Cat Central

Scouts the least glamorous, but very important job for MSU Women

Posted: Jan 25, 2013 2:41 PM by Mark Freeman
Updated: Jan 25, 2013 3:09 PM

Tony Keller is a scout player for the Lady Cats who one of the coaches spotted at an intramural game. And also whose job couldn't be any less glamorous but also any more essential than his.

"Well in a lot of different ways it takes our minds off of our opponent," says MSU Head Coach Tricia Binford. "It allows us to focus on ourselves when scouts are running a lot of what our opponents are going to do. It also allows if we need to rest a kid, we throw a scout guy in there and get some legs under them and it allows us to go against bigger faster stronger."

So why be a scout player for the Bobcats when it's your job to do the things no one else wants to?

"You get to play for free at a collegiate level," Tony replies. "You don't have to worry about all the pressures of playing college sports and I just love the game. They're all really nice, really friendly. It's fun to be here."

A great attitude considering it's his job to do the drills no one wants to. But don't worry, there's more than just mutual respect between the players and scouts.

Binford says, "They're like brothers to [the players] right now and it's great.

Tony's feeling about the girls is more of that sibling rivalry type: "I mean I don't think I would even push and shove my sister, but I've got no problem roughing them up a little bit and they dish it right back at me."