily record of player attendance and weight.
• Check and inventory all blocking dummies, shields, chutes and boards.
• Check and inventory all game equipment such as sideline markers, chains, P.A., scoreboard, etc.
  

 During the Season – Daily Duties

• Sweep and arrange equipment room and training room.
• Rearrange training aids and replenish first aid kits as necessary.
• Help locate lost equipment for players.
• Get the following equipment to the practice field before starting time:
  
  • Eight footballs
  • First aid kit and ice chest
  • Extra equipment bag and repair kit
  • Check sled pads, bring out chutes and boards as necessary
  • Blocking shields and dummies if called for in practice
  • Scrimmage vests and kicking tees

• After team has left the locker room, straighten up, pick up loose equipment, lock all doors and go to practice field.
• Someone must be on the field and available to coaches at all times.
• All keys must be carefully safeguarded and never given to another student. They must remain in manager’s possession and returned to coach at end of practice.
• Have watch, stopwatch and air horn available on field. Help keep track of practice schedule time breaks as requested.
• Whenever feasible, help in drill assignments by handling balls, placing cones, helping with   scrimmage vests, holding dummies, etc.
• Anticipate as much as possible the needs of  coaches for equipment or supplies.
• Try to be aware of all player injuries and be sure  they are reported to coaches. Assist in treatment   as directed.
• Before you leave the field at the end of practice,  count all balls, scrimmage vests, kits, blocking        equipment, etc. Be sure nothing is left on the field.
• Assist in keeping bulletin boards clean, attractive and updated.
• All A.V. equipment should be secured daily and checked for proper operation.
• Blackboards and/or whiteboards (team room and portable) should be washed daily and kept supplied with chalk, markers and erasers.
• Collect coaches’ towels and field towels daily.  Leave them for washing at the end of practice and pick up for use the next day.
• Check all doors for security before you leave.
  

Special Duties

• During the school day, check absentees for injury report and follow up on game injuries.
• Update bulletin board with game stats, news clippings and special information.
• Set up video in team room for player use during the day.
• Clean balls and scrimmage vests.
• Fold and store hoods if used in game.
• Get out proper color scrimmage vests for next opponent.
• Inventory and store game jerseys used in last game.
• Straighten up storage and training rooms.
• Inventory supplies and give coach list of items needed.
• Check practice field for line markings, mowing or problems.
• Clean freezer and replenish ice supply for week.
• Clean and disinfect whirlpool.
  

Day Before Home Game

• Inflate game ball and have available for dummy scrimmage.
• Check inflation and cleanliness of all practice balls.
• Have repair kit and hardware available. Assist players in checking helmets, shoulder pads, laces, etc.
• Prepare first aid kits and extra equipment bags for game use.
• Set aside all field equipment needed for game including sideline markers, chains, zone markers,     linesman jerseys, etc.
• Check tower-to-sideline phones.
• Turn on scoreboard and test clock operation.
• Hook up P.A. and test.
• Take down scouting information from bulletin board and give to coach responsible for tower communication.
• Prepare towel bag for field use. Have extra towels set aside for officials and in case of rain.
• Get out cups and water container. Clean plastic bottles for on-the-field drinks.
• Sweep press box and prepare for game use.
  

Before the game:

• Arrive at school two to four hours before home game time and two hours before departure for         away game.
• Set up phones, scoreboard and P.A. for home game or phone travel kit for away game.
• Lay out tape and training supplies for pre-game preparation. Assist where possible.
• Set up first aid kits and ice chest. For home game, take to warm-up area and then to field.
• Prepare towels for sideline use – six wet and 12 dry.
• Lay out sideline hoods, if necessary.
• Set up water table with cups.
• Place two game balls on desk in coach’s office for officials.
• Have 12 balls available in practice area for pre-game warm up. Have four balls available on game field for warm-up.
• Place two blankets and stretcher at end of bench for use, if necessary, during the game.
• Make sure that a manager is ready to open door for officials before game, at halftime and after the game.
• Make sure that one manager is ready to open door to team room after warm-ups, at halftime and after the game.
• Greet the opposing team manager and coaches and satisfy any requests they have.
  

 During the game:

• Each manager should have available scissors, tape, shoelaces and ammonia caps. One manager      should have extra mouthpieces and chin straps.
• One manager should be responsible for kicking tees.
• If a player is injured, one manager should stay with him until released to parent or as directed by coach or medical professional.
• One manager should assist ball boys to ensure clean, dry balls are available for officials.
• During time outs, assign one manager to go on field with water, wet towel, dry towel and firm grip spray.
• In case of player injury, manager should go on field with coach or doctor and be ready to assist if      asked. Manager on sideline should be alert for a call for ice or stretcher or to place a call to rescue    squad. When opposing player is injured, do not go on field but be alert to assist if called upon.
  

During Halftime:

• Determine where players will meet from coach three minutes prior to half at away games.
• One manager brings water, wet and dry towels, first aid kit, portable blackboard and four practice    balls to meeting area.
• For home games, managers should have above items available in training room and open doors to officials’ room, visitors’ locker room and team room.
• During half, one manager should stay in bench area to oversee equipment.
• When teams leave locker area to return to field, one manager should stay behind to secure all         doors.
• Four balls should be available for quarterbacks, centers and kickers for second half warm-up.
  

After the Game:

• Two minutes prior to end of game, manager  with keys should open team room, visitors’ locker room and officials’ room.
• Two managers should remain on the field at the end of game to protect bench and field equipment.
• Any manager who was with injured player during the game should assist him to the locker room or bus and follow directions of coach or medical professional.
•  Managers in dressing area should wait until  post-game conference and then assist players in removing jerseys, pads, tape, etc.
• Check with coach or doctor regarding injured players and assist as directed.
• Collect all away game jerseys and arrange for washing.
• Pick up locker room and any stray equipment.
• Secure A.V. equipment.
• Check all doors for security and return keys to coach.
  

Post-Season Duties:

• Devote one week following the final game to helping with equipment.
• All field equipment, dummies, blocking equipment, A.V. equipment and press box equipment must be inspected, inventoried and packed for storage.
• Footballs must be counted, evaluated, deflated and packed for storage.
• Helmets must be checked for condition and stored by make or put aside for reconditioning.
• Remove all chin straps.
• Clean out first aid kits and store training supplies.
• Evaluate all practice pants and girdle pads. Store with pads inside them, by size.
• All shoulder pads must be set aside for reconditioning. All other pads should be bagged for storage by size.
• Game jerseys should be inventoried and stored.
• Team room lockers should be cleaned for winter team use.
• A final inventory of all stored equipment should be prepared with those items sent for reconditioning noted.
  

Awards

• To qualify for awards, managers must have 90% attendance at all practices, games and team         meetings and successfully complete the season and all of their responsibilities.
• A first-year manager at either the varsity or JV level will receive a JV letter.
• A second-year manager at the varsity level will receive a varsity letter.
• A senior who is a first-year manager may receive a varsity letter if recommended by the coach.
  

Brent Steuerwald retired last year after a 55-year coaching career – 44 as head coach of Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, New York, where he compiled a career record of 319-88-4. He received multiple local, state and national coaching honors and led his team to three state championships.


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