Inside Look: Being a female, working with CSU football

camayak

September 1, 2016

With the most popular game of the year coming up, The Rocky Mountain Showdown, people cannot wait to show their support for the CSU football team. But, behind every great team stands a devoted staff of coaches, athletic trainers and equipment managers that set the team up for success. In a male-dominated field, female student trainers and equipment managers often goes unnoticed. With less than twenty female CSU student employees, their positions provide many opportunities to succeed, and one female proves that football is not just for guys.

The “Bobcat” cart is one of the equipment Kayla often uses when helping out with football practice. Photo: Abbie Parr Photo credit: Abbie Parr

Kayla Tabone is just one of the females who work for the team, but she is the only female equipment manager. Although multiple people do work as equipment managers for career experience alone, Tabone said that her love of the sport is what mainly inspired her to purse a job with the football team.

“I love football, and doing this job feels like participating in the sport itself,” Tabone said. “Being involved and at the games feels like an accomplishment.”

Tabone’s job includes setting up equipment and ensuring that the athletes are ready for practices and games, which can be extremely fast paced and stressful under high amounts of pressure. Tabone said this is especially evident in preparing for The Rocky Mountain Showdown this Friday.

“I just stay positive and set goals,” Tabone said.

Kayla Tabone, one of the equipment managers for the CSU Football Team, hopes to pursue a career in sports after graduation. Photo: Abbie Parr Photo credit: Abbie Parr

Tabone said that her work with the CSU football team has made her even more passionate about football.

“When you set up equipment and are organizing and providing them with their jerseys before practice or a game, you know they are worn with pride, and each jersey represents a person you are putting on the field,” Tabone said.

Tabone said of the benefits to being a part of the team is experiencing the Ram spirit and pride.

“Seeing the pride others have and seeing the passion that the football players have motivates everyone to work that much harder, so when the team scores or wins a game it is a great feeling to know that everyone’s hard work payed off,” Tabone said.

As one of the only female CSU students that works with the football team, and as the only female equipment manager, Tabone said her unique position offers her many learning experiences.

“I believe me being on the team as the only woman helps me to break through humbling experiences to create a better prepared self for my other ventures,” Tabone said. “It is worth it in every way because women or not, this job takes some tough skin.”

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