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AEMA Welcomes Helmet Tracker to Booth 228

May 30, 2019 By Jeff Zogg

There is nothing like seeing it in person.

The new Equipment>Ops program from Helmet Tracker combines the best of our inventory, ordering, checkout, and transportation planning technology into one application you can hold in your hand.

Rick Perkins, co-founder of Helmet Tracker

Equipment>Ops will make every Equipment Manager’s job more simple.

“It’s a big deal when you can connect everything you are doing with your Nike, Adidas, or Under Armor order. We launched a year ago and have been refining it ever since. It’s ready now,” says Helmet Tracker Co-founder Rick Perkins.

“We’ve eliminated many 3-ring binders in the equipment room.”

New Equipment>Ops Solves Problems

Equipment>Ops allows the Equipment team to search, make notes, checkout equipment apparel and track everything from helmets to cleats. It belongs with the football team, hockey team, lacrosse team, track team, and more.

If it has “team” after it, Equipment>Ops belongs.

“When that box of apparel shows up the Equipment Manager simply goes to the list, sees what is in the box, and does the job,” Rick says. “It immediately saves half the time of checking in orders.”

Now, you can see Equipment>Ops and talk with Rick and co-founder Rich Hardt yourself. Helmet Tracker will be checking you in at the AEMA (Athletic Equipment Managers Association) Convention next week in Indianapolis.

“We are proud to welcome each Equipment Manager to the convention and you can find us later in the week at Booth 228,” Rich said.

No Limits

“There are no limits to the number of departments, sports, types of equipment, or users,” Rich says. “This is an all-encompassing tool.”

While Helmet Tracker began to track football helmets, it has grown to become a critical part of every aspect of professional, college, high school, and youth sports’ equipment rooms.

“Our software is integrated with or used by Riddell, Schutt, Vicis, and Xenith. It’s used by many reconditioners. It is used by large college sports programs such as Auburn, and smaller college sports programs. It is used by coaches in high school and by youth leagues,” Rich says.

“Now we want Equipment Managers to know that Equipment>Ops connects directly with their apparel partner and is ready to plug in with all your sports.”

Helmet Tracker Founders Rich Hardt and Rick Perkins

Too Many to Count

Literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of equipment, tens of thousands of athletes, and thousands of pieces of apparel are already part of Equipment>Ops. For just a small part of the program, manufacturers are adding 3,000 to 5,000 helmets to the NOCSAE database every day,” Rich said.

NOCSAE, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, is using Helmet Tracker to administrate its national database.

Helmet Tracker just added Marshall University to Equipment>Ops and is integrating Illinois State this month.

Illinois State Equipment Manager Nick Watson

In June, Boise State will upgrade to Equipment>Ops.

Equipment Managers can talk to their colleagues from these programs, or from Auburn, the University of South Dakota, or Montana State, among others.

Then, find, Booth 228 and talk with Rick and Rich.

AMEA Exciting Time

“It’s an exciting time. The new capabilities were launched about a year ago and are running smoothly,” Rich said. “Our web-based technology is built on a strong, reliable, and secure foundation. Equipment>Ops works. It works every time.”

The AEMA Convention is the best time of the year, Rick says.

“Come to our booth and let us know what your challenges are and we will find out how to solve them. That’s what we do—solve problems for Equipment Managers.”

Equipment>Ops is not just a glorified spreadsheet, it is a comprehensive database. Equipment>Ops gets the information an Equipment Manager needs to plan, forecast, and meet the needs.

“Our system is designed by Equipment Managers for Equipment Managers,” Rick says. “We went to a variety of Equipment Managers and asked what they needed. They told us and we built it. Then, we’ve spent a year testing it in the real world of Equipment Managers, refining it, and making it practical, powerful, and usable.”

Rich and Rick in locker room — Rich Hardt, cofounder, Helmet Tracker

3-for-2 Plan – Simple to Use, Easy to Learn

Equipment>Ops is simple to use and easy to learn. The ramp-up time is weeks, not months and your student managers will be using it this summer when practice begins.

Plus, it’s affordable, especially now. Sign up for three years of Equipment>Ops and pay for just two. This 3-for-2 plan is going June 30th, so talk with Rich and Rick at AEMA, then get the paperwork through your accounting office to get started.

