Managing In The Patriot League

Chris Holmes head manager for the Holy Cross basketball team:

I would not be the first student manager of a Division I men's basketball program to admit that, on most days, our manager responsibilities seem tedious and unfulfilling. Yet, I would also not be the only one who feels no regret for accepting such responsibilities as part of my college experience. We do not become student managers to improve our skills as scoreboard operators during practice or to feel the satisfaction of keeping the players hydrated, but rather we become student managers in order to become members of a team and to develop valuable life tools that will serve us well into the future.

My name is Chris Holmes and I am one of four student managers at the College of Holy Cross, one of eight members of the Patriot League. I first inquired about the position in the fall of my sophomore year as I realized that it would be the perfect opportunity for someone like me who is trying to enter the coaching profession. Now beginning my senior year, I have no doubt that I made the right decision. I believe that the valuable of any experience comes upon reflection, and after re-examining the circircumstances, challenges, and learning opportunities I have amassed over the last two years, I have come away with three distinct life lessons.

The first lesson came in the aftermath of a coaching change following my first season on staff. Our coach was fired after only one season, which was a lesson in itself of how harsh the business of coaching can be. Yet, what made a greater impact on me was the realization that everyone remaining at Holy Cross as members of the basketball program would have to start from scratch and prove themselves all over again for an entirely new coaching staff. For me personally, having to form new relationships with the incoming staff and adjusting to their style and preferences was a  reminder that everything is always earned, never rewarded. It did not matter that I had worked hard to establish a rapport with the previous coaches because that would mean nothing in my attempt to do so with the new leaders of the program.

Lesson number two was the advice of one of the assistant coaches from our previous coaching staff. In asking him for some guidance on how to progress in the coaching profession from my current position as a manager, he cautioned me to not think too far ahead. The message was clear: there is no job too small, so if it is your job then do it well. He is a former manager so he knows how tempting it can be to view my manager tasks as stepping stones for the future. But his point is that if we do not view our current jobs as important and do them to the best of our abilities, then when will we ever view a job differently and why would any employer want to hire us? Why wouldn't they fear that we are only using that employment as yet another step up the ladder?

Bob Cousy former Celtic / Holy Cross standout

The third key lesson is the most recent to come into focus. Spending this past summer working for Hoop Group Elite, I developed relationships with other managers across the country who also find themselves trying to make it in the crazy world of coaching college basketball. Some of them come from high-major schools with chances to advance deep into the NCAA tournament and compete for a National Championship. Obviously, having the opportunity to work for a big time school and sit on the bench at the Final Four would be incredible to say the least, yet I found that I gained even more appreciation from my own personal situation after hearing of their different experiences with their respective programs. At these major schools, there are often 10-plus managers, a video coordinator, at least one graduate assistant, and a director of basketball operations, all splitting the duties  that our four managers at Holy Cross share. Being able to take a more hands-n-approach to administrative and basketball responsibilities at Holy Cross has given me the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skill set that may not have been possible to achieve elsewhere. In addition, with fewer people on staff, I have been fortunate to develop a strong personal relationship with our coaches because of their accessibility. Some managers may prefer the big stage of a high-major school, while others may relish the chance to play a more active role in the day-to-day basketball operations. The lesson is that what is most important is knowing which experience you desire and embracing it for what it is.

I hope that it is evident by these three highlighted lessons that working as a student manager for a Division I basketball program is worth the trouble of a few tedious and unfulling tasks. In fact, I can honestly say that I find performing such duties to be quite satisfying now because my willingness to complete them earns me the opportunities I hoped I would have: to be part of a team and develop valuable life skills. Good luck to those who continue as student managers at schools across the country and I hope it's not too late for those who are not yet managers to make it a part of their college experience.