Student managers become part of the fabric of their respective teams, and are treated as such. As their experience builds and familiarity grows, the certainty of this statement deepens even further.
Even so, the managers must live in multiple worlds. As an extension of the coaching staff, they have administrative responsibilities. But as Harvard students, they seem more liable to develop natural bonds with athletes. In reality, according to Fine, they foster solid connections with both parties, albeit connections of a dissimilar nature.
“Age-wise and experience-wise you’re going through the same things [as] the players. However, the person that we’re taking our direction from is a member of the coaching staff—you do live in both worlds,” Fine said. “In terms of integration, we travel with the team just like a player would, we are at every practice just like a player would be, and just like a coach would be… There’s no way you can’t be [integrated] when you spend that kind of time, and so you do end up with both sides.”
Building these bonds allows student managers to access the wealth of experience and fellowship that the Crimson’s coaches and student-athletes have to provide.
“Being team manager means that you get to work closely with the coaching staff, which has been great especially for squash because the coaches are among the best in the world,” Bansal said. “At Harvard the coaching resources are almost unparalleled in the time and effort they dedicate into making sure you are successful as a student both in the athletic facilities and outside in the classroom and your personal life.”
In terms of commitment, the role can be taxing, as managers must spend a similar magnitude of time involved in sport as their student-athlete counterparts.
However, coaching staffs often offer some flexibility, recognizing that time can be scarce commodity for Harvard students.
“There’s a level of commitment that’s expected, but our coaches are really good about working with us,” Fine said. “As Harvard students, this is one of many things we have going on, and our coaching staff is really good about meeting us where we’re at.”
The Harvard Athletics Department isn’t the only entity that benefits from the relationship. For the managers, the experience can be rewarding, as well. They not only get to be involved in a sport that they love but also get some satisfaction from knowing that they are a part of the formula of their team’s success.
The position is also a platform to build upon one’s understanding of how a sport should be played. After observing firsthand how the coaches and players respond to different situations during practices and games, managers absorb pockets of useful information. Knowledge accrues, and working relationships build.
“I learned a ton about the game of basketball just by doing this,” Fine said. “I expected to gain basketball knowledge and [knowledge of] what a professional life in basketball could look like. I got that, but I also got so much more…. The relationships that I got out of it were way more than I expected.”
For those passionate about an individual sport, taking on a student manager position has seemed to have been gratifying route to stay involved through a role with the Crimson varsity squad. But according to Bansal, in terms of the experience, you get out of it what you put in.
“I would encourage others to pursue a role as team manager if they are really passionate about the sport and the team,” Bansal said. “The role is definitely worthwhile if you love the game you are spending time following, and tracking and the success of the experience depends on what you make of it.”
—Staff writer Jackson M. Reynolds can be reached at jackson.reynolds@thecrimson.com.