It takes great pride to be a benchwarmer. The role, only fit for the most cool-headed and nonchalant of athletes, takes great patience, coolness and most of all, a cushioned gluteus maximus. Luckily, BSM’s athletic program has been graced with an ample amount of these young men and women.

Senior Wyatt Satre, a football player known for riding pine, knows the not-so-glamorous life of a benchwarmer all too well. Although not noticed on the field, he still makes sure he is an important contributor to the team. “I just take it really seriously. I don’t mess around. I’ll yell at other people if they aren’t cheering loud enough, and you always have to look good too. You can’t be looking bad on the sidelines. That’s rule number one when it comes to benchwarming,” Satre said.

Satre’s stature, humble attitude, and passion on the sidelines is comparable to that of one of the most famous benchwarmers to ever grace the bench: Rudy. “I am a little “Rudyesque” I would say. I haven’t made a big play like he did, but I try to make it happen. He’s my inspiration,” Satre said.

But frustration is imminent when an athlete isn’t able to play as much as they want, and of course it can be disheartening. “There were some games where it really close or a really big one where you wish you could’ve gone in like the Holy Family game, and there’s also the big wins like Eden Prairie and Edina that I didn’t get to get in, even for a few minutes just to say you’re part of that, but I still consider myself part of the wins,” Senior soccer player Danny Tift said.

Every athlete has their delusional superstitions and down right wacky routines before a competition, and benchwarmers are no different. The superstitions and pre-game routines involving a non-participating athlete are essential to the both their teams’ gameplay and his or her lack of. “I usually just scream really loud, but I also always stand next to Sam Merriam at every game and we always do that and usually win when that happens,” Satre explained.

Clearly, the job of a benchwarmer is not one to overlook. The passion for the game and perseverance needed to stand in the shadows of your teammates and still keep positive and encouraged is nothing short of heroic.