Everyone that watches UW-Whitewater knows that the sports programs on campus have a sterling reputation. Fans have seen multiple national championships, tournament appearances and awards for both teams and individuals. However, what people may not see is the work put in behind the scenes. More specifically, the student coaches and student managers for varsity sports at Whitewater.
For Warhawk fans that follow UW-W men’s basketball, it is safe to say they had a wild year. However, for Dylan Mathiot, a student manager for the team, it was consistently a busy one. Mathiot, a senior, just finished up his fourth season with the team and enjoyed every minute of it.
“The thing is, what we do we’re not doing this for ourselves,” Mathiot said. “We’re doing it because we love what we do. Our impact is, the best way to phrase it, it’s just a small cog wheel to the major train. I could spend hours talking about it, that’s just how much I love it, it’s been great. It’s been a great time and too many memories, lots of ups and downs. It’s tough but it’s rewarding, very rewarding at the end of the day.”
Mathiot worked with the team for countless hours since his first year with the team in 2021, doing the little things that no one really pays attention to. Days get long, and free time is few and far between, but he balances it all: schoolwork, free time and basketball duties.
Some of his responsibilities included making sure players had the right equipment, filling out documentation for coaches and being on call for both coaches and players for other jobs. He also grew into a leadership role the past few years, mentoring the younger managers to prepare them to take the next step.
“Basketball has been a part of my life since I was 2 years old,” Mathiot said. “I have cousins that play and coach it, a cousin in the G League, two cousins that coach women’s basketball for Madison East [High School]. My dad played basketball, his dad played basketball, my mom played basketball. There’s not a person in my life I can name that hasn’t played basketball. It’s just a part of my life, I like competitive sports and basketball for me has been everything. It’s been a hobby and it’s been a love.”
Another sport that is just as, if not more, popular at Whitewater is football. A program that has been known for winning multiple national championships, and is no stranger to success.
Student coach Mason Thompson, who just graduated this past year, has been with the team since 2021. Thompson attended Wisconsin Technical College in La Crosse for three semesters before transferring to UW-W, eventually working his way toward working with the team.
“As a kid, I had sent letters to NFL teams and received letters back with merch, so I thought, why not send something to NFL teams asking for advice on how to reach my career goals,” Thompson said.
The first person to write back to Thompson was Tom Telesco, who was the general manager for the Los Angeles Chargers at the time. Telesco’s Division III ties helped him become a role model for Thompson, who is taking a similar route.
“He had said to volunteer my time at a local school, and after hearing that, I emailed some staff members at a few schools nearby,” Thompson said. “I honestly never toured Whitewater. I have family here and knew about the winning tradition the football team had, so it was a no-brainer.”
Originally, he started as an intern with film and equipment, filming each practice and game. He would then go on to a student coach role in the press box midway through 2022, and then the grad assistant role in the spring of 2023. Needless to say, he’s jumped at every opportunity that’s been thrown his way.
Similar to Mathiot, the perks of the job aren’t necessarily measured in wins and losses. “Having been here since 2021, the freshmen we had that season, which was my first year, recently just graduated, so I got to see those people grow as people and football players,” Thompson said. “Obviously, there’s ups and downs in this sport, along with any other job, but when it all comes together and there’s people smiling at the end of a game or long fought day, it’s worth it.”
The student coach for the Warhawks is also aspiring to be a general manager for a professional football team one day. He showed his extensive football knowledge on Hawk Talk last year, a weekly sports talk show through the campus radio station, 91.7 The Edge WSUW.
These experiences would not be possible without his willingness to ask for advice.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned while being in this profession is to never say never and never be afraid of reaching out to someone,” Thompson said. “You never know who is willing to help you or who may have a conversation with you and is willing to help.”
Student coaches and managers are the backbone of some fan-favorite Warhawk teams, doing things in the dark that aren’t seen on game days. They are the ones who help the players to be at their best, day in and day out, and they do so without the need for recognition, but for the love of the game.
