Michigan State’s student managers rarely find themselves in the center of attention. Their work unfolds in the background, usually unnoticed by anyone outside the program. Isaac Cheli, who works with the hockey team, and Kieran O’Neil, who handles responsibilities for men’s basketball, the job is less about visibility and more about stability.
These two MSU seniors operate in two of the university’s highest-profile athletic environments, yet their day-to-day routine is built on tasks that allow the players and coaches to function without interruption.
Cheli’s role with MSU hockey began as a way to stay connected to the sport he grew up loving.
He reached out to Brad Fast, the director of player development, asking, “Hey, like, is there any way I can still be involved even though I'm not playing anymore?”
Fast replied, “Hey, we have student managers.”
That opportunity gave Cheli structure, responsibility and a chance to contribute to the program even if he was not stepping onto the ice.
His responsibilities span both equipment preparation and hockey operations.
“There's two different aspects. There's, like, the equipment side of it, and then there's the hockey operation side of it... getting the bench set up, anything we need for practice,” Cheli said. “And then on the video side, our video and preparing, helping our hockey director of hockey ops, Dan Sturges, prepare for the opponents we're playing, clipping video, helping with player clips during practice.”
He sets up the locker room, prepares equipment, assists with drills, records practices, and ensures communication flows smoothly during games.
Cheli said the hardest part of the job is balancing responsibilities with school.
“The most challenging part, I would say, for me... is learning how to balance your responsibilities as a manager along with, like, your academic commitments... learning how to schedule classes, when to schedule classes based around practice... when you're traveling, right, you have to jump in with professors, give them your travel and, like, missing exams classes. It's tough, for sure,” he said.
The culture within hockey was one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
“I mean, we have a really special culture, a really special group... Everyone really cares about everyone. It's a family,” he said. “I can go talk to Dan Sturges or director of hockey operations, Brad Fast, or directors, coaches, support staff and just talk to them about anything that's going on in life. And, like, they want to know too... ‘How are you doing? What are your plans after college?” That sense of community shapes how he approaches every day, especially during the most demanding parts of the season.
After graduation, Cheli plans to pursue a career outside of sports in supply chain management and has accepted a position with General Motors in a rotational program. Even though he does not intend to work in athletics, the skills he developed managing hockey—including time management, problem-solving and leadership—remain valuable.
The work prepared him for professional environments that demand organization, adaptability, and collaboration. His experience demonstrates that the lessons learned from collegiate sports extend beyond the game, even for those who choose a different career path.
Cheli hopes younger managers take full advantage of the experience.
“I'd say the biggest thing... just enjoy as much as possible, like this whole college experience, and its time with Michigan State hockey,” he said. “It's flown by... Just soak it up. Every day you come here, it's a privilege to be here and just come to the rink, be positive, right? That's the one thing.”
Michigan State men’s basketball operates in a different environment, but O’Neil’s experience shares many similarities. The program’s national profile brings larger crowds, heavier media attention and more travel, yet the duties remain grounded in reliability and organization.
“Freshman year, I kind of was looking for a school with a big basketball program, and kind of found out about being a manager and, like, what went into it? It's kind of like its own fraternity,” he said.
That sense of structure and community drew him to the program, and his involvement expanded as he learned more about how a high-major basketball program operates behind the scenes.
The team’s daily schedule is predictable but demanding.
“A day where it's like a normal day, guys will probably, if we have a lift, lift in the morning, guys will shoot. We were around to help rebound, pass through workouts, drills, and we're always around for practice. Usually that's from like three to five every day. Most managers here, we kind of build our class schedule around that,” O’Neil said.
Managers prepare practice gear, help with shooting drills, assist with individual workouts, and ensure the court is ready well before the team arrives.
O’Neil emphasized the importance of supporting the team without disrupting it.
“We're there to support them without getting in their way. Right?” he said. “Like, we have to be able in the huddles coach will just yell in general, like, that's something that players but we have to be able to take that, know the role, like, when not joke, when to, like, be really serious. That just kind of helps us, like, that awareness.”
The goal is to maintain a smooth environment and let practices flow without distraction.
Time is one of the biggest challenges for O’Neil, mirroring Cheli’s experience.
“I think it's kind of time commitment, like, I mean, I probably work 40 hours a week. Game days are we shoot? I mean, when you're not in class on a game that you probably should be here... You really got to be on top of your own personal school stuff, while being able to give your 100% effort to this team and this program,” he said.
Learning to manage schoolwork and a demanding athletic schedule became a defining part of his college career.
O’Neil hopes the experience will help launch him into a career in sports operations.
“I just hope it gives me so much, like, backbone and stuff, that can lead me to a job, and I can go into the job, and I can rely on being a manager here for four years at a top five program in the country with all these connections,” he said.
He specifically mentioned wanting to work in operations, adding, “Operations, so either in college, a director of basketball operations or NBA, NFL kind of that more front office day to day operations.”
Despite differences in hockey and basketball, both managers value the relationships formed through long hours and shared responsibility. They interact with athletes who carry heavy academic and athletic workloads, and their responsibilities revolve around creating a stable environment that lets players focus. They handle laundry, equipment, setup and cleanup, and are usually the first to arrive and last to leave. The work is physical, tiring and mostly unnoticed, but its consistency matters deeply to the athletes who rely on it.
Their roles also provide a practical education. Observing how coaches structure practices, how players communicate and how staff members operate collectively gives them a view few students see. Cheli learned the importance of efficiency through hockey’s fast pace, where equipment and preparation affect the rhythm of practice. Basketball emphasized timing and order for O’Neil, where every drill serves a purpose and managers play a role in maintaining that rhythm.
Across both sports, workload varies depending on the day. Travel weeks require more coordination. Home games require earlier arrivals and later departures. Practice days shift based on film, recovery and academic schedules. But one constant remains: managers keep operations stable regardless of circumstances.
Although Cheli does not plan to pursue a career in sports like O’Neil, their experiences are equally valuable. Both gained skills in organization, leadership and communication that will serve them long after college. Cheli and O’Neil represent a group that supports Michigan State athletics without expecting recognition. Their work forms part of the infrastructure that allows athletes to perform at a high level. The roles require responsibility, communication and a willingness to adapt, and both approach their work with that mindset. Their presence helps maintain the environment that defines MSU hockey and men’s basketball, and the experience they gain stays with them long after they leave campus.