“This is our introductory pricing structure and it’s our last year for it,” Rich says. “Really, we are finding that our fees are more than reasonable and that the three years of use for two years of cost makes it easy to sell for the Equipment Managers who have to go to an AD or another administrator for approval.”

What You Need to Know

Equipment>Ops is engineered for college Equipment Managers who need to effectively manage loads of equipment, many sports, and big teams. We handle everything from order entry to check-out. Never worry again about audits, compliance, and taxes.

We offer several flavors of equipment management and inventory solutions. We know your equipment room isn’t like every other equipment room so we built Equipment>Ops to be flexible and customizable.

Equipment>Ops is designed primarily for colleges. Rich functionality will improve your equipment management capabilities and eliminate cumbersome spreadsheets or basic inventory systems.

Equipment>Ops will save you time and money with efficient check-in, returns, and customizable reporting.

Whatever your size, whatever your set-up, whatever your experience, Helmet Tracker has the right tool to make you more efficient and buy you more time.

Come see us in AEMA Booth 228.

AEMA Convention Preview

May 16, 2019 By Jeff Zogg

The 45^th annual Athletic Equipment Managers Association Convention begins June 3 so we asked a few District Directors and other officials about what they are looking forward to in Indianapolis.

Sam Trusner, AEMA Office Manager tells us there will be about 500 Equipment Managers at this year’s convention – similar to crowd sizes in the past.

“The biggest thing this year, and most years, is the standardization of equipment and safety,” Sam says.

For years, the focus has been on football helmets, and that will continue.

“Helmet issues change daily,” Sam says. “I think it is changing for the better and we need to get the information out. Manufacturers, everyone, are doing a better job and providing a better product and now we have people involved — chemists, engineers, and neurosurgeons — who are helping get a better product.”

Sam, a member of AEMA for 34 years, said NOCSAE (National Organizing Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) officals will be talking about standards being established for football shoulder pads—a new endeavor.

Officials for NAERA (National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association) and from the NCAA Rules Committee also are slated to present.

Equipment Managers Certification Exam

Plus, the exam.

AEMA will sit 104 Equipment Managers for the Certification Exam. About 70 percent pass, Sam says.

“It’s important because it raises the awareness of what we do and how important this job is,” Sam says. “Almost every school now says you must be certified or get certified within a year to be an Equipment Manager there.”

Helmet Tracker offers an Exam scholarship that reimburses one Equipment Manager the cost of the exam and the study book. (It's not too late to apply – and it's easy).

Convention Timing

Another issue that may rise is the importance and timing of the AEMA Convention itself.

“There are so many football camps and stuff going on that it becomes increasingly hard to schedule a time of year when everyone is free,” Sam says.

Budget restrictions and the increasing popularity of AEMA District meetings, as well as NCAA conference meetings, also play a part.

Indianapolis

Still, this year’s AEMA Convention in Indianapolis will be popular.

“There is always something going on there,” Sam says. “It’s probably my favorite place to have convention and it’s right in our biggest district. It’s probably the most centralized location for the majority of our membership that we have.”

AEMA President Clifton Perry

Clifton is busy preparing the Princeton Women’s Lacrosse team for the quarterfinals and wrapping up the baseball season, among other tasks.

“Every convention is a little bit different. I enjoy going to convention more because of the camaraderie and the people I don’t see throughout the year,” he says. ”It’s a great chance to reconnect with people you haven’t seen in a while”

“Sometimes the convention is more about the personal catchup times than the professional connections, but it’s all important,” Clifton says.

Vendors

He looks forward to meeting with vendors and exploring new products.

“Some of the vendors the last few years are doing a great job of developing new things that make our lives easier,” he says. “There were a few last year that really kinda blew me away. I bought them as soon as I saw them and I don’t really do things like that.”

He said his goals for the AEMA is to be as transparent as possible. “This has been the most challenging year I’ve ever had on the board of directors.

“This is my 12^th year on the board and I don’t think people understand what it takes behind the scenes.”

For most AEMA members and those who attend the convention, Clifton says it’s important to continue to learn. `

“The best thing as professionals is that we need to stay current to make the changes we need to make in our equipment rooms to be the best we can be.”

