By Daniela Antras, Sreeja Ghosh & Alani Morales, Contributing Writers

What are the essential elements of a Winsor sports team? You might think of the best player, the captains, or the coaches, but another important team member that may not immediately come to mind is the team manager. Team management comes with numerous responsibilities that are necessary for the success of a sports team both on and off the field.

Team managers have many responsibilities on game days so that games can run smoothly. For instance, Irene Tian ’28, manager of the Varsity Field Hockey team, must “record the game and give it to the coach for post-game analysis.” Using video footage of their performance, players regularly comminicate with coaches to notice areas of improvement, allowing for growth and development throughout the entire season. Tian also “does the scoreboard and scoresheet,” where she tracks the shots on goal, goalie saves, and corners.

Although managers have numerous responsibilities, the commitment level is not too intense. Elizabeth Fitzpatrick ’25, one of the Varsity Soccer managers, comments that “it’s generally pretty chill and low commitment,” estimating that she spends “maybe two to six hours a week” managing the team. The commitments of a Varsity team manager include attending both home and away games, which requires the managers to travel to far-away schools and be dismissed early just like all the other players. 

Despite the important responsibilities, being a manager is also a really fun experience, according to Tian! Attending games as a team manager allows one to be in on the action and feel the excitement of the game as if they  are one of the players. As Tian mentions, there are many exciting aspects of being a team manager, such as “getting to watch Varsity play.” Fitzpatrick mentions that her favorite part of being a team manager is “getting to be a part of the team, bonding on long bus rides, and experiencing high-stakes moments on the bench!”

Team managers are an irreplaceable part of all Winsor sports teams and contribute to games’ running smoothly. Their responsibilities and dedication are essential to a team’s success and organization. We are so grateful for their behind-the-scenes work that makes each game possible!