While every team has its players, some of the most important work doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. Milo Magnano ’26 has been the boys’ basketball team manager since his freshman year, with his job consisting of rebounding for players, running the clock at practices, filling up water, and whatever else people need him to do. Now going into his fourth year, it has become a passion of his. Vital to the program, team managers are often not credited for the work they do to support the team, and all the dedication they bring to the table is what differentiates a good team from a great team. As Milo says, “It’s not as hard as playing, but it’s not just a simple ‘water boy’ job either. You really have to put time into it.”

He has always been interested in the ins and outs of basketball, playing the sport up until his freshman year. After getting cut, Milo had a choice: Leave the game he loved or stay with it in a different role. Ultimately, he decided on the latter, as Magnano explained “I still wanted to be involved, and I didn’t want to do any other winter sport, so I decided to do it. I started as the freshman manager, and about halfway through the season the coach moved me up to varsity manager. I’ve just been doing it ever since.”

While in this role, Magnano has experienced many rewarding moments. Not only does he get a front-row seat at every game, but his connection with the players is something he cherishes. “The fun part,” he says, “is being with the team and building relationships with the guys. I’ve always been a big basketball person, so I love getting into every game for free.”

Now in his fourth year, he’s a veteran, understanding every ounce of what is required to get the job done. The initial heartbreak of being cut didn’t make him hate the game, but rather discover a new passion within the same sport: “When I didn’t make the team, I thought it was terrible at first, but a lot of good came out of it. Sometimes you just have to wait it out and go with the flow.”