Helmets for WLAX and Soccer

For example?

“I like the fact we are talking about wearing helmets in women’s lacrosse and in soccer, but at what point does it become so expensive that administrators start thinking about dropping the sport?”

Kathy Saltis, District I Director and Westfield State Equipment Room Manager

“The best thing about the convention is seeing other people and comparing notes. I am not a traveling Equipment Manager and many DIII Equipment Managers don’t travel with their teams, so at convention we get to hear about what is going on in the rest of the equipment world, see new products, and hear about new ways of doing things.”

Being an Equipment Manager at a smaller school, Kathleen says connecting with Equipment Managers from similarly-sized schools is valuable.

“By intentionally networking you learn new tricks on how to do things and how the rest of the world operates,” she says. “In DIII, the range of the people who work this job is huge. Some have training as a custodian, or groundskeeper, or are former coaches.

That’s why certification is so important. It gives us more credibility.”

She told us she looks forward to exploring Indy and its many monuments.

Mike Royster, AEMA Executive Director and Assistant Athletic Director of Athletics Facilities and Equipment at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

“Equipment guys and girls don’t get a lot of time off so when you get some time away its good to relax a little bit and we try to make the convention a relaxing atmosphere,” he says.

“We have good vendors coming – I think we have about 115 or so,” he says.

Another issue on everyone’s mind is the NFL helmet testing.

Kevin Jurenko, District III Director and Stetson University Director of Equipment

“This is my first convention as a district director and I’ll be going to some of those AEAM meetings for leadership,” he says.

“But I will definitely check out the vendor booths at the convention – I make out a list of who to see.”

As with most everyone going to convention, Kevin looks forward to connecting with colleagues and seeing some of Indianapolis.

“I will try to see the Colts facility and make it out to Victory Field to see a game.” The Indians, the AAA ballclub of the Pittsburg Pirates, play in a downtown facility within walking distance of the convention. They have a home game Sunday, June 2, but are out of town the rest of the convention time.

Kerry Connor Jr., District IV Director, Director of Equipment Operations for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

“I started going to the AEMA convention in 2004 and as soon as I arrived I said to myself – I cannot miss another one.”

Kerry said the connections he’s made with other Equipment Managers form a cornerstone for the convention.

“Every year I look forward to seeing familiar faces and guys I admire and respect. There are people I like to hang out with and grab a beer and tell stories about what has happened with us.”

He also enjoys meeting vendors and finding out what the next thing or service is that will help him do the job more effectively.

“The last time we were in Indy, I didn’t get a chance to see the Colts’ Lucas Oil stadium or visiting the Indianapolis 500 Museum, so I hope to see those this year.”

Chris Dountas, District IX Director, Stanford Assistant Athletic Director-Equipment Manager

“This will be my 17th convention,” he says. “I look forward to going every year to the classes. The CEU credit classes are important and there is a good lineup this year.”

Chris is presenting a workshop on International Travel with Rob Jones, Assistant Athletics Director, Equipment Operations at UC Davis.

“He hired me as an intern about 15 years ago, so it’s going to be a big deal for me to present with him,” Chris says.

It’s those connections that form the highlights of the convention for most Equipment Managers.

“Everyone is so busy all the time. You might go to your own conference gathering, but seeing all the old friends and see what they are up to and connect – that’s one of the great things about convention.”

“I tell everyone that going to the AEMA convention is a great way to meet people. Our industry is very tight knit, it’s personal.”

Taxing Coaches Apparel

Hot buttons this year?

“There is a lot of talk about the public and state institutions having to charge sales tax and how to go about charging the coaches and staffs,” Chris says. “That will change everyone’s accounting.

Helmet Tracker wrote about the issue last month.

“And, helmets are always a big time discussion and this year the shoulder pads could be a big deal as the NFL is talking about announcing a shoulder pad ranking like they are doing for the helmets.”

Troy Jepsen, District VI Director and Head Equipment Manager at Drake

“I look forward to visiting the Adidas facility and to get a handle on the ins and outs of their operation so that when I need something it will help me understand how to do my job better.”

The Bulldogs are an Adidas school.

“I also look forward to visiting with friends and colleagues — to see what is going on and catch up on their lives,” he says. “I look forward to that.”

