Makenna Maupin follows her dream to Iowa State

MANLIUS - Bureau Valley football coach Mat Pistole takes great pride in his team’s commitment to excellence on game nights, on the practice field, in the weight room and “pounding the stone.”

He also takes pride in the Storm’s equipment managers, who have a long tradition of excellence for the Storm.

Makenna Maupin will take that Storm pride to Iowa State University this fall.

The recent Bureau Valley graduate has signed to become an equipment manager for the Cyclones. She said she began reaching out to different football organizations and after a few phone calls, a tour of the football facility and an in-person interview with Iowa State’s Assistant Director of Equipment Operations, she knew Iowa State would be the right fit for her.

“I knew I wanted to continue managing at the collegiate level during the start of my senior year,” Maupin said. “For me football has always been my favorite sport because I am passionate about it and I have a firm understanding of the game. I am excited to experience my passion at a higher level. I’m looking forward to the skills I’ll learn, the connections I will make and the traveling to different stadiums that is involved with this opportunity.

“Ever since I was little I’ve always told my grandpa that I would someday make it to the NFL and my coaches have made comments about that as well. I think that Iowa State will be able to help me get there.”

Maupin, who plans on studying business management, said the Storm coaching staff and the athletes at Bureau Valley have “always been very supportive and encouraging throughout my years of equipment management and they have never once made me doubt that I’m not ready for the D1 level.”

Pistole said Maupin will be a tremendous asset for the Cyclones.

“Her passion for football, organization, leadership are top notch, but what makes her special is she takes such pride in caring for people and is really good at it. That will take her to special places,” he said. “I could see her as an equipment manager (or even a coach) at the high major or NFL level.”

“For me football has always been my favorite sport because I am passionate about it and I have a firm understanding of the game. I am excited to experience my passion at a higher level.”

—  Makenna Maupin

Pistole said that Maupin, who also served as manager for the Storm basketball and baseball teams, was so devoted to the Storm football program that she actually held interviews and made the girls fill out resumes to find her replacement.

“Name another high school manager or program that did that? To say she takes her job seriously is an understatement,” Pistole said.

Maupin and her fellow managers, Taylor Rowland and Ryley Egan, play the part well, dressing up in full pads on the first day of practice to take part in a few drills.

“These girls lived for that moment,” Pistole said. “All three young ladies leaving our program were top notch and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.”

Maupin will become the fifth Bureau County product to assume football duties at the collegiate level this fall, following Tyler Gibson (Wisconsin), Caleb Kain (Oklahoma) and Caleb and Branden Haring (Arizona), all of Princeton.