Many students at Ludlow High School value sports, whether they participate in playing or attend the games for support. Ludlow worships successful athletes in newspapers and throughout the halls of the school.

However, the sports programs would not be possible without the help of students who volunteer as team managers. Athletic director Tim Brillo watches to make sure team managers perform their duties correctly for the benefit of the teams.

“It’s a very important job that requires a lot of responsibility and I think it’s often unappreciated,” says Brillo.

Sophomore Téa Goncalves provides assistance for three different teams: girls volleyball in the fall, girls basketball in the winter, and boys baseball during the spring.

It all started freshman year when the volleyball coach cut Goncalves from the Freshman team. “I still wanted to be involved in the volleyball so I jumped at the coach’s offer to manage the team,” says Goncalves.

She attended each practice to pick up the volleyballs and assist Coach Ethan Campbell in drills. During games, Goncalves controlled the scoreboard and occasionally kept each Varsity player’s statistics.

When the volleyball season came to an end, Brillo, head coach of girls basketball, noticed Goncalves’s dedication to managing and offered her a spot as his team’s manager. Goncalves took the position because she “enjoyed managing so much that I didn’t want it to end,” So, she happily took the offer.

Brillo thinks of Goncalves as a responsible and helpful manager. “Téa is always asking what I need without me approaching her because she is always looking for ways to help,” says Brillo. In his opinion, there is nothing she could do better.

Last spring, the boys baseball team, needed a manager. Happy for another managing opportunity, Goncalves and sophomore Caty Chmura took the position.

“She is so willing to learn new things and she taught me how to connect with the players,” Chmura says regarding Goncalves’s managing skills.

Baseball soon became Goncalves’s favorite sport to manage. “I love watching the major leagues so it’s really cool to watch people I know personally play as well,” she says. In addition, she enjoys the outdoor environment that differs from the other two sports she manages.

Overall, the manager’s favorite part of her job is attending all of the games without needing to participate athletically.  However, she sometimes struggles to keep up with her  school work along with the responsibilities of managing. Still, she tries her best to do well and make the coaches and athletes happy.

“I wish people knew the commitment necessary for managing a sport. Many people quit managing halfway through the season, making it difficult for these teams to run successfully,” Goncalves says.