Managers’ job more than dirty duds

Unlike Belmont basketball stars Alex Renfroe and Amber Rockwell, freshmen Jeremy Quarles and Kim Engholm aren’t responsible for handling the ball up and down the 84-foot court. Instead, they roam the approximately 10-pace area behind the bench, juggling water bottles and towels during timeouts.

Quarles and Engholm are managers of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, respectively—and even though they don’t ever get the glory of hitting a three from long distance, they still play vital roles on their teams.

Jeremy Quarles

Jeremy Quarles grew up in Marietta, Ga., developing a love for music – a story that isn’t uncommon on Belmont’s campus.

“I’m a music guy. I do music. Belmont’s program was really good for that,” Quarles said. “I just felt that this was the right place that God wanted me to be and study. It was just the right fit, really.”

Upon arrival on campus, Quarles browsed the annual job fair, hoping to do something in athletics – he played varsity baseball throughout high school and was a big college basketball fan.

A few discussions later, he was in contact with Belmont assistant coach Roger Idstrom about becoming Belmont’s student manager.

“We look for guys who are highly organized, self-motivated, and don’t mind working behind the scenes,” Idstrom said. “And it helps if they have a good understanding of the game.”

Quarles fit the bill and got the job.

“It’s not really that difficult of a job as it is time consuming,” Quarles said. “You’ve got to be efficient and make sure everything gets done because it can pile up and go wrong pretty fast.”

Come game time, when the team calls a time out or substitutes, that’s when Quarles goes into action – providing fresh water bottles and towels to each resting player.  But, it’s mostly the behind-the-scenes work that makes him earn his keep—especially the laundry.

“It’s not that big of a deal, it’s just kind of a hassle. You have to put the stuff in the washer and wait for 45 minutes,” Quarles said.  “Late night laundry is the biggest hassle – if we get back from the road late and have to throw everything in.”

Despite what might look like grunt work, Quarles is still a valuable part of Belmont’s program.

“It’s more critical than most people realize.  Managers do so much of the behind the scenes work that no one sees, yet has to be done,” Idstrom said.

“If any of those things aren’t done in a timely manner it can really throw off the timing of practice, travel, etc.  Fortunately, with Jeremy, we never have to worry about those things.  He does a great job making sure everything runs smoothly.”

So, just like Renfroe or Andy Wicke or Matthew Dotson, Quarles has his own responsibilities and has earned himself a spot on the team.

“They are a great group of guys,” Quarles said. “I love being part of the team, and they make me feel like a part of the team even though I don’t play.”

Kimberly Engholm

Kimberly Engholm can sometimes be found flipping through a hefty anatomy book when she has free time while the women’s basketball team is practicing.

“It’s literally wake up, eat, class, basketball and a little bit of anatomy here and there,” said Engholm, a nursing major from Centreville, Tenn.

“You try to have a little bit of time for yourself, but you really have to prioritize your time to get everything you need done in a timely manner – with a little bit of sleep mixed in.”

Fortunately, Engholm is no stranger to managerial responsibilities or pressures.  In high school, she was the women’s basketball manager for four years in a row.

Despite only being an hour away from Nashville, Engholm hadn’t even heard of Belmont until one of her friends in high school began gushing about it.  After further investigation, Engholm fell in love with the school and learned of the vacant manager position.

“Belmont, the school itself, sold me before this opportunity sold me. (The manager job) was just a plus,”  she said.
Arriving at Belmont, Engholm thought she would be entering into the egotistical world of college basketball – but she was pleasantly surprised.

“I had no idea what to expect coming in at all. At first I thought,  “This is a Division I school—their athletes aren’t going to care who I am. I’m not an athlete, who am I to them?’” Engholm said.

“But that’s exactly the opposite. I feel like they truly care.”

During a typical home game, Engholm has to wash and distribute about 60 towels for the Lady Bruins, their visiting opponents and the refs.  But the work hasn’t gone without its benefits – a few opposing teams have even paid her cash to do their laundry.

Overall though, Engholm just likes the camaraderie of being on a team and bonding with the players.

“I feel like I know the girls pretty well, we all really get along,” she said.

“They are all really funny. They definitely all have their own unique personality, for sure.  They would really do anything for each other, if it came down to it.