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09/21/2017 12:00 AMHe may not have a locker, a jersey, or a helmet and shoulder pads, but Jacob Walker is still an important member of the Guilford High School football program and a beloved member of its family as the Indians’ team manager.
Jacob is a senior who competes for Guilford’s indoor and outdoor track squads. After attending the football team’s summer practices before his sophomore year, Jacob realized that playing the sport might not be for him, although he liked the atmosphere and wanted to be involved. As a result, Jacob became the Indians’ manager and has dedicated himself to that role for the past three seasons.
“My freshman year, I had some friends on track that also did football, and they encouraged me to join the team my sophomore year,” says Jacob. “I went to the summer practices, and I liked it, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play. I still wanted to be a part of the team, though, so I’ve been the manager ever since.”
Jacob tries to keep Guilford’s athletes cool amidst the heat of drills and scrimmages as they prepare in practice throughout the week. When Friday night comes, Jacob performs those duties and then some to help out the Indians when they hit the gridiron.
“In practices, I make sure the water containers have ice and are full before practice. Afterwards, I make sure they are all brought in,” Jacob says. “At games, I make sure we have the footballs and the kicking tees, and the quarterback and kickers get the balls they want. I take care of the water then, too, and make sure the sideline is set for the game.”
Jacob has had to endure the elements a few times during his tenure as Guilford’s manager, and one such occasion from a couple of years ago sticks out in his mind. Jacob’s commitment to the Indians certainly didn’t go unnoticed by the team’s coaching staff at the time.
“The game was in October of my sophomore year. It was cold and rainy, and my jacket was soaked. I was there in just a T-shirt and shorts. I enjoyed it, because it was a testing moment for me to see if I wanted to keep doing this,” says Jacob. “I love feeling as excited as the players when we win. I also love when the coaches acknowledge me for my work. [Former Indians’ Head Coach Mike Eagle] acknowledged me in that October game at our final pasta dinner and team banquet that season. It feels nice when I get that recognition.”
Current Head Coach Anthony Avallone says that Jacob is as an integral member of the Indians, whose players have accepted him as one of the boys.
“Jacob has been a fixture with the football program for the last few years...He makes sure that all equipment, water, and necessary items are out for practice daily and handles many additional tasks on game day. It is nice to have someone like Jacob that you can really count on,” says Avallone. “He worked out with us all summer long, participating in our offseason lifting and running program. As a non-contact team member, he certainly didn’t need to participate in those sessions, but chose to on his own accord. He is extremely well-liked by the whole team, and the team truly seems him as one of them. We see his contributions vital to any success we hope to achieve. We always talk about how success is in the details, and he makes sure we try and cover as many details as possible. We are very thrilled to have him as part of the program.”
Jacob is looking to study environmental science in college. Wherever he goes, Jacob will move onto the next chapter of his life feeling proud about how he’s made significant contributions to a team that’s shown him nothing but the utmost gratitude for everything he does.
“Everyone has always been very welcoming to me, and they always appreciated that I would bring things in and out before and after practices. The coaches appreciated me, because I took some stress off them with taking care of things like water and equipment,” says Jacob. “My time as manager has helped me realize how important responsibilities are. I need to make sure I do my part so other people can do theirs.”