Random Memories From The Minds Of The Managers

Joyce and I put our heads together and came up with these random memories. Just bits and pieces. Maybe they will stimulate some other memories.


Sweet Tarts--the official "manager food" especially grape ones, they came in flat foil packages. We would purchase at least 10 packages for one game.

The smell of Gatorade.

Before a game, getting ice for cooling the Gatorade from Bone Hardware

The smell of the tape we used to wrap the players' ankles

Trying to improve the time in which we removed tape from the players' ankles after a game

The smell of the locker room with the lingering scent of Right Guard spray deodorant

The sound of basketballs hitting the floor in a gym that was silent just minutes before.

The sound of a player slapping the ball as she held it above her head signaling the beginning of a play.

Tossing the medicine ball. It was heavy.

Eating hamburgers at Mrs. Wright's after a home game.

When Melodie kept the books and as the players fouled, she would hang four fingers over the edge of the table to indicate to Coach that they were in danger of fouling out.

At the gym in Yatesville, the floor was so small that Bunny, Judy, and Sissy had to stand sideways when taking the ball out of bounds.

Watching Patsy play defense. She was intimidating.

Watching Bunny rebound and go up to score two more points.

Watching our guards cause the opposing team to earn charging fouls

The rules changed over the years. Originally the girls played half-court, then the rules changed and each team had "rovers" that could cross the half-court line. Finally, the girls could play full-court like the boys did.

The All American Redheads trying to recruit Bunny.

Having to take the players blue hand towels home after each game and wash them and relabel them.

All the players and female managers wearing blue and white plaid jumpers before and after games, these were made by local seamstresses.

Proudly wearing a letter jacket with patches on both sleeves. (Being sad that I never got the patch for the 5th State Championship--always wondering why not and if anybody got one)

Riding to games with parents of players - the Underwood's white station wagon, and the Riley's red & black Dodge Charger, where Joyce sat on the console between the bucket seats. This was before seat belt laws.

Managers having a room just for items that managers were always supposed to have at all games - gatorade, ice chest, practice balls, clipboards with shot charts and rebound charts, towels. Another item kept in the manager's room was the First-aid kit which contained all the necessary medical supplies needed for the team, especially lots of adhesive tape for taping the players ankles for support.

Misspelling the sign on the Manager's Room - "The Manger Room" and Coach Carter bringing it to our attention.

Making a timely visit to the concession stand before half-time, making sure Coach Carter had a coke for the half-time break.

Gathering all the charts together at half-time for Coach Carter to review with the players

Carrying the practice balls to and from the game in a large drawstring bag. Being responsible for distributing and collecting the basketballs for the pre-game warm-ups.

Being proud to carry a clipboard, especially a wooden one. Although sometimes they got broken!!!!!!

The sound of Joyce's wooden clipboard hitting the floor after it suddenly left Coach Carter's hand.

The sad look on Joyce's face as she picked up her broken clipboard.

Staying at the Alpine Lodge in Macon for State Tournaments.

Staying at the Holiday Inn in Carrollton.

Eating strawberry pie and hot fudge cake at Shoney's on Riverside Drive in Macon.

Eating at The Checkered Apron in Macon.

Eating at the City Cafe in Butler, and Flintside on Highway 19.

Having great support from our parents and the whole community

Calling in scores to the Macon newspaper after a game and having my name (Melodie Bohler) appear in the by-line

Merchants in Taylor County closing their stores early when it was tournament time in order to get to the game

Caravans of loyal fans going to away games with signs plastered on their cars to show support.

Labeling a section in the Macon Coliseum as "The Taylor County Section"

"Screen, get through"