At Benilde-St. Margaret’s, student-managing offers students the opportunity to participate in athletics even if they don’t want to compete. It also allows students to be a part of a team and its culture by helping the team with different day-to-day tasks. Whether it’s providing water, setting up practice, or helping before the game, student managers are an integral part of a sports team’s success.
Lucy Lohmann is a senior at BSM, and she is a student manager for the BSM girls’ soccer team. The girls’ soccer team made it to the section finals game but ended up losing to Blake. Despite the loss, Lohmann looks back fondly on the season and the success the team had throughout the year. She mentions her most rewarding moment as a student manager was their section semifinal win over Minneapolis Southwest. “We won our section semifinals. It was a really tough game, and we won in a shootout… There was a lot of anticipation and excitement going into the game, so getting a win was really rewarding,” Lohmann said.
There are other rewarding parts about being a student manager, such as meeting new people or being a support system for the players. Building connections with the players and supporting them is really beneficial to the team’s culture and success. This is evident in the Red Knights’ success this season. Lohmann points out that her favorite part about being a student manager has been meeting new people and being a support system that the players can bounce off of. “My favorite part about managing is being able to meet new people that I wouldn’t have ordinarily met… Different girls of different grades and friend groups. We kind of just support them in whatever need that might be, whether that’s getting them Advil or telling them they did a good job. We’re a support system they can go to at any time,” Lohmann said.
Phillip Rhoden, a senior at BSM, is a manager for the BSM boys’ basketball team. Last season, the boys’ basketball team made it to the section final against Orono High School. They lost the game but still had a very successful season. Rhoden chimes in on the team’s success last year: “I’d say it was watching the guys just win and being able to help celebrate them… give them support… they played against a lot of really good teams, and just being able to overcome some bad starts,” Rhoden said.
A typical player’s practice and game for basketball is cookie-cutter: arrive at the court, stretch, warm up, and practice/play. However, practices and games for a manager can look very different. For BSM basketball, managers are at the practices helping out and are at the games to support the players. Rhoden outlines a typical practice and gameday experience for a manager, “You have to be at the practices, work on the clock, sometimes the shot clock, making sure you get all the basketballs out… For a home game, everybody’s in the locker room getting prepped up…for me, it’s just making sure to remind everybody to do their best and play well,” Rhoden said.
For managers like Rhoden, the role is not only about responsibility but also about teamwork and leadership. They become the people coaches and players can depend on through the chaos. By contributing quietly in the background, managers help build trust and stability within the program.
Football managers at BSM share similar experiences. However, their responsibilities often expand due to the size of the team. Senior football manager, Rylee Vieau, said she became a manager to stay involved in athletics, and she found it to be one of the most rewarding parts of her high school experience. She enjoyed the sense of belonging and teamwork that came with being part of the football community. Her favorite memory came after a major win over Holy Angels, a night that she said made all the long hours worthwhile. Watching the team’s excitement after the game reminded her how much the managers contribute to the overall success of the program. “Seeing everyone’s excitement after that game made all the work worth it,” Vieau said.
Managing football also requires balancing organization with relationships. Managers must prepare water, towels, and gear well before kickoff, while staying available to help players and coaches as needs arise. Communication and planning are essential, especially during a busy season. Vieau says being prepared ahead of time helps everything run more smoothly and keeps her stress-free during games. It allows her to focus on the atmosphere and support the players rather than scramble with last-minute details. “I try to make sure everything’s ready early so I can just focus on helping the team,” Vieau said.
Student management at BSM offers a unique way for students to stay connected to athletics while developing teamwork and leadership skills. Whether it’s keeping players hydrated, organizing equipment, or offering encouragement, managers play an essential role in their teams’ success. Their behind-the-scenes contributions help build a positive team culture and ensure that every game and practice runs smoothly. In many ways, student managers embody the spirit of BSM athletics.