Imagine walking out onto the field for a Friday night football game. The turf is lit up, the bleachers are full of fans, and everyone is cheering as the team enters the field. Junior Josh O’Neil did not want to miss out on the thrills of one of his favorite sports, so when his parents would not allow him to play football his freshman year, he decided to become the team manager instead.
“I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into because there has never been someone like me doing this before,” O’Neil said. “I had to create the position myself, so I really had to figure out on my own what I could do and what needed to be done for the team.”
O’Neil helps out during team practices, co-manages the team website, updates the team’s Twitter account and puts up game film on the website.
“I do a lot of little things that make it a lot of fun,” O’Neil said.
O’Neil continues to add different roles to his position.
“One of the best parts of my job is that every week and almost every day, I find something different to do to help out,” O’Neil said.
Through his work as a team manager, O’Neil has built many relationships with both the coaches and the players.
“I have a special niche where I get to be with the players a lot, be with the coaches a lot and build relationships with everyone on the team,” O’Neil said. “I’m really appreciative that they’ve let me become another member of their group; it’s been great.”
In addition, O’Neil also formed many relationships with the players, who enjoy O’Neil’s presence at games and practices.
“Josh is very helpful, and he is a very good coach,” sophomore Andy Carmichael said. “He’s a father figure, he knows the game better than anyone else and he is just a good guy.”
Senior captain Brian Murtagh agrees that O’Neil’s role is beneficial to the team.
“Josh is probably one of the most helpful people we have on the staff. He works with us well, he works with the coaches well and he does his job really well,” Murtagh said.
Although O’Neil enjoys his work as the football manager, he doesn’t plan on continuing it through college.
“A lot of people ask me if I want to do this in college for a big college sports team, but I’m not really interested in doing this on another level,” O’Neil said. “I like the close intimacy of a small town football team.”
Overall, O’Neil enjoys his role in the football program and is grateful for the opportunity.
“Ever since my first day, I’ve been testing essentially, a frontier, and I could not be more grateful to my coaches.”
bhvujg • Oct 30, 2012 at 10:27 PM
Josh ur swaggger is on infinite
sjdbjsbd • Oct 23, 2012 at 7:41 AM
sick josh
Cameron D. • Oct 23, 2012 at 7:37 AM
I think I love you Josh
This guy • Oct 22, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Josh you are so awesome. You are like the godfather of football….at Wayland.
anonymous • Oct 22, 2012 at 1:22 PM
JOSHY you father figure you.