Head coach Mark Gottfried, associate head coach Bobby Lutz and assistant coach Orlando Early stand on the sideline calling out plays during the first half of the game against Appalachian State Friday, Nov. 8, 2013. The Wolfpack defeated the Mountaineers 98-77 at PNC Arena. Photo by Ryan Parry.
Generally, head coaches and assistant coaches are thought of as the brains of a basketball team. The players are the core of a basketball team while the medical staff keeps the body running. All of these people play a pivotal role in the success of a basketball team, but there is a group of significant people that are seldom recognized, and that is the basketball managers.
Behind the scenes, junior manager Kevin Johnson and his fellow mangers perform a variety of tasks for the N.C. State men’s basketball team.
“There are three main things that we are expected to do,” Johnson said. “We help during practice by rebounding for the players, we do office work and we make sure our equipment is ready before we travel.”
N.C. State men’s basketball managers are required to arrive to practice one hour early to set up the gym before the players arrive. They make sure the gym is ready and clean so players can practice in a clean environment with the proper equipment.
“We are there to help make sure practice goes smoothly for the team,” Johnson said. “Our entire team takes practice very seriously, and guys like [freshman forward] Kyle Washington always bring a ton of energy to practice.”
Johnson said the managers also contribute to the team by assisting coaches with paperwork and film. The managers capture and edit the game film of upcoming opponents for the team to watch and study. Detailed film helps dictate head coach Mark Gottfried’s game scheme and the team’s preparation when game day arrives. They also play an important role in the recruiting process, sending letters to potential targets.
Managers are also responsible for arriving at PNC Arena three hours early on game day to make sure the home and visiting locker rooms are ready for each team. It is also the staff’s duty to make sure the team’s shoes, jerseys and other gear are ready to travel with the team when they leave campus to play an away game. Not only are these unsung heroes responsible for helping the team run efficiently, they are also required to maintain a high degree of excellence in the classroom.
Though being a manager is a lot of work, the staff gets to have some fun as well. Aside from hours of preparation, film work and assisting in practices, the managers also enjoy participating in competitive basketball games of their own. The night before State traveled to Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on Duke, the Wolfpack managers defeated the Blue Devil staff in a thrilling game where the Pack won by three points in overtime. The night before State’s last game against rival UNC-Chapel Hill, the Pack managers fell to the Tar Heel managers in front of a large crowd. Despite the loss, Johnson and the rest of the group are looking forward to the rematch in Raleigh.
“There were a lot of UNC students there, and they got pretty loud,” says Johnson. “It would be really cool if we could get a good crowd to come and watch us play.”
Johnson and the rest of the Wolfpack staff will tangle with the Tar Heel managers again on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. in an open scrimmage at Reynolds Coliseum.
Overall, Johnson said he loves his job as a N.C. State men’s basketball manager, and he is very happy to be working with the Wolfpack.
“The team is fun to be around, and the walk on squad is very entertaining,” Johnson said. “I have always loved N.C. State basketball.”