SPOTLIGHT: Gearing Up

You've seen the uniforms and the rest of the gear the Aggies wear on Saturdays. What you don't see is what it takes to handle the overall equipment needs of Aggie football.

Matt Watson (Assistant Athletic Director, Equipment and Apparel), Bryan Gossett (Assistant Equipment Manager) and Justin Volentine (Assistant Equipment Manager) have their hands full. We'll talk about the jerseys and alternate uniforms later, but there's a lot more to the football equipment profession.  

"Imagine living in a house with well over 100 student-athletes," noted Gossett. "You're providing the laundry and clothes for them. You provide them with every piece of clothing or equipment they'll need throughout the day. Then, when you hit the road, you have to take all of that with you."

In other words, it starts early and ends late. Laundry runs pretty much all day. Decals need to be put on helmets. Shoes need cleaned. The players need practice cleats, game cleats, extra cleats and gloves. Practices need constant coverage from the entire equipment staff. Sidelines need to be set up with the correct headsets on game days. That's just a sample of what the equipment staff does.
 

It's a daunting task, but A&M's staff has it covered. Watson joined the staff in 1997. Gossett joined shortly after and has worked with Watson since 2000. Volentine just returned to Aggieland in a full-time role after serving as a student-worker during his college days at Texas A&M.

Volentine is extremely excited to be back. Along with his day-to-day responsibilities, he also provides a great resource for the 14 student-managers who currently assist in the equipment department.

"Hopefully I can be an example for these students," remarked Volentine. "They can look at where they are now and where they could be five years from now."

The student-managers play a vital role. Their assistance allows the staff to divide among the locker room, giving each staff member and student a certain number of players to focus on and take care of.
 

Whether at Kyle Field or on the road, many of the equipment staff's routines and goals remain the same. The primary goal is simple. Make the team feel at home wherever they are.  

Part of that goal is the locker room presentation. You've probably seen pictures or video of the A&M locker room before games. The uniforms and helmets are all laid out in a particular way for home, road or neutral-site games. It's quite a sight…the calm before the storm and a big part of the game day tradition. The equipment staff takes pride in it, and again, providing a comfort level for the team is the primary concern. 
 

"We want it to be as easy as possible for the guys to get ready to win a football game," said Volentine. "Having everything well prepared for them keeps the distractions at a minimum, so the team has one thing to worry about and one job…win the game."

Gossett agrees.

"Sometimes, it's even about the little things," Gossett added. "Home or road, we want them as comfortable as possible, and we want to make it easier for them to do their jobs."

Let's talk about the fun stuff, though…the gear. This is Watson's primary territory, as he acts as the liaison between Texas A&M Athletics and Adidas. Watson welcomes feedback from student-athletes as to the types of things they really want. Watson also knows the importance of extending the brand of Texas A&M, which also assists in recruiting.  

"We want parents to know that their son is going to get the best gear possible," said Watson. "It's a combined effort to get things that look cool, but player safety is of utmost importance. That responsibility is on us. We want to provide gear that keeps kids safe and puts them in the best possible position to succeed on the field."
 

The equipment staff gives credit to Adidas and speaks highly of the relationship between Adidas and Texas A&M Athletics.

"Adidas has been great for us," Gossett said. "They always strive to make their product better each year. They've never been content or complacent. We've been blessed to be with them for as long as we have."

Texas A&M has utilized alternate uniforms over the past several years to keep things interesting. Many fans look forward to it. The players certainly look forward to it, as it's usually a surprise to the team whenever it happens. It's a fine line for the equipment staff, however, between trying new things and staying true to the identities of such a tradition-rich school.

Championship style meets innovative speed.
Introducing our 1939 Throwback TECHFIT uniforms.#12thMan #teamadidas pic.twitter.com/LcrDfMxJyM

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 29, 2014

"I think that's where the throwbacks come into play," stated Watson. "We can still satisfy the alternate uniforms while also giving a nod to the past and honoring a previous team."

That's happened twice already, as both the 1939 and 1956 teams have been honored with throwback uniforms. The 1939 uniform, in particular, was one that Watson wanted 10 years before it actually happened. Typically, Watson has to begin work at least 14-16 months in advance for any alternate unis.
 

"The ultimate goal is for everyone to enjoy the product," Watson added. "We hope that current players, recruits and fans all enjoy what's being put out there."

It's hard for Watson to pick his favorite alternate uniforms up to this point.

"The uniforms are kind of like your kids…you don't want to single any of them out more than the others," Watson joked.

The 1939 throwback and the 2012 black uniform do stand out to Watson, though. The 2012 alternate uniform was the first one attempted by Texas A&M. The equipment staff did a tremendous job in keeping it a secret, so the team's reaction to that uniform was something Watson and his staff will never forget.  
 

"Those kinds of things showcase the work, time and creativity people are putting into all of this, so it makes those uniforms really special," added Watson.

While college football season is many peoples' favorite time of the year, college football is a huge business. As that business has continued to grow, the equipment staff at Texas A&M has continued to grow, as well.   

The equipment staff once operated in about 1,500 square feet of space with 10 student-managers at their disposal. Now, they have over 10,000 square feet of room located next to the A&M locker room with 14 student-managers on staff.  

"This profession is always changing," Gossett noted. "The sport has evolved so much with its equipment. Everyone is evolving and trying to take that next step. We try to do the same thing and stay ahead of the game."