Brett Stuart helps UTC Mocs as team manager

photo UTC men's basketball manager Brett Stuart joins the team during a time out during their recent game against Hiwassee College.

Brett Stuart is the most-improved Moc.

His jump-shot looked like a catapult during his freshman year. His chest passes were lobs from under the basket out to the 3-point line, and he could barely dribble without traveling or using both hands at once.

But now, as a junior, Stuart is a critical piece to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team -- as one of its four team managers.

"He couldn't shoot the ball, so last year we started working on his form," UTC senior point guard Keegan Bell said. "His game has got a lot better. His passes come out a lot harder. When I leave, I'll definitely be able to say I've helped Brett-Man's game get better."

Stuart's basketball abilities do not impact the Mocs' win-loss record. It helps that he's capable as a stand-in during some practice drills and gives Bell and other players more game-like passes when he rebounds for them for hours on end in the Chattem Practice Facility or McKenzie Arena.

"He's an unbelievable rebounder," coach John Shulman said. "But I wouldn't bet on Brett in a H-O-R-S-E competition.

"We also wouldn't have a team without Brett. He's part of our family."

An important part along with the rest of the managers and support staff.

"When we got back from Lexington at 3:30 [in the morning], I'm in my car at 3:31," Shulman said. "Those managers like Brett are sticking around and getting everything off the bus. That's his job; he takes it seriously and it's important to him."

Stuart arrived at UTC with four years of experience as a football manager at Maryville High School.

"I've got to learn about the game since I've been here, and my passion for basketball has grown," Stuart said. "The best part of my job is being out here with the guys and working toward our goals."

And the worst part?

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"Laundry, laundry and laundry," Stuart said. "Especially Omar Wattad's laundry. He is the sweatiest man I've ever met in my whole life."

Not everybody enters college athletics with the idea of being a manager and spending more hours working for the team than some players.

"I wanted to be a manager to be part of a team, because you learn life skills in team sports when you're really not trying to," Stuart said. "That can help you further along in your career."

Stuart is the son of Final Four referee Mike Stuart who has officiated only one UTC game since Brett joined the team, and that came at Jacksonville State.

"The best part about having Brett is that we don't get his dad calling our games," Shulman joked. "I was thinking about calling all the officials to see if I could get their children here."

The older Stuart laughed at Shulman's line pondered a rebuttal zinger before thinking better of it.

"John is as solid a guy I've been around," Stuart said. "He takes time to tell me how Brett's doing. I'm comfortable, as a father, having Brett there."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.

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