Sprints, hurdles, jumps, distance, and throwing are each a part of the all-encompassing track and field. The people responsible for running that show are the managers.

The GEHS track team has five managers, two for the throwing events and three for just about everything else. Sydney Luzader, Sofia Tortolero, and Aeon Sheffler, the three general managers, have many duties within their job titles.

Luzader, who has been a manager for various sports in her two years at high school, began the sports management journey in eighth grade after her favorite teacher asked her to. 

“In middle school, we didn’t do as much. We do more with uniforms and organizing and handing it out,” Luzader said. “We work more with the people, I feel like because, in middle school, we did one event, but now we do basically all of it… I feel like I’ve learned how to do multiple things that I would never have learned.”

Luzader worked with Tortelero during the 2022 spring season, and they have both returned for a second run. Both of them would like to pursue it further if possible.

“If there are opportunities [beyond high school], I would like to do it, because it’s really fun. You see [a lot of] people, and it’s nice knowing that you’re helping something so big,” Tortelero said.

 Sheffler, however, is a newcomer to this kind of extracurricular work.

“I love it. I like the sun,” Sheffler said. “I see [managing] as, like a small social activity, but also helping out people who need help from the high school.”

As for who does the most work, all three said the load is fairly even. 

“McGee usually sends me the game plan, and I kind of disperse it between Aeon and Sofia, and then we all do even amounts of work,” Luzader said. 

Sheffler went into a bit more detail about the actual work they do. She explained the many jobs they’ve completed in the beginning weeks of the sport.

“[We mostly] set up hurdles, take attendance, keep time, mark down times on sheets, and do uniforms,” Sheffler said.

While the managers seem to be on top of the workload, sometimes the sheer amount of students participating in Track can get a little overwhelming. 

“The hardest part is sometimes when we’re taking attendance, people come and they just expect us to know their name,” Tortelero said. “Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing, and it frustrates people.”

In addition, both Luzader and Sheffler mentioned that the time commitment can be daunting. However, all three agree that the people are the best part of the experience.

“I feel like I met a lot more people than I would necessarily have met [otherwise]. It’s kind of cool to see faces around school and just be like, ‘Oh, I know you from Track’,” Luzader said.