Troy says those connections are what make the AEMA special.

“Equipment Managers are one big family. We take care of each other.”

He says the personal and professional connections become quite intricate by the time an Equipment Manager has been to 20 conventions, like he has. But it’s just as important for young Equipment Managers to begin to build their friendships and networks as well.

“It’s never too early to start.”

Future Conventions

2020– Fort Worth, TX
May 31-June 4
2021– Atlanta, GA
June 6-June 10
2022– Las Vegas, NV
June 5-June 9

Introducing 3 more Helmet Tracker AEMA Scholarship candidates

May 2, 2019 By Jeff Zogg

Helmet Tracker supports the men and women who take the most important step in their Equipment Manager journey by tackling the AEMA (Athletic Equipment Managers Association) Certification Exam.

Each year, Helmet Tracker awards one Equipment Manager who passes the exam our scholarship. The scholarship reimburses the Equipment Manager for the cost of the exam and the study book.

Here are the three latest scholarship applicants

Rodney Pack

From coast to coast, Rodney chases his dream of becoming a major sport team General Manager.

The next step: AEMA Certification.

Rodney, now in Seattle, plans to take and pass the exam in Indianapolis, then find a job in an equipment room while he works to finish his masters degree.

Rodney earned his Sport Management degree from George Mason where he was first introduced to being an Equipment Manager for the Patriots.

“I worked mostly as a men’s basketball team equipment manager as part of an internship, then for two years I worked a paid position,” he said. “Then, it was off to Indianapolis.”

Triple A Indians

Rodney worked with the Triple A Indianapolis Indians in inventory management and organization, mostly in their merchandising department.

After that, it was a stint with Cal Ripken Baseball, traveling with a youth baseball clinic team for a season from Florida to West Virginia. The Ripken team set up shop numerous times to put kids from 5 to 12 years old through several stations. Rodney worked them all.

He is now working toward earning his masters degree in Business Analytics from Grand Canyon University.

Rodney initially was interested in athletic training—so it’s always been about staying around sports—since he competed in football and track at Thomas Dale High in Richmond, Virginia. But studying to be an athletic trainer wasn’t for him. He shifted his focus to Sports Management.

Once he earned his degree at George Mason, he worked at the Virginia Beach Fieldhouse, organizing inventory, managing, and helping to run the football and soccer programs.

Seattle – “Incredible work ethic…”

Now on the other coast, Rodney works in Seattle, Washington in a program called the After-School All-Stars. Founded by Arnold Schwarenegger, After-School All-Stars provide an extended learning day for middle school students in low income areas.

“He has a incredible work ethic, is organized with his assigned projects and tasks, and is passionate about our mission to provide comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life,” writes Ranna J. Daud, the Executive Director of After-School All-Stars in Seattle.

“As the Operations Coordinator, he is responsible for general office management, HR paperwork and onboarding of new employees, coding of expenses, assistance with researching funding opportunities, and volunteer management,” she wrote. “He has been a welcome addition to our team and I look forward to seeing his growth and professional development with our organization.”

AEMA Certification

Rodney learned about the AEMA certification from a friend and as his interest grew, he began to poke around, looking at job openings.

“Most said you must be certified, so that’s what I am going to do in Indianapolis – get certified,” Rodney told us. “My equipment experience isn’t recent, but I will get my foot in the door, then make the moves I need to make.”

In May, his days will be spent studying for the exam while not working and in between episodes of Game of Thrones.

Jason Seidman

Jason loves the Colorado Springs area, but was not associated with the military until he landed a job at the Air Force Academy.

“I had an internship at Drake in Des Moines (Iowa) then moved into a full-time job there,” he said by way of introduction.

We asked him to back up a bit and learned that he played hockey and baseball at Coronado High School in the Springs. Down the road, he earned a degree in Sport Management from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2015.

High School Equipment Manager Goal

Jason said he had a goal of being an Equipment Manager since high school.

“It’s something I’m good at. I’m very organized and pay attention to detail.”

He worked the visiting clubhouse for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (who are now in San Antonio). Then had an internship with USA Hockey.

“I loved it – I loved it all.”

Sky Sox to Drake to Academy

He returned to the Sky Sox and worked in the clubhouse for two years, then landed the unpaid internship at Drake where he worked with all sports.

