"You're a part of a team," junior Robin Nabi, head J.V. manager, says. "You get to know the coaches, and the players are like brothers."

"It's like having 100-plus big brothers," Allen says. "They notice when we're not around."

Managing also provides business experience. Junior Yazmin Mehdi, head varsity manager, says that a manager must have "a knack for organization" and must also be "very business oriented."

As head undergraduate manager, Reyes works with travel agents, is the intermediary between ticket officials and the football team and, along with the other managers, organizes preseason housing and practices. "You have the widest range of associates from all over campus," Reyes says.

Football managers always have to be one step ahead. During practices and before, during and after games, they always have to anticipate and take care of problems.

Sometimes their responsibilities become second nature. "You don't think about it so much. You're used to it," Reyes says.

At Darmouth this year, as the managers were leaving the hotel, one woman remarked to another, "Where are all these cheerleaders coming from?"

The managers just looked at each other and thought, "Little do they know."