Matt Germain and Shelton Mead love football.

That deserves repeating. Matt Germain and Shelton Mead really love football.

In fact, they love football so much that at South Junior High’s Aug. 23 practice, both were right in the middle of the action with fists pumping, rooting for their team during tackling drills.

But neither Germain nor Mead were in uniform that day. In fact, they’re not even players on the team. They’re the team managers.

Being manager of South’s eighth-grade Cougar football team may not sound like a dream job, but it’s a job both Meade and Germain really enjoy.

“We get out of school early.” Germain said. “We go to games, have pizza parties and hangout with friends afterwards.”

With all of the perks surrounding the job, it sounds as though the pair have it made. But there is another side to being a manager.

The job requires long hours and is very hard work. Some of the responsibilities Germain and Mead have include moving equipment, unlocking doors, setting gear up and turning the hoses on and off.

Sometimes the work is hard, but it can often be a bit of a pain. Germain said there is one job as manager that he finds very tricky.

“Looking for supplies in all those boxes,” he said.

Germain said if he wasn’t performing his duties as manager he’d likely be at some other after-school program.

He even thought about joining the football team this season. But he eventually decided against it. He felt that being manager was a way for him to still be involved in the game he loves so much.

Though you won’t see him playing on the field for the Cougars this season, on Sundays you can likely find Germain watching his favorite NFL team. His favorite team, however, is not the Kansas City Chiefs.

Germain was born in Wyoming and moved to Pittsburgh before moving to Lawrence. And somewhere along the way he developed a fondness for the Atlanta Falcons and their running back, Warrick Dunn.

“I like to watch him,” Germain said.

And while Germain watches his favorite NFL team and player, one can bet he will be right in the middle of the action during the Cougars games this season.

And while the Cougars have their own goals, Germain and Mead also have a few of their own.

“To work hard.” Germain said. “To do a good job. And help encourage the team.”