EAST LANSING, Mich. — Spartan fans have seen the team run out of the tunnel at Spartan Stadium countless times, but they may not know just how much work it takes to get the team prepared for each game.
- The MSU football equipment managers work year-round to prepare gear for athletes and coaches.
- Head Equipment Manager Andrew Kolpacki and his staff are in crunch time before Friday's season opener.
- Equipment staff pack individual bags for each player to ensure all gear is ready at Spartan Stadium.
Before Friday's season opener against Western Michigan, I spoke with the equipment team to find out what goes into game preparation.
WATCH: MSU Football equipment team prepares for another season
"We like to think of ourselves as a bit of a backbone," MSU football Head Equipment Manager Andrew Kolpacki Andrew Kolpacki said.
There's a lot of work that goes into winning a college football game. Schemes, recruiting, and countless hours on the practice field. But there's a hidden crew that makes sure athletes and coaches alike are prepared.
"We're a staff that you don't want to be noticed," Kolpacki said.
Whether it's in practice or in front of thousands of fans in Spartan Stadium, the MSU football equipment managers work year-round to get athletes the gear they need, from head to toe.
"Whether it's player uniforms, cleats, clothing, apparel for coaches. We work our way all throughout the end of last season up until now," Kolpacki said.
With the clock ticking towards game one, it's crunch time for Head Equipment Manager Andrew Kolpacki and his staff. With decals placed on helmets and game balls prepped, Kolpacki says they pack bags for each player to make sure all of their pieces are accounted for and ready for the field.
"Get all the players' gear packed up, we move over to Spartan Stadium and unpack it there so when they show up on Friday night for Western Michigan they have everything they need where they need it," Kolpacki said.
Working for a football team can mean long hours and fast-paced environments, but Kolpacki says the people inside the building make the job worth it.
"You can come back after a practice, after a game and just kind of laugh about things that may not go as planned, things that went well. At the end of the day, just chalk it up as a good time together making sure everything gets done," Kolpacki said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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