Today's article in the UDK (that's the University Daily Kansan, for all you K-Staters who don't know what a student newspaper looks like) features none other than my brother, "Frankie". Check out that photo--what a looker!...You know, people do say we look alike...
Team managers help team behind the scenes
Published on Tue., September 15th, 2009
Normally, people know Ryan Davis simply as “Ryan.” But as the men’s basketball team manager, he’s known by a different name: Frankie.
In Davis’ first week on the job, assistant coach Kurtis Townsend called for a “Frankie” during warm-ups. No one knew anyone by that name, but Townsend had his eye on Davis and he was the one who replied.
“I guess since I responded to it, he thought ‘I’ll just keep calling him Frankie,’” Davis said. “He didn’t know my name but that kind of stuck.”
Senior Ryan Davis sets up for practice last Wednesday. Davis wants to be a coach and feels that being a manager is a great place to be.
Photo by Mike Gunnoe
It also stuck with players, fellow managers and coaches. It has become more than just a nickname.
“I’m not sure if all the newcomers know him as Ryan, because everyone calls him Frankie,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.
Davis, a fifth year senior, started as a manager with the Jayhawks during his sophomore year. Working at basketball camps during the summer before his sophomore year acquainted him with previous managers of the team. This, along with his basketball IQ and work ethic, helped him get a manager position.
Self said all the managers had crucial roles that went unnoticed by all except the team and its staff.
“Managers are some of the unsung heroes of any basketball program,” Self said. “They put in such long hours — before practice, during practice, after practice and the same for games.”
All facets of the game — pregame, postgame and the game itself — are highly orchestrated by the managers. Pregame starts with the little tasks, such as getting Self a Diet Coke or getting senior guard Sherron Collins powder for his hands. If necessary, they will participate in drills setting screens or rebounding.
The managers also assist the Kansas players with the pregame ritual as they enter the arena. The team’s ritual consists of three fist bumps — top, bottom, middle — then a sniff to the fist. Originally, the Morris twins were fooling around with hand shakes, then everybody wanted in on it. It stuck like “Frankie.”
“They can’t go out on the court until they do it,” said Davis, who is last in line for fist bumps. “You look ridiculous doing it.”
During the game, one group of managers sits behind the bench and the other behind the goal, switching locations at halftime. However, their duties are the same — giving players towels and water and picking up items the players can’t bring on the court.
Davis is studying sports management and even though he is using his job to graduate, he considers the hours a bonus for doing what he loves to do. He once dreamed of playing basketball for Kansas but realized long ago it was out of reach. The next best goal would be to coach, even if no one knew him by his real name.
“I couldn’t see myself doing anything else than coaching,” he said, “This is probably the best place I could be for being a non-athlete.”
— Edited by Abby Olcese
3 comments:
Tell him not to worry. Going through life with no one knowing your real name is not so bad :).
How cool!!! That was Chelsea's dream job!!!!
How could your brother be right here and I've never met him!!! Do tell him we'd love to have him over....Open HOuse now Friday nights. love, Charlotte
Post a Comment