“It was tough,” he said, but worthwhile. He said he learned gobs from Head Equipment Manager Troy Jeps0n. “You have to make sacrifices.”

Troy had worked in the equipment room for Air Force Academy Associate Athletic Director of Operations Dan Siermine and when a job opened up there, it was a good fit for Jason.

“My three main sports are men’s and women’s soccer and men’s lacrosse. I also support fencing, water polo, boxing, men’s and women’s gymnastics, and the spirit squad (cheer and dance team),” Jason said.

Equipment Managers Exam

Jason will take the AEMA Certification Exam in Indy next month.

“It’s important to be certified. The AEAM is a great organization,” he said. “I went to convention last summer in Phoenix and it was a great experience for me.”

Dan Siermine has confidence that Jason will pass the exam.

“I know Jason will do tremendous on his exam. He is a very bright spot in the future of the AEMA and the equipment profession,” he wrote.

“deserving, loyal, hard-working”

“I can think of no individual more deserving than Jason to be awarded the Helmet Tracker AEMA Certification Scholarship,” Dan wrote. “Jason is a loyal, conscientious and hard-working employee. His coaches and athletes have complete confidence in him. He goes over and beyond the call of duty for all his sports.”

Elijah Boswell

This Elijah’s third season in the equipment room at the University of Idaho. He will finish his degree in Geography next semester.

“Eli Boswell is an up-and-coming equipment manager with passion and drive,” wrote Anthony Castro, Assistant Athletic Director for Equipment Operations at the University of Idaho. “He joined our Idaho team as a Football equipment manager spring of ‘16.”

As important as knowing the equipment and how to care for it, knowing how to interact with others is also critical for an Equipment Manager.

“… learning, dependable, super leader…”

“Eli has come in with an open mind and is learning how to deal with the complex make-up and the demands of equipment management. Eli is responsible, along with dependable and is becoming a super leader by managing and guiding other student workers/managers. He leads by example by continuously providing good customer service, cooperation and respect amongst staff, athletes, coaches, and everyone,” Anthony wrote.

Eli played varsity football and threw the shot put and discus for the track team at North Salem High School in Salem, Oregon.

Idaho Vandals

When he got to Idaho, he heard about the jobs in the equipment room and went after it. An unofficial tryout during Spring ball lead to a position as a student manager.

“When I visited here, I just fell in love with Moscow,” he said. It’s not too big or too small.

“I love it and have had an absolute blast.”

Backup plan

Though he plans to earn his masters degree in urban and regional planning, that’s a backup plan.

“I love being around sports. Experiencing the game-day atmosphere and traveling with the team is a great experience and the people I work with are just fantastic!” he said.

“This is an awesome profession.”

Equipment Managers Exam next month

Eli will take the AEAM Certification Exam in Indianapolis next month.

“Being an Equipment Manager is becoming a more respected and well known profession,” Eli said. “Ill be looking for a GA job and now – many schools require AEMA certification.”

After earning a masters degree, he hopes to stay in the equipment room somewhere and work his way up to run his own program someday.

When he’s not studying or working in the equipment room, you’ll find Eli taking scenic walks with his girlfriend or relaxing with movies, football, or video games. “I do try to get around to reading, too,” he quipped.

Apply Today

Planning to take the AEMA Certification Exam in Indianapolis next month? It’s not too late to apply for our scholarship. Just fill out the form here and we’ll walk you through the rest.

Audits and Taxes

April 18, 2019 By Jeff Zogg

Tax month in the United States brings out the paperwork, the receipts, and the stress. Put it on the calendar – mid-April. Every. Single. Year.

Will you or won’t you get audited? Though the IRS audits well more than a million tax returns, it’s just one-half of one percent of all returns that get the second look.

Equipment Managers, though, don’t have audits normally scheduled. They can’t see them coming at them.

It’s like a pop quiz – a pop quiz / final exam combo.

“Most universities get audited,” admits Matthew Althoff, Equipment Operations Manager at the University of Virginia.

Some universities do an audit regularly—like every four years. But administrators don’t normally tip their hand at what they want to inspect.

“Every university does it differently, but they are not looking to get you in trouble. What they do what to see is if you are following policy and procedures,” Matthew said.

