He couldn't play the game, so he became the manager.
"In essence, I feel like part of the team," said Damien Farris, student manager of the UNM football team. "If we don't win, I feel like I could have done more, maybe if I helped out the coaches more."
Farris played football his freshman year at Valley High School, but a knee injury near the end of the season took him off the team.
He has been the team manager for the past three years.
"Being part of the team is a positive influence for me," he said. "It's a good feeling to be part of an organization that has a good reputation and is known statewide."
His main duties involve spending time in the equipment room doing laundry, fixing equipment and maintaining football gear for the players. During games, Farris is on the sidelines in case of injuries.
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He was going into the armed forces after high school, but his parents wanted him to go to college. He said staying in school was a good idea, and it woke him up when he saw what doors his degree would open up for him.
Farris works up to 40 hours a week as team manager and is in the equipment room from 1 to 7 p.m. every day.
Farris said the team has potential even though it's young.
"It's one of the best in the conference," he said. "We're going to be on top of it."
Football is a seven-day-a-week sport even in the off-season, Farris said. Game days last from early morning until after the game is over. He has to make sure all of the equipment is put away and collected from the fields. Even in the off-season, players are around, so the team managers have to be there too, Farris said.
Rudy Garcia, head equipment manager for the Lobo football team for the past 14 years, said it helps to have a team manager who knows about football or sports in general.
"Team managers are just like the players," Garcia said. "We try to make them more comfortable by giving them some kind of concept of being part of the team."
Farris said after he graduates, he will enter either law enforcement or a job that involves sports equipment.
