Playing v. Managing

I am a player and a manager.
I play for the Girl's Volleyball team and manage for the Girl's Basketball team. There is an enormous difference between the two, yet, they are so similar.
Being a player, it is like being on a stage. I feel like I am on a stage playing a sport I like, representing a team and I know that there are many people watching me on the sidelines.
Being a manager, it is like being back stage. I feel like I am on the sideline making things happen, supporting the team and watching the process on stage.

I learned the difference between playing a sport and managing as soon as I started to manage for the girls. Managing is harder than what it really looks like. One manager takes care of the "book" - a book that records the stats of a player, another manager is in charge of the score board, and a third is in charge of the shot clock. Not only does a manager need to be complete immerse into the game, they need to focus on their jobs and there are many things that you can not do. When managing, you are not allowed to cheer your own team on, which is really hard to control. The managers has to set up the court, take down stats and does the clock that literally runs the game and stay after the game to clean up.

All in all, the players and the managers has to work together to make things happen and instead of giving all of your attention to the players next time, acknowledge the managers and all of the hard work they are doing to make things happen.

Peony C.
Senior