Spring Break
Dirty work
Student managers help keep sports functioning
By: Shawn C. Millender
Issue date: 11/10/04 Section: Sports
As volleyball manager, Frantz mostly took care of equipment, taped practices and broke down tape of upcoming opponents.
"After I broke my wrist in high school and it never healed right, I never really wanted to play college volleyball," Frantz said.
Frantz figured she was too short to play at her natural position in the Big 12.
"I'm really small," Frantz said. "I didn't think they'd want a 5'5" setter, but I played in a camp staff match in the summer of 2002, and I realized I could play with the girls on the team."
An NCAA rule that forbade Athletic Department employees from being athletes kept Frantz out of action until summer of 2003, when she tried out and made the team as a reserve defensive specialist.
"Knowing the program and the way things worked made me feel more at home, more welcome," Frantz said.
Senior accounting major and swimming manager Emily Semlau took the opposite road. A two-year member of the Aggie swim team, Semlau injured her shoulder and was forced to retire from swimming.
"It's great, I get to go on training trips and travel with the team," Semlau said. "I don't miss swimming when watching a hard practice, but I do when we're at meets."
Semlau said the coaches and athletes are make her feel like her contribution is still valuable.
"I contribute in a different way," Semlau said. "But I still feel like I have a spot on the team."
"After I broke my wrist in high school and it never healed right, I never really wanted to play college volleyball," Frantz said.
Frantz figured she was too short to play at her natural position in the Big 12.
"I'm really small," Frantz said. "I didn't think they'd want a 5'5" setter, but I played in a camp staff match in the summer of 2002, and I realized I could play with the girls on the team."
An NCAA rule that forbade Athletic Department employees from being athletes kept Frantz out of action until summer of 2003, when she tried out and made the team as a reserve defensive specialist.
"Knowing the program and the way things worked made me feel more at home, more welcome," Frantz said.
Senior accounting major and swimming manager Emily Semlau took the opposite road. A two-year member of the Aggie swim team, Semlau injured her shoulder and was forced to retire from swimming.
"It's great, I get to go on training trips and travel with the team," Semlau said. "I don't miss swimming when watching a hard practice, but I do when we're at meets."
Semlau said the coaches and athletes are make her feel like her contribution is still valuable.
"I contribute in a different way," Semlau said. "But I still feel like I have a spot on the team."
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