By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech head men's basketball coach John Pelphrey recently announced the elevation of student manager Jayden Baker to the position of head manager, a move unsurprising to those who know the young man.
"On behalf of the Tennessee Tech men's basketball program, I am proud to announce that Jayden Baker will serve as Head Student Manager for the 2024-25 season," Pelphrey said. "Jayden lives up to and protects our culture and basic core values of hard work and respect for everyone. He also fully embraces our mantra of 'Leadership, Books, Ball, and Professionalism.' Jayden and the young men he leads are an integral part of our day-to-day operations as we all take on the challenges of college basketball together. He has earned this title and I know he will excel in his new leadership role and additional responsibilities."
Moving into his second year working with the Golden Eagle men's program, Baker showed leadership qualities right from the start. Back for another season with a largely new group of student managers, the youngster will take the lead in getting the group adapted and ready for the 2024-25 season.
"It means a lot to me," Baker expressed about the opportunity. "I feel like it's a great responsibility to be put in charge of more tasks and taking care of more duties than before. I also see it as an accomplishment. I feel like I've worked hard for this and being able to earn a new title has been like an award in many ways."
While fans typically only get a glimpse of what a manager's tasks may look like on game day, a routine day for the group of silent heroes can be a long one and often comes with some unknowns. Classes are always the priority, with most occurring early in the morning and into the afternoon.
Following class, the crew arrives at the Hooper Eblen Center (or whichever gym is being utilized for practice on that given day) and gets equipment prepared and set up up to two hours prior to practice. Following the team's practice session, which typically last around two hours, managers stick around and rebound for players getting up extra shots.
Up to an hour of post-practice rebounding is typically followed immediately by another hour or two for laundry. Then, it's back to the apartment/dorm for homework, food, and sleep. Managers are also typically on call for different tasks to assist the coaching staff throughout the day as class schedules allow.
"I'm a big sports guy, love being around athletics, and really wanted to find a way to stay around it," Baker said of what he likes most about his role. "I really like the connections and friends I've been able to make here and just being around the guys."
The work Baker and his team of student managers put together is not lost on the student-athletes of the Golden Eagle program either.
"Jayden is super important to the team," sophomore guard Kyle Layton explained. "He's a hard worker and puts everyone before himself. He's always there to rebound for us and take care of us. He's a great leader, especially for some of our newer managers, and hopefully, they can learn from him and follow in his footsteps.
Junior forward Daniel Egbuniwe added, "I appreciate Jayden and am happy to see him get the acknowledgment he deserves as head manager. He does so much for the team, and the players especially. He's a good example for our other managers, who all do a great job showing up every day and taking time from their day to help us. We really appreciate Jayden and all of our managers a lot."
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech men's basketball are now on sale. To order, call 931-372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or visit TTUSports.com.
Photo by Tennessee Tech
