By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit August 2016

Cleveland, Ohio - Big-game tested seniors Brendan Stefancin and Tad Bogielski join four sophomores and a freshman as the 2016 Saint Ignatius Football Student Managers, under the guidance of Wildcats Athletic Trainer, Mr. Hank Gaughan, ATC.

Stefancin and Bogielski will lead by example in making sure that youth will served this summer and fall.

"We have some youngsters, but young veterans as I call the sophomores," said Hank, one of the most respected Athletic Trainers in Ohio, if not the entire nation. "Three of them (the sophomores) were around last year. Tad was here last year and so was Brendan, so you have five kids who were here last year. Another sophomore came in this year, along with a freshman.

"Seven, that's a nice contingency," Hank continued. "It's nice to have that gap, nice to have those guys that have been around to teach the new kids what to do and everything."

Hank emphasized that he likes to have all of his Student Managers, no matter how much experience they have, learn every facet of the job in case someone else is unavailable on a certain day or night.

"Of course you have Game Day, when they're getting uniforms ready and when the game is over I usually have one or two of them work with me in the training room to get everything cleaned up and put away," Hank said. "And while they're doing that one of the seniors or leaders is in the back leading the collection of the uniforms. Again, everybody's learning everything."

Hank emphasized that the "sneaky" big-time for the Student Managers is the distribution of equipment, getting it all passed out and ready for the season.

"The next big thing is dressing up the helmets," said Hank, who is in his 31st season with the Wildcats' Athletic Programs. Hank also begins his 26th year as a Health and Physical Education Teacher at Saint Ignatius.

"The uniforms go out to be cleaned, come back and are put away, so usually it's kind of quiet the first part of the week," Hank continued. "Maybe Thursday on it starts picking up, getting the equipment put away and everything. They get messages from Tim Malik (Saint Ignatius' Equipment Manager) too, for the things they do for him. Not all of this is based on me. For some reason, I've kind of become the overseer of them."

Hank said he is impressed with how well this year's group gets along with each other, and how quickly they accepted the two new faces. "It makes it a lot easier," he said. "They're fun to be around. I get along with them, and they get along with me."

"They" are the above-mentioned Stefancin and Bogielski, savvy sophomores Declan McCarthy, Luke Van de Walle and Michael Gallipoli, and the two news faces, freshman Vince Fagnilli and sophomore Elias Yazbeck

Here are some comments from three of last year's veterans and the two new members, who appear to have all of the qualities to help make Hank's 2016 Student Managers a "Magnificent Seven."

TAD BOGIELSKI: "Something I'm really looking forward to this year is our new team. It's mostly seniors and juniors, a good mix, and I'm pretty hopeful. I think they're going to do well. Our defense, I like watching them in practice. I'm anxious to see how they're going to matchup against our biggest rivals, St. Edward, St. Xavier, Mentor and Archbishop Moeller. And, I'm also looking forward to that big game with St. Edward at Cleveland Browns FirstEnergy Stadium (Oct. 29 at 6 PM). It's going to be so much fun, especially since we're going to be down in their locker rooms. It's going to be really cool. That's something that will help cap off my senior year. More than that would be the playoffs, of course, and ultimately winning the state championship.

"That's my dream, my goal right now," continued Tad. "To go down to The Ohio State University and work (as a Football Manager) under Urban Meyer and his fantastic football empire."

Declan McCarthy: "It was great being part of the team (last year), helping out with how everything happens and is put together, knowing what the gears really are behind the guys on the field. "

Declan said one of the toughest jobs he has experienced as a Student Manager is hanging up the uniforms after they have been cleaned. On that point, he also emphasized that the most fun part of the job is setting everything up before the games.

"It will be easier this year since I know everything I have to do, and how to do it," said the young man who hopes to major in graphic design in the future.

Luke Van de Walle: "The best part is being at every game, being on the field and seeing everything first hand. It's really awesome. I really didn't know about this (the Student Manager program) until my uncle, Kevin Cook, talked to me about it (Kevin Cook '86 is a member of Saint Ignatius' Athletic Hall of Fame and a winner of the Wildcats' prestigious John J. Wirtz Award). "He knew I wouldn't be playing football and told me about this, and I thought it would be really awesome.

"I never played football before. I played soccer in middle school and I knew I wouldn't be good enough to make the team, so I wanted to do something to help out. This year I will be more comfortable doing it, because I have a year under my belt. I'm looking forward to hopefully the playoffs. Last year we lost to St. Edward in that last game and didn't make the playoffs. The postseason this year would be awesome and being on the sideline in FirstEnergy Stadium will be an amazing experience."

From one of the two newest members of Mr. Hank Gaughan's outstanding staff, Freshman Vince Fagnilli: "When I'm older, I want to be an athletic trainer as a profession and maybe eventually a coach. Since I'm not going to be playing football anymore and focusing on basketball, I thought I should use my time wisely, time that could possibly effect my future.

"I think the biggest challenges will be learning all of the players, knowing the specific needs a player might have on a certain day and making sure your managing your time well and making sure your giving fair attention to everyone. They've been very helpful (the veteran Managers). They made sure that I got off to a quick start, that I knew what I was doing and was prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. I'm looking forward to a fresh new start (as a freshman at Saint Ignatius). I just believe I will love it, a great environment, a brotherhood. I love history, math, reading and the speciality of the arts."

And another of the promising newcomers to the Student Manager football staff, sophomore Elias Yazbeck: "Last year, I got a concussion (on the freshmen level), so I was unable to play. So this is like my only option to stay part of the football team and stay interactive in the sport. They've (Stefancin, Bogielski, McCarthy, Gallipoli and Co.) have taught me a lot about team work, showing up and doing your work, and not slacking. They ask for a lot and I give them a lot, but it makes me happy to hear and see all of the Pleases and Thank Yous from a lot of the guys, a lot of the seniors, juniors and sophomores.

"Mr. Gaughan is a ton of help," continued the young man who enjoys studying American History and would love to go on to study Pre-Law and Pre-Med. "I wouldn't be able to do my job without him. He asked me to come help as a Student Manager. He showed me around the locker rooms and the cage out back, and really showed me the basics of being a Manager. I think my biggest challenge will be to see how I do at games."