By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It takes a lot of hard work to outfit the Tennessee Tech football team and help coordinate the other programs in the Tech department of athletics.
Fortunately, when the position came open, Tech was able to find someone who had done it before and knew exactly what was needed.
Robert Burchfield joins the Tech department of athletics as the athletic equipment manager, replacing Tony Ramirez in the role. Burchfield has spent nearly three-and-a-half years on the staff as a student equipment manager.
"It's a great opportunity," he said. "Tech has been a place I've always wanted to work at since I've been around athletics. Now, to have that official title, it means a lot to me. I plan to do the best I can to serve Tech and the athletics department as a whole."
Tech head football coach Dewayne Alexander echoed his sentiment: "I'm very excited to have him come aboard full time with us in a permanent position. We worked with him in the spring and got to know him quite well. When Tony left the position in May, (Burchfield) stepped in as the interim and I was very impressed with how he did things and how he handled it on a day-to-day basis.
"He's a very hard worker and is very familiar with Tennessee Tech football and our staff, the processes that are in place and he has a lot of familiarity with the things we already have in place as far as ordering and those things. I think he's going to be a great addition. His work ethic and his attitude are outstanding. He fits right into what we're looking for on our staff."
The position isn't just a football position as it will encompass the entire department of athletics as his responsibilities will expand to assist other sports.
Burchfield earned his bachelor's degree in Exercise Science/Coaching and Sport Administration from Tech in May 2015, then earned his master's degree in Exercise Science/Sports Management in May 2017.
Previously, he helped start the soccer program at DeKalb County Middle School as an assistant coach and was a league director for the Upward Indoor Soccer League through Trinity Assembly. He also served as a graduate assistant for the exercise science department at Tech.
Burchfield is a current member of the American Equipment Managers Association and the American Football Coaching Association.
One of the biggest benefits for the program is that Burchfield has worked with the players and is familiar with their needs and what the demands can be.
"Especially with football, which is going to be my primary emphasis," he said. "Being with them for almost four years, a few have moved on, but I've gotten to know most of them personally. At the athletic level, it helps me get what better suits them to prepare for game day."
Alexander added, "That's a huge benefit, especially at this time of year. He already knows the guys on the team, he knows how things work here. I've had to work with him closely over the last few months as we make sure everything is handled right, reconditions have gotten back and different equipment has started to come in. We've had several meetings and I have been so impressed with him. Certainly, having someone who is familiar with the task and is up to speed on it is very important."
The equipment manager position is one of those unsung positions in athletics as they work countless hours trying to get things ready for the team.
"It's one of those things where we come in way before the players come in and we're probably the last people to leave," Burchfield said. "As long as my staff and I do the job throughout the week, game day should be the easiest day of the week for us. It's just watching our guys excel on the field.
"It's a lot more than fixing a helmet or fitting shoulder pads. We do all the laundry, we get everything ready for game day. On away trips, we make sure the truck is loaded and ready to go. There's a lot that has to be done to make sure the team is ready to play."
Following in Ramirez's footsteps is helpful as he learned a lot from him along the way.
"He taught me everything I know," Burchfield said. "I came in about the same time he did, so to have him as my mentor for this was great. He still reaches out to me every now and then to see how things are going and I'm still learning from him day-to-day, even though he's no longer here. He's one of the best I've seen, and to be able to call him a mentor and a friend is a great blessing to me."
