By Pauline Dagaas

Alli Rust, Abby Schumacher, Breanna Morrow, and Dani Letsinger help out the PHS Wrestling team. Photo by: Pauline Dagaas

As the winter season begins to take place, athletes face many challenges as they prepare for their upcoming sport season. Luckily, their dedicated sport managers are there to help make this new season successful.

With a large addition of freshmen in this year’s Wrestling team, they find themselves grateful for the assistance their managers (Alli Rust, Dani Letsinger, Abby Schumacher, Breanna Morrow) have provided. Freshman Alli Rust is no newbie in terms of managing. “Because my dad is the coach,” she states, “wrestling has been a part of my life and I have helped out for as long as I can remember.” Her job involves organizing and passing out warm ups, taking attendance, and doing whatever needs to be done in order to make the practices run more smoothly and efficiently.

The team’s schedule includes practices everyday after school with meets usually set on Saturday mornings. Though it may be hectic, the managers are happy to support the wrestlers, despite the busy agenda. “It’s hard at first to learn how things work, and the way the meets are run.You really have to be on top of things if you want to figure it all out.” says sophomore Abby Schumacher. As a manager without past experience, she understands the challenges of helping run this talented group. Also new this year is freshman Breanna Morrow who adds, “You have to give up time after school and on weekends.” On a brighter note, the obstacles have only encouraged these girls to work hard. They have learned simple rewarding skills such as taking initiative. “I feel like it helps me with taking charge and being willing to do something no one really wants to do,” comments Schumacher.

Sophomores Brandi Reiter and Bellinda Bottorff have been managers for the varsity girls’ basketball team for two years. Both enjoyed past experiences with this group and decided to help out once more.” [I joined again] because the older girls become like your bigger sisters, plus everyone loves basketball,” Bottorff states. To assist the girls, they do whatever they can to aid them. Like wrestling, the girls basketball team is hard at work practicing everyday and on Saturday, if possible. This doesn’t seem to bother either of them however. “[The best part] is getting to know the great personalities of all of the players!” Reiter says. In addition, she has become a more “well-rounded person”. Likewise, Bottorff agrees, “I better understand the importance of responsibility.

As the athletes ready themselves for the season, fortunately they have been gifted with team managers, those who are always there to offer a helping hand