Tyler Hertzler

Writer

The Marlow Outlaw Football Team has found early success as the fall football season is now underway, but the young ladies behind the scenes, also known as the football managers, are essential to keeping the Outlaws performing their best on the field.

The Marlow Outlaw football managers include head manager senior Madison Contreras, followed by senior Harper Pitts, junior Kirsten Nunley, sophomore Marlow Latimer and freshmen Kirsten Travis, Amy Blevins and Alize Rodriguez.

The managers have many duties such as videotaping practices so the players can go back and watch their practices, maintaining and organizing equipment, keeping ice water on standby to keep the players hydrated, and making sure everything the coaches and players need are easily accessible.  

Going into her third year of managing, Contreras thought back to when she first started and explained what inspired her to be a football manager.

“I used to play sports until I was told not to due to health reasons. I knew then the only way for me to still be a part of the team was to be a manager,” said Contreras. “Ever since my first day on the job, I’ve known managing was the place for me, and I have done everything I can to support the Outlaws.”

Showing his appreciation for the managers, center, defensive tackle and senior Jackson Mitchell spoke on his experiences with the managers over his six years of playing for the Outlaws.

“They are there for us everyday. They always give us water whenever we need it, and are just on top of things in general,” said Mitchell. “We don’t really get a break, and water is a big deal, so whenever we go on break, they are always ready to go.”

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, extra precautions have been made that make the managing job a little more challenging.

Instead of filling up bottles of ice water and giving it to the players, the managers now have to have a big jug filled with ice water that has a hose attached.

When players need a drink, the managers have to use this hose, while wearing a mask and gloves, and spray the water into the player’s mouths.  

To maintain safety measures, the managers routinely clean off the end of the hose.

“We have to be very cautious about the water situation,” Nunley explains. “We have to stay six feet apart from everyone while wearing a mask and everything like that.”

Thankfully, COVID-19 has not stopped the Marlow Outlaw football team from being the best they can be. 

Whether it be the players on the field scoring the touchdowns or the girls on the sidelines giving the players water and cheering them on, there are many aspects that go into keeping the Outlaws in the game.