Is This the Best Sports Job You Can Have in College?

Being a student manager is one of the most overlooked entry points into the sports industry.

The role comes with a lot of hard work. Early mornings, late nights, laundry runs after games, rebounding before practice, packing equipment trunks, setting up drills - doing countless small tasks that help a team operate behind the scenes.

But it also delivers an experience that most students, and even professionals, will never have.

Student managers travel with teams, sit in on practices and meetings, and learn from and build relationships with coaches, players, athletic trainers, operations staff, scouts, and athletic department leadership. They get a front row seat to the operations of high-level programs that can change the trajectory of their career.

Theres a reason that so many coaches, executives, and front office leaders across sports started as student managers.

I reached out to student managers across the country to learn how they landed their role, what they’ve learned from it, and why they’d recommend it to anyone trying to break into sports.

Here’s what they said.

Wake Forest Men’s Basketball | Rising Senior
Career goal: Sports industry consulting or college basketball front office

Sam reached out to Wake Forest’s Director of Basketball Operations during his senior year of high school after hearing multiple managers were graduating. After interviewing, he was invited to spend two weeks around the program once he got to campus to see if the role was a fit for both sides. It turned into a multi-year experience with one of the ACC’s top basketball programs.

One of his favorite memories came during a road trip to Cal and Stanford, where he helped with travel logistics and worked behind the bench during games. Wake Forest came away with two wins, but for Sam, the bigger takeaway was getting an inside look at everything that goes into operating a high-level college basketball program.

His biggest advice for aspiring student managers is to “be a sponge.” Every day, he was surrounded by coaches, players, and staff members who pushed him to grow. He also pointed out that several prominent basketball figures, including Dusty May, Mark Daigneault, and Bruce Pearl, all started as student managers before building successful careers in the sport.

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Quinnipiac Women’s Basketball | Rising Senior
Career goal: Player development or operations for a professional sports team

After transferring to Quinnipiac, Mary knew she wanted to get involved with athletics right away. Drawn to the behind-the-scenes side of sports, she reached out about student manager opportunities and quickly became part of the women’s basketball program.

Her favorite experiences have come while traveling with the team and seeing firsthand how much preparation and coordination it takes to operate a Division I program. For Mary, game days became especially rewarding because she could see all the behind-the-scenes work come together in real time.

Her biggest advice is to embrace every part of the role, even the repetitive tasks that may seem small at first. She emphasized that reliability, organization, and relationship building are all critical skills in sports, and that the connections you make as a student manager can be just as valuable as the experience itself.

Student managers are the behind-the-scenes staff members who help college athletic programs operate day to day. Their responsibilities can include setting up practices, managing equipment, rebounding or assisting during drills, handling laundry, coordinating travel logistics, filming workouts, preparing locker rooms, supporting game day operations, and helping coaches and staff with whatever the program needs.

The role is often one of the closest entry points students can get to a college team environment. Student managers work directly alongside coaches, players, athletic trainers, operations staff, video coordinators, strength coaches, and administrators while gaining firsthand experience inside a high-level athletic program. Many professionals across sports, including coaches, front office executives, athletic directors, and operations leaders, got their start as student managers because the role teaches reliability, communication, teamwork, and how to operate within a fast-paced team environment.

Cornell Men’s Basketball | Rising Senior
Career goal: A career at the intersection of basketball and business

Theo’s student manager journey started at Santa Clara, where hometown friends encouraged him to get involved with the basketball program. After interviewing with the Director of Basketball Operations, he earned a role as the team’s only freshman manager, handling many of the day-to-day responsibilities that come with supporting a Division I team.

When he later transferred to Cornell, Theo proactively reached out to the coaching staff before even arriving on campus. Thanks to the experience he built at Santa Clara, he stepped into a leadership role as Head Manager and helped build a stronger manager culture within the program.

One of his favorite memories came when Cornell traveled to California and upset Cal for the program’s first win over an ACC opponent in more than 70 years. But beyond any single game, Theo said the relationships and shared grind with the team and fellow managers are what stand out most.

His advice is simple: show up, work hard, seek responsibility, and enjoy the experience. He believes student management teaches skills that translate far beyond sports, from communication and professionalism to problem-solving under pressure.

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Iowa Football | Rising Senior
Career goal: College football General Manager or Director of Operations

Ethan broke into college athletics by reaching out directly to student managers across multiple sports at Iowa through LinkedIn. After connecting with the football program, he interviewed with the manager staff and completed a five-week observational period during spring practices before ultimately earning the role.

Since joining the Hawkeyes, Ethan has traveled across the country with the team and built strong relationships within the program. One of his favorite memories was working the ReliaQuest Bowl against Vanderbilt, an experience he described as a reminder of just how unique the student manager role can be.

His biggest advice is to be proactive and persistent. According to Ethan, prior experience matters less than people think. Reaching out, making connections, and bringing a strong work ethic can open doors quickly. Once you’re in the room, he believes consistency and a willingness to help wherever needed are what separate great managers from everyone else.

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Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse | Incoming Senior
Career goal: Building a long-term career in sports centered around communication, relationship-building, and creativity

Charlotte became a student manager after reaching out directly to Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse staff to express interest in getting involved with the program. A former lacrosse player herself, she was looking for a way to stay connected to the sport while gaining hands-on experience inside college athletics. What started as curiosity quickly turned into an opportunity to support a high-level program while learning how a competitive team operates behind the scenes.

One of Charlotte’s favorite parts of the experience has simply been being around the team environment every week. Practices, day-to-day operations, and the relationships she’s built with players, coaches, and staff have made the role one of the highlights of her time at Syracuse.

Her biggest advice is to be reliable and willing to help with anything. Student management often revolves around small details and behind-the-scenes responsibilities, but she emphasized that strong communication, dependability, and a team-first mentality are what help programs run successfully. She also encouraged students to take advantage of every opportunity to build relationships and continue learning in a fast-paced environment.

1. Reach out
None of these students accidentally became managers. They emailed directors of operations, connected with current managers on LinkedIn, followed up, and proactively asked for the opportunity. Most programs are not posting these roles. The students who get involved are usually the ones willing to make the first move.

2. Mind the details
The work is often built around small responsibilities that most people overlook. Laundry, setup, equipment, travel prep, rebounding, film, and helping wherever needed. But inside a team environment, reliability and attention to detail are everything. The people who consistently handle the little things well are usually the ones trusted with bigger opportunities later on.

3. Relationships are the real value
The games, travel, and behind-the-scenes access are incredible perks, but the biggest long-term benefit is the people. Student managers build relationships with coaches, players, athletic department staff, and other students who can impact their careers for years to come.

The great news is that now is the perfect time to reach out and secure an opportunity for next school year. There is 2 ways I’d recommend doing this.

1. Google “‘Your School’ Athletic Department Staff Directory".” The top link will have the email addresses for (nearly) every single staff member in the department. Target assistant coaches and administrative staff (Director of Operations, team administrator, etc).

2. Use LinkedIn! Search for the current student managers. Leverage the filters to narrow down your search.

When you are reaching out, keep it brief and professional.

-Introduce Yourself

-Highlight any relevant experience (did you play, manage, volunteer, etc)

-Express your interest and your why

And remember - it just takes one person to say yes!

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of So You Want to Work in Sports. I appreciate you being part of this community.

If you have ideas, feedback, or future guest suggestions, feel free to reach out at [email protected].

If you want more hands-on support as you navigate the start of your career within sports, book a 1:1 session with me here. The sooner you start preparing, the more confident you will feel when opportunities come your way.