Editor’s note: This is a regular feature profiling senior athletes at Bryant High School.
Will Barefoot
NAME: Will Barefoot
PARENTS: Brigham Barefoot and Emily Jacobs
SIBLINGS: Two brothers and three sisters; Gracie is 15, Anna Rose is 12; then Maddox is 10; Drew is 8; and Lilly is 4.
FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: Physics
FAVORITE SPARE TIME ACTIVITY: Work on my truck.
FAVORITE FOOD: Pepperoni pizza
FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST OR GROUP: Mozart
FAVORITE MOVIE: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Star Trek: The Next Generation.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A KID? I’d have to say Legos.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? I’m going to go to UCA, get a Master’s degree in computer science, and from there become a tech agent in the FBI like my father.
OTHER THAN YOUR PARENTS, WHO’S HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? HOW? I’d have to say Coach A (Mike Abrahamson) and Coach (Kirk) Bock. Coach A’s really taught me a lot of personal achievement stuff and Coach Bock taught me a lot of life lessons.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A TEAM MANAGER? I really enjoy all the work I get to do, the people I get to meet. I like my desk. Just the stuff I’ve learned, life skills and where it’s gotten me.
TALK ABOUT WHAT THE ROLE OF A TEAM MANAGER IS. HOW HAVE YOU PERFORMED IT? There are other managers, people that help on the court but I do all the logistical work. I fill out bus request forms and maintenance request orders and technology help desks, work with maintenance crews on the facilities up here. I talk with the athletic director about the facilities. I help set up for practice. I make all the rosters and update them, anything that’s a spreadsheet or anything that’s on paper, pretty much I make. I inventory the uniforms. I wash the uniforms.
TALK ABOUT THIS SENIOR SEASON FOR YOU: I’ve really enjoyed it. It wasn’t as great as it could’ve been in regards to our record but it’s been nice knowing that I’ve finally reached my last year. It’s a little sad but it’s nice seeing that I came this far.
WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT TO THE SEASON? My roles have pretty much stayed the same all year so it’s hard to say.
WHO GOT YOU INTO BEING A TEAM MANAGER: When I was in seventh grade, Coach (Steve) Wilson asked me to give it a try and I’ve been doing it ever since.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU DO BEST AS A TEAM MANAGER? Being able to get things done without the coaches having to tell me. If I see something needs to be done or something needs to be fixed, I’ll send in a maintenance work order right away and usually won’t even tell the coaches that I did until after practice, just so that’s one less thing they have to worry about.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD’VE LIKED TO HAVE DONE BETTER? I would’ve liked to have learned more about the sport of basketball. I just never was exposed to it. My dad taught me how to use a soldering iron rather than how to throw a baseball or shoot a basketball. I feel like if I had known more about the sport, I could’ve done my job a little bit better.
WHEN YOU’RE THROUGH BEING INVOLVED IN BASKETBALL AT BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER MOST FONDLY ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE? All the people I got to work with, being able to work with administrators and maintenance. I’ve been able to befriend a lot of people, just a lot of new connections that I really like.
