Karasuno Manager Headcanons

Karasuno Manager Headcanons

synopsis: as a manager of a team, you really get to know your players, here’s what i headcanon an additional manager’s (realistic) relationship with each character would look like starting as a first year and working all the way through third year.

- you and kiyoko joined the karasuno volleyball club your first year. when daichi had been asking around to recruit a team manager, he had come across both kiyoko and you in the hallway, neither of which had chosen a club yet. even though the two of you were simply acquainted at this point, she turned to you, just as you turned to her. with one shared nod in agreement, you both turned back to the expectant first year, and the rest was history.

- out of all the individuals on the team, it was kiyoko who you were the closest to. you both learned the ropes of managing a team together and provided each other with support and advice to keep the team running smoothly as ever. that often meant sleepovers where the two of you would compare notes and look for new drills that might help the boys with their techniques, which led to a friendship that extended beyond the court.

- while the second and first years looked to daichi as the cornerstone of the team, at least in your mind, he’d always be the same daichi who spent countless hours practicing alone, asking to keep the keys overnight so that he could keep refining his receives. sugawara and asahi would stay late with him from time to time, but on the nights they couldn’t stay, you would, throwing up ball after ball for him,m and offering guidance when you could. you were no coach, but that hadn’t been what daichi needed from you. at the time, he simply needed someone to be there for him, be there with him.

- sugawara often joked you were his soulmate, and from the way you two complimented each other in terms of supporting the team and each other along the way, you might even believe it. suga always strived to do his best, leaving 100% of himself on the court each and everyday. in fact, he’d overwork himself during practice his first year to the point where you’d keep an extra water bottle and protein bar in your bag in case he needed it, which was more than a few times. when kageyama came to karasuno, there were a couple times sugawara reverted to that state of overworking, but it was in times like these he had you to lean on. he had you there to remind him that his efforts were not in vain, and that despite his situation on the bench, he was the very heart of karasuno’s volleyball club.

- asahi was the team’s gentle giant. from just his second year, he was already getting comments on his mature appearance. it hurt him at first, feeling as if he had to look a certain way in order to not be targeted in both matches on the court or occasionally in the hallways of karasuno high. you tried your best to cheer him up, but it wasn’t until the fiery libero first year, nishinoya, joined the team that you saw a real change in asahi. as a manager, there was only so much you could do, but noya was exactly what asahi needed to pick him up and get back on his feet. you enjoyed watching them, quite literally watching fire and ice interact.

- nishinoya was a menace to be reckoned with, and with the arrival of tanaka at the same time? there was no stopping the whirlwind of shenanigans that were to come. while they took an immediate liking to kiyoko, you’d bore through some of their “flirting” too at first. however, you suspected daichi or suga to put a stop to it after one occasion they took it a little too far. even so, those two brought spirit to the team, spirit that you had to admit the former teammates that graduated had seemed to lack. they were definitely on the wild side, but they were dependable and vital to the team dynamic. besides, every now and then it was fun to join in on their pranks and jests at the rising first years after them.

- the first years. ah, they were nothing short of a handful. hinata was a quite the energetic one, never able to sit still long enough to listen to the captain, the managers, or even coach ukai later on. he alone was sure to keep you and sugawara on your toes as you both were often tasked of keeping him from wandering off during tournaments. it never failed the ginger would leave for the restroom, only to need ‘saving’ from his upperclassmen. however, when he was paired with kageyama, it was a nightmare at first.

- kageyama took a while for you to really figure out. he was always so well…intense! as a manager, you looked for ways to draw that intensity away in order to open up to the team a bit more, but even kiyoko drew a blank on how to best help him overcome that obstacle. your solution? pair him with hinata. sure, they fought like cats and dogs, but you were sure that they would quit fighting and make friends. by the first match against aoba johsai, you were certain you’d made a mistake. months of work, and they were still fighting! still, you couldn’t help but snicker at his less than lackluster insults towards the ginger. he tried, and that was what mattered.

- now, that left tsukishima and yamaguchi. their first practice was simple, it was an easier transition for them as they hadn’t come to the team with such a dramatic entrance. tsukishima was someone you could laugh with, but what you liked about him the most was the way he was a walking contradiction. he claimed this club was a mere extracurricular, but you and kiyoko liked to watch how intense he became on the court, like he was more dedicated than he tried to appear. he grew on you like volleyball did on him, and you made sure encourage him every step of the way, which yamaguchi jumped on board with.

- yamaguchi was probably your favorite first year…if you had to pick one. he was always encouraging, always willing to learn, and on several occasions, you found him taking after you and some of his peers. he was observant, watching each serve, each pass, and each spike with keen, attentive eyes. while his position as a pinch server kept him from seeing much playing time, he gave every serve his all. off the court, you often bumped into him in the library. together, you’d study silently, each minding their own. oh and you totally didn’t notice him checking out a book about volleyball towards the beginning of the season.

- this team, this club, it had been everything to you back then. high school had been a time of new experiences, and because of the volleyball club, you’d learned how to be a leader, how to be a helping hand, a supporter, and a friend. you even learned the ins and outs of mentorship as you and kiyoko taught yachi everything you knew. she tended to take more after kiyoko, but it was a welcome change to have a new addition to the sidelines, someone to chat with and teach.

- extra: you still see your teammates around japan or on television as some of the first years went pro. you still hang out with sugawara and daichi in miyagi, and every so often, the three of you are graced with the visits from asahi and noya, who travel abroad with the wind it seems, or tanaka and kiyoko, who are now happily married. the dynamic has changed since your days at karasuno, but these people shaped you into the very person you are, and you wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

@ shayewrites tumblr 2022

this might be one of my favorite works since i got to look at each character specifically! thank you for the request anon! reminder: requests are still open here!