Inspectors may count jerseys or check other inventory. They may check certain bookkeeping or paperwork.

Internal or External Audit

Once they are completed, the internal auditors or inspectors will return a report that includes recommendations and a timeline of when improvements must be made – typically within a year.

An external audit, Matt says, is much more serious.

When the state or another governmental agency, conducts an audit, their findings may result in much more serious consequences—such as fines or penalties. If serious negligence is found, some people may lose their jobs.

“What they may do is pick random purchase orders for the year and ask for the PO, then the invoice, and then they would check the inventory,” Matt says. “And you have to show what you used, how it was used, and who used it.”

Preparation for an Audit

How do you prepare?

“It’s what you’ve been doing throughout the year,” Matt says. “Have your paperwork done and complete. Documentation is important—such as your purchase orders and invoices, and all that.”

How to do it?

Organized files. Everything written down. Everything accounted for. No shortcuts.

“Everybody hates the paperwork – but that is what they are looking for,” Matt says.

The bigger the school, the more equipment, the more apparel, the more paperwork, and the more frequent audits.

Taxation Issues

Lately, the big question about audits is how the new tax situation impacts equipment rooms. Now, coaches are taxed for the apparel they are provided. So, it’s up to the Equipment Manager to report what goes to the coaches and what it’s worth.

When we started asking around about the apparel tax issue, one name kept coming up – Chuck Hall at the University of Louisville.

“This situation is going to impact everyone,” said Chuck, Director of Equipment Operations at Louisville. “What is happening is that programs are signing with these huge sponsors, such as Nike and Under Armor. These are huge numbers and the big contract comes in and the IRS comes in and says they want their portion.”

Taxing Coaches’ Gear

So, coaches and staff now get taxed on gear. It’s treated as extra income and no one particularly likes it, but that doesn’t matter.

Some coaches take in thousands of dollars of apparel in a month. The tax on that kind of benefit is going to significantly impact that month’s paycheck. The equipment staff must be able to work with payroll, the accountants, and the finance department to get it right.

Athletes are not taxed for their equipment and apparel (but there are other rules to be aware of, of course).

“I created an inventory system here that helped create a taxing system. That report goes to our payroll department every month, then every quarter we get spot checks to ensure we are reporting everything.”

Questions remain about whether coaches' game day wear should be taxed. As more programs are audited, the answer will become less fuzzy. As for Louisville, Chuck has his marching orders.

“Some don’t tax game day stuff. We were told we had to, so we do,” he said.

Equipment Managing Changing

Chuck says the job has changed dramatically.

“Your equipment background is what you learn through the course of time,” he said. “Now you’ve got to know some accounting, finance—a lot of numbers, a lot of sitting in front a computer.”

Equipment Managers must be able to put together and keep a budget maintained. Then, they need to keep an inventory system that shows what you have, where it came from, and where it went or where it is.

The Louisville staff implemented a new inventory system and budget system a few years back when Chuck was hired after an audit and follow-up checkups found systems lacking.

A year ago, in February 2018, systems where checked again and the department was audited.

“We passed.”

Should You Fear an Audit?

Does it scare you? Does it make you frightened of an audit?

It shouldn’t, Chuck counsels.

“One of the big things I remind our staff is that we aren’t going to get in trouble if we are off a little. I remind them that the report will be published and we will need to respond to what we can do better.”

One advantage of undergoing such scrutiny is that the Equipment budget can grow. When Equipment Managers or Directors request funds for more people, software, and other equipment to do the job, some administrations can be slow to respond.

But when an audit shows the millions of dollars of apparel that run through the equipment room and the requirements of the job, suddenly funding comes through.

Some schools are implementing new systems and reporting the gear, others are taking a wait and see approach. Those who aren’t moving along must be wary of an audit and the possible fines, or worse, that will come eventually.

This tax situation isn’t going anywhere, Chuck said. “Everyone will have to do this.”

“Uncle Sam wants his portion.”

Football and Olympic Sports Equipment Managers – Different, yet the Same

April 4, 2019 By Jeff Zogg

Attention seems to pursue football Equipment Managers whether they are seen tightening a helmet screw during a nationally televised game or being featured in a student newspaper.

