Before Walker McCrae, senior, realized his dream of becoming a sports manager, he was faced with one task, one court and one orange leather ball.
“Walker! Get on the bench!” belched his eighth grade basketball coach, distinguishable by his lopsided scowl and aggravated temper.
Now staring back down to the ball, McCrae watched as the grips slipped from his fingers and the ball hit the court with a bounce and a resounding thud. Another game, another bench, another hour and a half watching the ball pass from player to player while he sat on the sidelines.
Yet this time, as he took his seat, he reached a sudden epiphany.
“I realized that I sucked at sports,” McCrae said, “So, logically, I became interested in sports management.”
Today, instead of framing his daily life around school sports, McCrae punches his alarm at 7:15 a.m., parks his red Honda Pilot in spot 86 by 8 a.m. and, after the day ends, pulls into his driveway after fighting 20 minutes of after-school traffic. McCrae still incorporates Intramurals Basketball and tennis into his schedule during winter and spring, yet he is more invested in sports management than any other athletic interest.
“Last year, I was the editor for the Athletics section, and I still contribute a large amount of articles to Athletics,” McCrae said. “My love of journalism has fed into my desire to manage a sports team by boosting my knowledge of sports culture. It has also made me respect the media immensely, as I am well aware how difficult it is to be a journalist.”
McCrae hopes to pursue financial/economic studies at his school of choice– Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. Once accepted to Barrett or another college with a Business program, McCrae plans to take every opportunity available, such as job shadowing and internships, to climb the management ladder.
“Sports Management is a rigorous, competitive pursuit,” McCrae said, “but I’m super excited. I really have to bring it, not only in the classroom but also when I’m building connections with people. That’s what’ll make the difference.”
For now, McCrae can be seen in the halls with a few friends, laughing at inside jokes while watching play-by-plays on his phone.
“All of my friends want to be biologists, statisticians, mathematicians,” McCrae said. “I’m one of the few people I know who wants to go into my field. That doesn’t mean other kids aren’t interested in it nationwide, so like I said, I’ll still have to bring it.”
![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
