Observing an organized organization

Author: Emma Gardner

Deep in the heart of the sports complex lies what is quite possibly the nucleus of Middlebury's athletic program - the equipment room. Hidden within a maze of hallways and tunnels on the athletic center's basement floor, the room is appropriately nicknamed "the cage" by the students who pass through on a daily basis. Responsible for washing, storing and returning the sports apparel of Middlebury athletes, the equipment room plays an integral role in the day-to-day routine of most students who participate in a varsity or junior varsity sport.

While students stop by the equipment room several times a day on their way to and from practices and games, few interact with the staff beyond a brief "Hello" or "You need to return your bag." At the same time, they should not be surprised when those who work behind the counter know their names, shirt numbers and even the color of their underwear.

"The other day, I was surprised to find that Bob knew my last name," said Kerry Reilly '10, who plays both varsity field hockey and junior varsity lacrosse. "Then I realized he was calling me over to explain that I had messed up the whole laundry system by switching my number. Either way, he knew who I was."

Bob Whitman, the room's 'night-shift' operator, has been working with Middlebury student-athletes for the past eighteen years, and in that time has perfected a method of running the equipment room. Retiring from his career as an aerospace engineer 19 years ago, Whitman took a position at the College to occupy his time. Nearly two decades later, he has watched thousands of Middlebury athletes pass through the halls of the athletic center.

"In the fall, we'll see about 300 athletes go through here in a day," observed Whitman. "The spring's a little slower, with maybe 200 kids instead." Keeping track of each student is hardly a simple task, and yet Whitman handles the challenge with relative ease. At a glance, he recalls a student's name, team and number - and, more often than not, to the student's dismay, which issued items of clothing that student needs to return.

Pacing up and down the aisles of the room to retrieve equipment, Whitman explained the method on which he operates. "Each sport has a number series. For example, men's lacrosse is anything in the 600s. When an athlete comes in here with a 635, I'll know he's on the lacrosse team."

Along with their numbers, athletes are assigned the highly coveted laundry loop - a length of rope with a buckle at each end on which they may string laundry they wish to be washed after practice. Of course, the loops are intended for athletic apparel only, but "some students sneak personal items on, like this one right here," he said as he eyed a sheepish junior varsity lacrosse player handing her laundry across the counter. Away from their home and their parents who do laundry, many athletes see the service as a perk of athletics at Middlebury.

"It is very nice not to have to spend time and money washing the athletic clothes I need for practice everyday," said Katie Remington '10, who found that she missed the service once her junior varsity soccer season was over last fall. At the same time, "things do go wrong. I'll send in a red shirt with white socks that will come back pink, for example," adds Remington, "but I can't complain."

On the receiving end of the dirty laundry, Whitman indicates a preference towards the hockey team. "Those guys only wash their pants once a year, so that's easy," he said, "but I guess that is also why they smell so bad." Adding that the men's hockey team is also the "friendliest" group of athletes, he observed that "the JV teams are always the messiest. Maybe their coaches don't explain the system to them properly or something, but they just don't seem to get it."

In an athletic program where some athletic teams find siblings playing alongside one another, Whitman enjoys drawing connections between players.

"I've seen many brothers and sisters come through here who have played the same sport, often at the same time," he said. "That's part of why I like working here. I like working with the students - They've kept me young." Considering Whitman accepted this position as a "retirement job," that's pretty impressive.