But surely the Equipment Managers who care for the soccer teams, the tennis teams, the lacrosse teams, and more deserve the spotlight, too, right?

Is there a difference?

Does it take something special, unique to be an Olympic Sports Equipment Manager that Football Equipment Managers don’t have? Vice Versa?

A Different Animal

Can an Equipment Manager swing from one job to another?

We talked with several Equipment Managers to find out.

First, we asked Kansas State Head Football Equipment Manager Al Cerbe – Is there a difference between an Equipment Manager for football and one for other sports?

“The Olympic Sports Equipment Managers, they are just such a different animal,” Al says. “Will (Rodecap) handles 12 sports!”

Will Rodecap, Head Equipment Manager in Manhattan, has held both jobs. He was a football Equipment Manager for 17 years. He stepped out of the job for a few years, then came back.

“Some days I miss the day to day grind of football, but some days I do not,” he says. “What people really can’t grasp is the volume of what we handle on a daily basis. The volume we have to deal with is just amazing.”

Daunting

Though football accounts for a large percentage of time and money spent through the equipment department, it sometimes gets more attention than warranted.

“We 39,000 items scheduled to be distributed,” Will said. “More than half of that is non-football apparel.”

Cornell Assistant Equipment Manager Nick Bruner

Then, there is the core of the job – maintaining equipment. In football, that work accounts for much of what Equipment Managers and Student Equipment Managers do each day. But the same is true in hockey – Will uses the word “daunting” to describe the equipment maintenance work for hockey programs.

And, of course, the Equipment Manager must learn to hear clearly from all coaches and communicate with each of them effectively. Yet it is different with O-Sport coaches than with football coaches.

A Different kind of Relationship

Harley Warren does both at Southern Mississippi. His primary job is football, but he also handles equipment management duties for men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s soccer.

“A lot of our O-Sports coaches come from smaller programs and many of them were their own equipment managers before,” Harley said. “They are sometimes surprised by the service we offer.

“They are so appreciative.”

Maybe it’s the scarcity of help they are used to and the dramatic change they experience, but that appreciation translates into a certain relationship with staff.

“For the most part the O-Sports coaches and people are sometimes easier to deal with and nicer to deal with,” Harley said. “They are more personable.”

That appreciation can lead to a different kind of rapport between coaches and equipment staff.

“I have a relationship with my O-Sport coaches that builds,” he said. It’s not just that the Olympic Sports’ coaches aren’t used to, or aren’t expecting, the help, but that they often have longer tenures at one school so they get to know the more permanent staff.

Tenure makes a Difference

“With football coaches, they seem to come and go so frequently and they also have 300 other student athletes and coaches and staff to deal with—players who come and go and change so frequently, that it is hard to get to everyone,” Harley said. “For the O-Sports folks, there is less equipment and usually less kids.”

Will at K-State sees it, too, but not exactly the same way as Harley tells it.

“My relationship with coaches and student athletes in the non-football sports is different – I don’t really work daily with them. There are very few you see day to day like in football.”

Coaches of the “smaller” sports take on much of what an Equipment Manager would do, and that’s okay.

“Some coaches want to handle things the way they want to, and as long as they check out with me, that’s fine,” Will says. In football, the Equipment Manager often dictates how coaches will handle certain things due to requirements of the job and the specialized knowledge of the Equipment Manager.

For many of the non-football sports, the job of the Equipment Manager comes down to issuing equipment at the beginning of the season’s practice, then issuing the apparel – uniforms, practice cloths, travel duds, and such.

Part of the Team

Indeed, coaches in the different sports are somewhat different, but two stand out as unique – at least to Sonny Sanfilippo, Assistant Director of Athletic Equipment Services at San Diego State University.

“Football coaches are completely different—so are soccer coaches,” says Sonny.

“In football you are committing yourself as part of the team. When they are here, you are here. If they are out at practice, you are out at practice,” he said. “The equipment demands that you are there and ready to fix it or replace it or maintain it.”

“When they travel, you travel. Other sports can be pretty self-sufficient.”

Sonny works with Aztecs’ men’s soccer, women’s rowing, men’s golf, and does apparel orders for other teams as well.

Plus, football.

“Time is the biggest difference. In football you are immersed in the team itself.”

And the attention. Football draws the attention.

