‘The unsung heroes’: A day in the life of LSU football equipment managers

A day before the LSU Tigers kicked off fall camp last Friday, local Coca-Cola manager Hudson Lemoine was busy stocking 8,000 bottles of water and 1,000 bottles of Powerade.
“That does not include the 100 gallons of water trainers have prepared for Day 1 of camp or the 1,500 pounds of ice ready to go, too,” reads a new Sports Illustrated feature that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of LSU’s equipment staff—four full-timers and 13 student managers—or the “unsung heroes.”
Of course, ensuring the football players stay properly hydrated on steamy summer afternoons is just a small part of preparations for fall camp. LSU Equipment Director Greg Stringfellow was fielding calls on “fitting day”—the most hectic day of preparation—from former LSU players as he works to suit up the current roster of athletes.
“This is Stringfellow’s 27th fitting day at LSU, and he’s hurrying about in an attempt to rectify any arising problems, because there are always problems,” reads the feature by former Advocate sports writer Ross Dellenger. “Nothing ever goes smoothly.”  
Also on the scene is Paul Boudreaux, owner of Boudreaux Athletics, who has set up a “human icebox” for players to rapidly cool down. The transportable, 40-foot-long, walk-in freezer is a chilled oasis for sun-beat football players and a replacement for those old-fashioned cold tubs.
“These are the unsung heroes of any football program, guys who are paid little or nothing at all, fathers who spend long hours at football stadiums and in locker rooms tending to some of the country’s biggest stars,” reads the feature. “Their bond with players is like no other.”
Coach Ed Orgeron calls them “invaluable,” adding: “They know the pulse of the team.”
Read the full feature.