After hearing about the opening of the position of Head Equipment Manager at Choate, Mr. Justin Whittaker was ready to take advantage of the position and further his career. Mr. Whittaker attended The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, where he majored in business administration with a sports management concentration. He then went on to earn his MBA at Saint Rose where he also served as their head equipment manager.
When asked why he applied for the job of Head Equipment Manager at Choate, he stated that he wanted a larger role than his job at Saint Rose. Also, Mr. Whittaker’s personal life brought him to the area. He expressed, “I came across the Choate employee board and found Head Equipment Manager, and I found that the job aligned with my background.” He finished his statement by saying, “It was a great opportunity that arose at the best time.”
When asked about his typical day, he expressed, “What’s kind of unique about working in the athletic world and working in it is that no day is really the same. But, in a typical day, there is a lot of laundry, practice gear, uniforms, and anything like that, so laundry is a big part of the day.”
During most days, he also keeps track of athletes’ uniforms and makes sure that they all end up in the athletes’ lockers. Additionally, on the topic of his role in the Athletic Department, he explained, “As the Head Equipment Manager, I do all of the ordering of apparel, uniforms, and equipment. Another part of my job is to do team items. They’ll come to meet with me, and we go over the different possibilities that they can get. I kind of guide them through the process of the embroidery, screen-printing, or artwork of the team items.”
Clearly, Mr. Whittaker has acclimated to Choate and is delighted to work here going forward. He said, “I’m very excited for the opportunity to work at Choate. The school has a very rich athletic history.” He also mentioned the great interactions that he has with his co-workers on a daily basis.
On the topic of operations in the Athletic Department, Mr. Whittaker commented, “We are tweaking some processes every day just to see where we can be better. Others are very good and seem to be working well with the students and coaches.” He also expressed, “I see a good future shaping the equipment room and the processes and procedures of Choate athletics.”
Mr. Whittaker has been around sports all of his life, playing baseball, basketball, and football. He has also coached and umpired baseball games as well as serving as an announcer and a scorekeeper. He coaches a collegiate baseball team in the summer for college baseball players who want to continue their season. “Sports have been a huge part of my life, and I just love to be around it,” he stated. Working in athletics has been my dream ever since I was a kid.”
Mr. Whittaker’s dedication to the position of Head Equipment Manager will have a huge impact on the Athletic Department, and his presence has already been felt by many here at Choate.
