The colors green and gold hold a clear meaning when on the backs of our athletes, but it’s who the uniforms go to after leaving the field that ensures the meaning is upheld.
Every day after practice and games, athletes throw their dirty laundry into the bins and their equipment into the lockers for someone else to “take care of.” The staff in the equipment room are a team within themselves, doing whatever it takes to make sure uniforms are washed and equipment for every sport is ready to go when needed.
Seth Goodyear, Head Equipment Manager, is responsible for the washing of all in-season uniforms and practice gear.
“I take care of all equipment for each team here on campus, i.e. goals, nets, basketball, bats, etc.,” Goodyear says. He works every day, taking care of all in-season athletes, ensuring they are prepared for everything.
Organization is key downstairs in the equipment room, and it is set into place with a loop system that allows each athlete to turn in their assigned gear and personal items needed each day. Once the player’s loops are placed into the bins, Seth or one of his workers will wash and dry them and place the loop back into each player’s locker that same day.
Every team on campus relies on Goodyear to make sure their uniforms are washed and ready to go and that all equipment is usable.
The equipment room all stocked and ready to go.
“All of the 400-plus athletes we have here on campus and each of the coaches for our 26 sports [rely on me and my team],” he says.
Goodyear may be “behind the scenes” for every sport, but he says he feels like an assistant coach for each of the teams on campus.
“I take care of the equipment in hopes that it’s one less thing that the coaches have to worry about, giving them more time to focus on winning.” He feels like a big help knowing he can take some pressure off the coaches and says the best part of his job is building great relationships with athletes from all teams.
Since August 2014, Goodyear has devoted his time to keeping the equipment room efficient and ready for anything. His hard work shows during every practice and game when the Green Terror colors are represented brightly on nicely-washed uniforms. Even with the pressure on, Goodyear and his team always find a way to get the job done, allowing all teams and athletes to show what Green Terror Athletics is all about.
