| Title: | Equipment Manager |
| Phone: | 1-707-256-7662 |
| Email: | MRonaldbelew@napavalley.edu |
By MARTY JAMES
Mike Ronald arrives for work at Napa Valley College very early each day. It’s right around 5:15 a.m.
But before he gets around to performing his duties as the equipment manager in the athletic department, Ronald takes time to get in a workout himself.
“I like working out in the morning,” Ronald, a Napa resident, said. “And for me, that’s in the weight room.”
From there, Ronald is helping out NVC’s coaches, instructors and student athletes the rest of day. This includes setting up rooms for P.E. classes, assisting the different intercollegiate teams at their practices and games, and working closely with the athletic trainers and other staff members within the department.
Ronald works behind the scenes, but his impact, involvement and contributions to NVC athletics is felt by everyone. He oversees the day to day operations of the equipment room.
“We have an excellent staff here. Everybody gets along,” said Ronald, who is in his 13th year at Napa Valley, a member of the Bay Valley Conference and Big 8 Conference. “We have a great group of kids here. I’m proud that they’re participating, because it means that their grades are up and they’re doing a good thing.”
Ronald has a strong connection with the student athletes, as he sees them just about every day and he knows them by their names. Ronald is the one who takes care of the department-wide gear, including uniforms, warm-ups and other apparel and clothing. He takes care of laundry services and gets athletic bags ready on game days for the athletes. He sets up the gym for both practices and games for the Storm’s volleyball and basketball teams. He sets up the field for both practices and games for the Storm’s soccer and baseball teams.
“I’m almost like that first person of contact,” Ronald said. “If there’s anything that somebody needs, it seems to be that I’m the first person that they go to. I enjoy being that person that they can trust and go to and know that I’m going to get something done.”
Ronald is in charge of ordering gear and uniforms while also monitoring inventory. NVC has a contract with Under Armour.
He handles any repair work that is needed with equipment.
“I really enjoy it. And like I said, it’s the student athletes that are really special to me,” said Ronald, 52. “I’ve had many friendships over the last 13 years.”
Before joining NVC, Ronald worked as the hatchery manager for 20 years at Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms in Sonoma and was the hatchery manager for two years at Reichardt Duck Farm in Petaluma.
He was hired by Kevin Luckey, who retired in 2013 as the Storm’s athletic director and Napa Valley’s Dean of Physical Education and Athletics.
“I made that move because I felt like at that time in my life, I needed to make a change,” said Ronald. “I’ve been working with budgets my whole career. I saw the (job) opening. I thought that this was something that I really wanted to do – working in athletics. What I didn’t know was that it would be the student athletes that really make my job special. That’s what makes my day special and every day special.”
Ronald’s supervisor is Jerry Dunlap, NVC’s Associate Dean and Athletic Director.
Ronald is a 1986 graduate of Sonoma Valley High School. He is originally from Sonoma and was a two-sport athlete in high school, wrestling and playing baseball.
He also attended Santa Rosa Junior College.
Ronald and his wife, Lea, host exchange students during the school year.