A Team Manager Wants to Play Out His Hoop Dreams

By Patrick Greene
Menlo Oak Staff

It’s not every day that a team manager for a basketball gets to try out  for the team. But this is not any day and this is not any team manager.

Michael Urica is from Ewa Beach Hawaii and attended the  Academy of the Pacific. He was the star basketball player at his high school, leading the Dolphins to a 19-9 record in his senior year, and taking them to the third round of state playoffs.

When Urica came to Menlo College he tried out for the basketball team. Unfortunately, he did not  make the final cut. Even though he didn’t make the team, he did   become a team manager.

A team manager is an important part of any team. He, or she, keeps  stats, works the shot clock, and makes sure all the jerseys are clean and ready for the team before practice and games.

After the 2011-2012 basketball season, Urica went into the coaches’ office and said that he wanted to retry out for the team. Coach Jon Surface granted him a second opportunity.
So, this spring Urica, along with the entire returning class, is killing himself in preparing for next basketball season. The work out the team is doing right now is far from easy. Each player has to complete a 3-mile run, a 1-mile run, four 400-meter sprints, and four 800-meter sprints. An that's just on the track portion of preparations.

Urica's endurance and skill level is is not to far behind returning players.  He is keeping up with the best of them.

"This has to be one of the hardest training I have gone through, but I refuse for my work to be in vain," Urica said.

Although, the team is packed with guards, the position Urica plays, and the training is tough, nothing, Urica says, will discourage him from chasing his dreams.