Diaz also serves as a primary program trainer and athletic manager for BBJ Athletics and Rise & Grind, a non-profit organization.
“I have built a network that connects skilled coaches and trainers with financial supporters to provide an outreach for our young athletes,” he said. “We want to educate, empower, inspire and instill belief in each individual that their talents can be featured on a bigger stage abroad.”
Diaz said a positive attitude is key to character-building that enhances belief in oneself.
He said enlisting the help of key sponsors such as business owners and government officials is also essential to a local athlete’s participation in off-island competitions.
College-bound soccer players pose with NMI Football Association president Jerry Tan. Contributed photo
NMI men’s national team manager Norman Del Rosario, second left, standing, poses with the islands’ soccer team members. Contributed photo
As for a sports manager’s role, Norman Del Rosario said he or she must draw up contracts for the athletes and negotiate on their behalf with their teams.
At the college level, a sports manager collaborates with a recruiting team to bring in the best athletes for that school’s programs.
The sports manager usually offers scholarships and other perks to bring in the best talents.
For professional teams, sports managers work with coaches and trainers to ensure that the athletes have the training resources they need to excel.
Sports managers work for colleges and high schools as athletic directors, managing all the aspects of the school’s athletic program. They can also act as a facility manager, hiring food and service staff, developing game schedules and overseeing the facility’s maintenance.
As a team manager, Del Rosario said he is “committed to the pursuit of excellence through continuous improvement in everything I do for the national team program.”
He added, “This island has been so good to me and to my family, and that’s why I would like to give back in any way, shape or form to help the local youth. I dream that one day, more young local athletes, not just soccer players, will continue their education at a higher level while playing the sports they love through athletic scholarships.”
