Anyone who has been to an ISU football game has seen him. Anyone who has watched a game on TV has seen him. ISU junior Kyle Broich is the guy who carries coach Paul Rhoads’ headset during games.

After the game, Broich goes with the other equipment staffers to clean up, gather the team’s uniforms for the laundry and go to clean up the visiting team’s locker room. He’s done usually about an hour-and-a-half to two hours after the game.

During the week, Broich and the 11 other equipment managers arrive at the practice facility about two hours before practice starts to get the field set up. 

At practice, Broich works with the running backs and sets up drills. After practice, all the equipment managers clean up the field and help the coaches with whatever they need.

For putting in the long and tiring hours, Broich does get paid and does get some perks. He gets what he calls a “mini-scholarship” each semester, clothes and shoes, tickets to games for ISU men’s basketball and inside knowledge of the football team.

“For a sports fan like me, that’s awesome,” Broich said.

For Broich, what makes this job all worth it is the opportunity he’s given, especially as an Iowa State fan.

“In elementary school all he would ever wear were Iowa State shirts to school,” his mother, Missy Broich, said. “One day his PE teacher jokingly asked him if that was the only clothing he owned. There was never any question where he would go to college.”

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