Managers play big role for Hoosiers

You won't find their names on the stat sheet following a game. In fact, they haven't seen action in a match in their college careers. Yet they are considered members of the team. Many fans might take for granted the job they do. They get equipment for players both before and after games and practice. They are the managers for the men's soccer team, and they happen to be brothers. \nSenior Tim Ryder and sophomore Mike Ryder act as managers for the team, and they perform countless duties.\nTim highlighted the satisfaction he receives from this job.\n"It's nice when you hear the 'thank yous' from the coaches," Tim said. "The players really appreciate what we do, also. When someone doesn't have to tell us what to do, I feel like I'm helping the team.\n(IU Assistant) coach (Mike) Freitag just said the other day, 'When I don't have to tell them what to do, they just go ahead and do it, that's helpful.' When coach Freitag or any other coach says that, I know I've done my job." \nThe Ryder brothers are natives of Boca Raton, Fla. Tim, who is in his second season as a soccer manager and is majoring in sports marketing, said he was attracted to IU because his mom attended school here. He said he is a big basketball fan, too, which swayed him to become a Hoosier.\nHe described his and his brother's duties and their responsibilities as managers.\n"Basically, our job is to make the assistant coaches' jobs easier," Tim said. "We set up the ball boys before the games."\nMike, who is in his first season as a soccer manager, said getting equipment ready for practice, the players and games is their biggest task. \n"We have to get practice set up and get equipment set up," Mike said. "Before the game we have to get the game gear ready. If there's a shortage of socks or a shortage or anything, we have to get that for the players. We get the home field ready to go. We get the soccer balls pumped up."\nWhile the managers themselves detailed the work they have to do, one player said he appreciates the job the managers do. Junior midfielder Danny O'Rourke said he doesn't underestimate the manager's value to the squad.\n"They're really, really important to the team," O'Rourke said. "They're really cooperative with anything the players or coaches ask them to do."\nAt the same time, IU coach Jerry Yeagley said they are an integral part of the squad. He added they have different responsibilities at different times of the year. \n"The managers are an important part of the staff," Yeagley said. "They're not just gophers. They work with us."\nIU assistant coach Caleb Porter, who oversees the managers, concurs with Yeagley. Porter said the IU players and coaches don't take for granted the job the managers do. He added the players feel the managers are a part of the team.\nFor their work, the managers said they receive a stipend, which goes to pay for tuition and books, but that's all they receive.\nO'Rourke said he feels like the managers' job is overshadowed by a lot of the players, but he added that the managers are out at Armstrong Stadium before anyone else.\n"People might get the perception they're not part of the team," O'Rourke said. "But they're a big part of the team. They work very hard every day. They hang out with us on road trips. They're good guys."\nMike was humble about his work, and said it's rewarding to be part of the team. \n"It's more about being a part of the (team)," Mike said. "I'm excited that I'm part of it. I'm doing what I can."\n-- Contact staff writer Zack Eldridge at zeldridg@indiana.edu.