Introduction: It is a dream for many to remain associated with America’s most popular professional sport. Becoming a water boy in an NFL team can make your dream come true; you get to meet your favorite football players almost every day. On top of that, you can earn watching and working for NFL. Today’s topic- How to become an NFL water boy?
We often tend to ignore behind-the-scenes that go to make a game successful. Players’ practice and hard work are always there, but professionals like water boys who are always on the ground to provide water to thirsty players so they can remain hydrated, often ignored as water boy’s position can pay you well and well in terms of salaries, work, and the incentives attached to the position.
Through this article, we will try to show you a mind-map of how you can apply for a water boy’s position at the NFL and how much salary you can expect as a water boy, the pros and cons of being a water boy, and other things that you should know before aiming to become a water boy.
An interesting fact
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the term water boy or water girl was used for someone who worked in the field to provide water to the farmworkers. Now it became the main term for the sideline persons in a playground providing water to players. The concept of water boys was introduced in matches in 1869.
Duties of the NFL water boy
The NFL water boys are an important part of the training staff.
They provide water to the thirsty players after practice.
Water boys can’t interrupt during the training or match.
If a water boy is highly efficient, then there’s a chance of promotion as an assistant.
A water boy may not be needed during the whole match, but he/she has to present whenever a player is thirsty. So, a water boy needs to be attentive and ever ready.
Often, a water boy is expected to perform duties that are not meant for a water boy such as, holding sweaty towels of players or getting the training equipment for them, etc.
How can you become an NFL water boy?
The educational qualification to become an NFL water boy is very basic. You need to have a high school pass certificate. Good communication and management skills to perform proficiently as a water boy.
Take advice from college coaches or some experienced persons in the field. It’ll help you to remain in their good books, and eventually, they might refer you.
Networking is important for any career. An aspiring water boy should focus on making a network with professionals working at NFL. Connections are more important than qualifications. We will tell you about the NFL water boy selection procedure in the next section.
Sometimes teams go through a more traditional way and hire relatives of coaches to save money. That’s why they hire interns, so they just have to pay the stipend.
The NFL water boy’s hiring process is similar to hiring for other positions.
We have a pro tip for you, observe the water boys during a match telecast on the T.v. this will guide you about your conduct as a water boy.
Application procedure to apply for NFL water boy
We will give you a step-by-step guide to applying for an NFL water boy.
The first step – visit the official NFL website.
Second – Then click on the ‘Team’ or ‘League’ link.
Carefully choose between intern and entry-level positions.
For the final step, click the highlighted link at the bottom and then upload your resume there.
Remember that your resume should be the reflection of your best qualities.
How much does the NFL water boy make?
According to stack.com, the highest an NFL water boy can make about $53,000 annually. While some water boy interns don’t get any payment. The water boy interns only get stipends, and there’s a majority of interns in this profession.
There are differences in salaries between an experienced water boy and a newbie. Here, the experience can help to increase your salary bar higher. The real rate of the team also affects the salaries of water boys.
If we look at NFL towel boy and ball boy salaries, these are almost similar to a water boy’s salary.
Pros and cons of a water boy’s position at NFL
Getting a chance of interaction or a meeting with your dream football icon. As a water boy, you will get to earn by serving the NFL footballers. And what’s the best than getting to serve the nation’s favorite sports players personally.
Water boys are also given some benefits as other NFL employees.
Water boys get two free tickets each year. In addition, each NFL staff gets a souvenir ring.
The salary might be equivalent to other positions, but a water boy position lays lower in the hierarchy. As a result, people often treat it as a lowly profession.
It demands a lot of physical work. To complete his duty, a water boy had to run a lot.
Your importance is just ignored. All sideline workers work hard to manage things so that players get to play tension-free. However, their contribution is ignored most of the time.
A comparison between NBA water boy and NFL water boy.
NBA water boy’s application and selection are similar to the NFL process. If we consider the salaries of water boys at NFL and NBA, these are also pretty much similar. However, the water boy wage also varies from team to team and also based on experience. There can be a little difference between the salaries of an NFL water boy and an NBA water boy since the NFL is more popular than the NBA.
Procedure to become an NBA water boy
You can go for NBA tryouts for water boy. Know about how teams hire water boys. Some teams hold tryouts while others raffle for the water boy positions. Inquire about the insights of hiring or the skills that teams look for while looking for water boys. Any connection with the NBA staff will help. It doesn’t always have to be a coach or referee or scout or something.
The other behind the scenes jobs
There are a lot of behind the scene jobs that we often ignore. We can divide it into administrative staff, equipment staff, training staff, water boys, towel boys, and ball boys. These water boys, towel boys, and ball boys link equipment staff and training staff.
Administrative staff takes care of all the management activities of the NFL team, including their arrival departure and other facilities during the match.
The equipment staff manages and provides all the equipment like jerseys, balls, shoes, pads, etc., to the players. We know how much the equipment affects the player’s performance. Ensuring that all equipment is in good condition releases a lot of burden from a player’s shoulders. Then comes the meal prepared by the chef on specific instructions of the nutritionist. Nutritionists plan the meal keeping in mind every player’s nutrition demands.
And of course the training staff, including coaches and the players who help them train for the final match.
Many people ensure to do their works so that team can perform at their best and it doesn’t get tired in the whole process of traveling and then playing and then again traveling.
Conclusion
A water boy might not look like a good job. But only because many people don’t know about this position. In terms of pay, a water boy can earn a similar wage as an office-going person. Moreover, every job demands hard work. Therefore, an efficient water boy can get promoted to an assistant based on his/her qualities.
Your qualities and experience will help you in building command over the job. There are some benefits and some disadvantages of bringing a water boy which we showed you. Take decisions after doing a balanced analysis of your career.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Q1 Can women apply for a water boy position?
Yes, anyone can apply for a water boy position.
Q2 How much does a water boy at NFL earn?
A water boy at NFL can earn up to $53,000 per annum. For detailed insight on the salaries of NFL water boys, you can refer to the article.
Q3 How much does a cheerleader earns at NFL?
A cheerleader gets $150 per NFL match and an additional $70-75 based on public appearance.
Q4 What is NFL?
NFL is the National football league. America’s most popular league. In NFL, different professional football teams compete with each other to win the biggest football league.
Q5 Does a water boy get to travel with the team?
Yes, water boys travel with the team to help them remain hydrated during matches.
Q6 What is the qualification to become an NFL water boy?
The educational qualification is high school graduation.
Q7 Who helps NFL players?
There are different people for different works such as coaches, water boys, equipment staff, training staff, administrative staff, nutritionist, ball boy, etc.