Mostly the Same, but Ratios Differ

Matthew Althoff, Director of Equipment Room Operations at Virginia, says the general duties are much the same whether you are an Equipment Manager for football or other sports.

“It’s mostly the same stuff, but football is usually a higher profile. You deal with a large number of athletes on the team and more requirements that direct your job.”

Though football requires near-constant hands-on work, the ratio of Equipment Managers to student athletes is higher in other sports.

With basketball, it’s nearly one to one.

But lacrosse and soccer, it may be as high as one Equipment Manger to 30 student athletes.

At Virginia, there are typically 12 Student Equipment Managers for the football team while the men’s basketball team supports 10 and the women’s hoops requires eight.

The Focus on Football

“More of the visibility and the interest in university sports is in football, and you have more demand for helmets to look good on TV, plus you have to maintain them properly. For college golf or tennis, they are just not on television and there is not that demand or expectation,” Matt says.

Chuck Hall, Director of Equipment Operations at Louisville, says the differences are in the view – the view from the outside and inside.

“There is a microscope on football – everything is studied. Football is high profile and generally has more highly paid coaches. There is more pressure because there is a spotlight on football.”

Yes, the football program is usually the one with the interest – interest from the school, the student body, the administrators, the fans, the alumni, and, for the DI schools, the networks and the conference officials and, well, it seems, everyone.

“With the O Sports the desire to win and have success is just as strong, but the pressure may be a little less,” Harley, at Southern Miss, says.

Control and Influence

One of the big differences is control. In football, an Equipment Manager has a certain level of authority over aspects of a program. Maintenance of football equipment is not as subjective as in other sports. There are rules and expectations and requirements and accountability and more. When an Equipment Manager moves from a decision-making, authoritative position in the football locker room to a lesser position in the O Sports, it take some adjustment.

“It’s hard to lose the control factor you have in football,” Will says. “It’s tough to give up what you think is the right way to do it.”

Take, for example, men’s golf. The team comes in, the Equipment Manager measures them and sizes them up for gear, and then orders and issues the proper equipment. The team is good to go for the entire year.

“You’ve got to be able to adapt and understand and relate,” Will says. Even then, there are some student athletes you just don’t ever see.

“I may only see some student athletes once in their career—when they get their letter jacket,” says Will.

That kind of versatility in the job, in communicating with different people, can provide great opportunities to grow.

“It’s extremely beneficial to have your hands in several sports and with both female and male sports as well,” Sonny, at SDSU, says. “It helps you learn how to relate to a variety of people and the more you do that the more successful you are in whatever you do.”

Harley, at SMU, says the largest team outside the football team may be the track team with 80 student athletes – half or even a fourth of the size of the gridiron guys.

And, football takes hands-on time and lots of it. Football is every day. Every day for Spring ball, every day for camps in the summer, every day from August through Thanksgiving and often right up until Christmas.

“For the O Sports, I don’t usually go to practice for those. I do try to make it to the games and matches, but I’m just not involved daily. Mostly it’s meeting with the coaches and ordering the equipment for them. They even find their own student managers and give us their info.”

Other sports just do not demand as much time. Some coaches, Harley says, he sees just a couple times a month – and that’s during their season!

“They can be fairly self-sufficient.”

Reports, Paperwork, and Audits

And, then there is the record-keeping—an increasingly vital aspect of the job. There are requirements and requests and reports. It seems, a record of everything needs filing these days.

“Yes, we’ll get your equipment,” Will says at K-State. “Yes, but we also protect you and set you up with what you need in case an audit occurs.”

The job, he says, has changed in the past few decades, and even more so in the past few years.

“You might think the Equipment Manager job is about dispensing gear – and that is important, but we are now the front line for audits and compliance issues.”

Talk about daunting.

When your brand partner sends you 40,000 or 100,000 or 300,000 items, from socks to jerseys to practice shorts and thousands of T-shirts, you must now know who was issued what and how many and when it was issued and where it is now.

Still, there is nothing like it. Interacting with the coaches, getting to meet the incoming freshmen student athletes and watching them struggle on the fields and courts and seeing them grow as people through their senior year and the victories and the struggles, it's all a great view from a close perspective.

“It’s still a lot of fun,” Will says.