The stadium roars, and coaches call a timeout. The opposing teams’ stands shake. The lights glare onto the field. Play stops. As the referee’s whistle is blown, Chloe Calogeras and Layla Luther rush water bottles out to the waiting players. Then, just as quickly, they run back off the field, water in tow and the roars of the watching crowd start up again. Players on the sideline grab water bottles as they await their substitution. 

As halftime approaches, Calogeras and Luther refill the water bottles as Athletic Trainer Lauri Kelly helps any injured players. Once back in the opposing team’s locker room, Calogeras and Luther hand out water bottles out to tired players and coaches going over formations. When halftime ends Luther and Calogeras return the water bottles and take them  to the field to be refilled. Players are substituted as quarters transition, and all the while Luther and Calogeras are handing out water. After the game has ended Luther and Calogeras help the trainers put the equipment on the buses to be taken back to the fieldhouse. Players help themselves to the remaining water on the bus ride back. The two repeat this process every game this season. 

Once back at the fieldhouse, Calogeras and Luther must help Kelly close the fieldhouse. They pour out the water bottles and Gatorade. After, they clean the jugs for the Junior Varsity game the next morning. Calogeras and Luther also attend these games on Saturday mornings and have the same responsibilities, albeit less difficult than the Varsity games. As players leave the fieldhouse on Fridays to go home, Kelly, Calogeras, and Luther hand out cookies to the players. Any other trainer’s equipment is put away, and doors are locked. Meanwhile, Kelly yells at anyone who did not turn off the lights.

Two Freshmen Luther and Calogeras are team managers for the Revere football team. Aside from this, they help out Revere High School’s Athletic Trainer Kelly with other jobs at the fieldhouse on an average weekday after school. Luther and Calogeras have been team managers since middle school.

 The two had not planned to be team managers originally. Instead, the opportunity came from a miscommunication during middle school, and Luther’s mother, who also used to be a team manager.

“Over the summer of eighth grade, we got an email about football asking to play on the football team. But we had no one in our family playing football, so my mom asked if we could be managers, the eighth-grade coach asked the athletic director if we could do it, and he said we could. I asked Chloe, and here we are” Luther said.

This year Calogeras and Luther had to contact Coach Billy D’Amico and Kelly to be managers on the high school team. 

“Leila and Chloe got in touch with D’Amico and he got in touch with me. I told him to let me think for a minute, and I said yes, it was a good choice” Kelly said.

The use of team managers in sports has been common in the past with many Revere alumni having filled this role. Most of the time a manager’s role will be stat keeping, water, or organizing a team’s equipment. Of course with this role, the managers have to be at every event and meet for the team. 

Kelly supports having managers for team sports, but with some requirements.

“I think the position is good as long as they are dedicated to their job. No messing around and making more work for the coaches. Sports like wrestling and football have managers and stat people and stuff like that, which is really quite helpful” Kelly said.

Luther and Calogeras began helping the high school football team for the first time during practices this summer. The two helped Kelly with the ice baths for players after practice in addition to their normal responsibilities, as well as general cleaning around the locker room.

In-season practices highlight a change in pace from the more hectic and crowded summer practices. With the summer practices come injuries and plenty of field maintenance.

“During two-a-days, we get here around six AM and it is a lot more work than normal. There’s generally a lot of running around with water and because a lot of teams and different sports practice, and there’s a lot of players who need treatment. Everything’s just kind of spread out, and the fields need to be taken care of. Depending on what happens that day we’re usually here until around eight or nine pm, ” Kelly said.

Aside from helping with getting water for the team and occasionally setting the fields, Luther and Calogeras have a full schedule on Thursdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, the football team brings their game jerseys home after team meals, and Fridays are game days for the Varsity football team.

“Most Thursdays, practices are like an hour-long, so while they are out practicing, we organize and put their uniforms in their lockers for them and then go to team dinner afterward,” Luther said.

Helping out the football team every practice and game doesn’t leave much time after school for doing their homework assignments and playing other sports; however, the team managers find a way to balance their personal lives with football.

Even with working jobs as team managers, Calogeras and Luther still fill their schedules with activities. During the summer and fall, Luther can be found working at her family’s farm, and Calogeras at soccer practices and games. Luther wants to play softball in the spring, and Calogeras wants to play girl’s lacrosse. 

Calogeras and Luther are planning to be managers for the football team until they graduate in 2025. The two will also be helping the wrestling team for the 2021 season. 

“When Lauri asked Chloe and me if we were interested in helping out with (Revere) wrestling, we couldn’t resist being a part of another school sport. We are both so thankful for the opportunities we have gotten so far in high school” Luther said.