Contributing to a Team in a Different Way

By: Cole Sonner
Throughout my four years of high school, I have chosen to volunteer with my high
school’s basketball team. The story behind my involvement with this
volunteering role began before I started high school when I was in
seventh grade. After being cut from the seventh-grade basketball
team, I was asked if I wanted to help and contribute to the team in
another way than as a player. The then seventh grade coach suggested
the idea of me filling the role of team manager as way to help the
team out as well to satisfy my desire to be a part of the team. Since
my first year of being the basketball manager, my involvement and
responsibilities have evolved into new heights which I never
imagined.
As I began high school, as my responsibilities as manager increased, as
did my time commitment. Throughout all three, soon to be four seasons
of high school basketball, I have committed on average about
two-hundred sixty volunteer hours per season. This adds up to an
approximate total of seven-hundred eighty between summer sessions and
camps as well as in-season practices and games.
As I previously stated, my responsibilities as team manager have greatly
increased and drastically changed since I began. As manager, take
care of all day-to-day operations that need to be carried out to
enable the coaching staff to focus specifically on what needs to be
done on the court and not have to worry about logistical matters off
the court. Some of my most common responsibilities include setting up
and organizing equipment, collecting stats and entering data, as well
as preparing facilities for practices and games.   
The biggest challenge as a volunteer has been having to know when to say
no. Beginning my freshman year, I said “yes” to be the manager
for all three teams; freshman junior varsity, and variety despite
only planning on helping with the freshman team. This commitment has
caused for me to spend much more time on basketball than I ever
anticipated, however, it has been for the better.The
most satisfying part of my volunteer experience has been being able
to see every day how I make an impact on others daily lives. Being
able to see this everyday has enabled me to learn a very valuable
lesson in life. This lesson is that many times, volunteering time is
just as important, and sometimes even more important than giving
money. This has humbled me as a person and lead me to continually
want to help others both on and off the court.
I see my activity as manger being forward looking as not many schools
in my area have sports managers. Although I have not changed the
world with my volunteering, I feel confident that I have made the
world a better place for others. In future years, I hope that my time
as manager inspires others to volunteer as team managers as I have
done.