Being a team player – I did something at last night’s Pacers game that I hadn’t done in years

Last night’s NBA Playoff game took me back more than a few years. To say I’ve worked at Conseco Fieldhouse for a while is an understatement. I will begin my 10th season working with the Indiana Fever this summer and am completing my seventh year with the Pacers.

My job title: locker room attendant. Essentially whatever the visiting team needs, I’m their man.

Throughout the hundreds of games I’ve worked, I have executed all 10 of the ball boy position. However, last night’s Pacers game against the Bulls playoff game put me in a unique situation.

Because of the added media, my boss reduced the number of ball boys from 10 to 8 due to less space. This means each team has one less rebounder and one less person working their bench.

Well, that directly affected me last night. But I embraced my new role, willing to be a team player.

In addition to my usual duties, I was responsible for moping the floor when necessary—something I hadn’t done for over six years.

This can relate with anyone for any role or job. A sports reporter is always traveling to cover games and get interviews for example. While their job description may have nothing to do with the equipment (although that is rapidly changing), it is a general courtesy to help the photographer out carrying a bag or tripod.

One can learn a lot while helping somebody else out. Sticking with the same example, many folks probably think a sports photographer’s job is just to record games, interviews and to edit them on the computer. That’s it, nothing more.

Well, this assumption doesn’t take into account driving to these events, setting up the live truck, getting the coordinates from the television station to send the signal, running cables, troubleshooting and holding a camera on their shoulder for as long as ten minutes during a mass interview like Colts head coach Jim Caldwell. None of that is easy. It’s all the dirty work and rarely does a photog get the credit he or she deserves.

This is another case of not taking anyone for granted at work, in an organization or group. Everybody has their unique, distinguished roles that together make the body of work. In my case, whether I’m giving out water, moping the floor and/or interacting with the team, every position is important.

No man left out. No man left behind.