Managing High School Sports

Score book at St. Joseph for basketball (Mary Albl Photo)

(This is a piece I have wanted to write for a while and now have a platform. More may be added at a later date.)  

As many of you know, I was the student manager of the Ludlowe High School baseball and boys basketball teams (and am still always around).

I loved managing. I managed baseball all four years and basketball three years. I got involved with baseball first and after managing freshman baseball, the freshman head coach, Josh Marko, who was then the varsity basketball head coach asked me about managing basketball.

Managing baseball and basketball were very different but I loved both. Baseball involved running around more and was a lot more hands on, where basketball was much more of an administrative role. One thing that was the same, my job was to do whatever the coaches asked and needed me to do.

For baseball, I was in charge of getting the field set up for practice and games. During practices, I might assist a coach with a drill and just make sure equipment is where is should be. If a coach or player needs something, they would ask me. During games I would do the score book. I was always known for being a tough scorekeeper and the players always tried to argue with me about my scoring decisions. There were also times when I ran the scoreboard during games.

One of my pre-game duties was to put the flag up on the flag pole out in left-center field. When I started doing it my junior year (first year as varsity manager), I had a ton of trouble. I could not get it to go up all the way so we always had a laugh about that.

As I said above, managing basketball was much different. For basketball, I did a lot of behind-the-scenes work such as sending emails, creating game statistics sheets and then compiling the statistics, helping to create game programs and more. I used my email more those three years than I had in my life prior. I looked forward to duties and projects that would need my assistance.

My sophomore and junior year (did not manage basketball freshman year) I filmed the games. I was not very good as I would get some into the game that I would forget to move the camera and the play would be happening at one end of the court with the camera pointed at the opposite end. We always joked about it when we went to watch film, but in reality, it wasn't good as it hurt the ability to break down the game and help improve the team. Thankfully, for everyone involved, especially the players and coaches, the athletic department hired a professional service to film the games my senior year and since then. Certain games, especially on the road my senior year, I did the score book. During practice, I ran the clock for drills, got equipment needed and set up the gym for practice, and got thing ready if we have games the next day. 

During baseball and basketball, I got to interact with many different people, both at Ludlowe and other schools. At Ludlowe I dealt with the Ludlowe coaching staff, the varsity coaches and sub-varsity coaches, including but not limited to Keith O'Rourke, Mike Francese, the aforementioned Marko, Brian Silvestro, John Dailey and Lawrence Richardson.

 I also dealt with Athletic Director Dave Schulz, scorekeeper/PA announcer Art Cockerham, and many others. In terms of other schools, I dealt with coaches, both in person and over email, athletic directors, in-person, over email, and even over the phone (and I hate talking on the phone). I also sometimes dealt with other student managers so It was interesting to see the way they did things compared to the way I did things. Still being around I have dealt with the Ludlowe managers since me and managers at other schools, like Warde basketball's Tommy Smalley, who is now managing at Siena College.

I also dealt with members of the media such as Pat Pickens, Mary Albl, Rich Pittera, Bill Bloxsom (featured in picture above) and many more. Pat was the one who gave me the opportunity to blog for Hearst/The Fairfield Citizen, and is probably a big reason I am interested in sports media. so I can't thank him enough for that.

Overall, managing high school sports was one of the best things I have done. One thing to know: Do whatever is needed and you are asked. (And yes, I am still way too invested and too involved).