Have you ever wondered what goes into managing a sports team? The boy’s swim team practices and competes throughout the winter with the help of not only coaches but the managing staff as well. This group of people consists of students from Farmington High School (FHS) who are willing and eager to help out in any way possible.

   Swim managers attend practices and meet to assist the team by timing the swimmers, getting the necessary equipment, and making sure things are run efficiently and smoothly. 

   Sophomore manager Kaya Wroblewski states, “We get them equipment, fill water bottles, and cheer them on. The swimmers don’t have to get out of the pool to get their equipment, allowing them to swim more laps”.

   With this help, coaches can focus on the improvement of the swimmers. Varsity swim boy Coach Ferrigno explains why he likes having managers to help his team.

   “Having managers can make practice easier, by helping athletes with equipment/water bottles or helping a lane with the workout, explaining sets, and keeping them on pace. At meets, we are always in need of timers. The coaches enjoy seeing the manager’s time and cheer for the swimmers. It helps with the energy of the meet”.

   The managers also take pride in being a part of the team, one of their favorite parts is seeing their peers get better at the sport they love.

   “I enjoy watching the meets and seeing how everyone’s best times improve. I can see how the effort that they put in at practice reflects on their times during the meets,” said sophomore swim manager Reagan Thompson.

   Considering the hours of homework and after-school commitments of many students these days, it may seem impossible to also manage a sports team. Putting school first is important, so the swim managers develop guidelines and expectations for themselves.

   Thompson only manages “on my assigned days and I only go to meet if my homework is done. Only going to meets when my homework is done lets me know I don’t have piles of work waiting for me. This makes managing more of a fun activity rather than something I dread or that takes up time.”

   Assisting sports teams in your off-season is a great way to get involved in the FHS community while making friends and getting service hours. Consider becoming a manager for one of the many sports teams in future seasons.