DFW student goes from team manager to flying drones and signaling plays as offensive assistant on football staff
Rajesh Murti won't score any touchdowns for Arlington Martin next season, but his impact on the Warriors' football team will still be felt on the scoreboard.
Murti, a junior, always wanted to be a part of the program but knew it would be tough given his smaller frame. But that didn't stop him from making his mark.
He started out as an equipment manager his freshman season and has since used his impressive football mind to land an offensive assistant role who signals plays and helps coach the quarterbacks.
“Rajesh has great football knowledge and you could tell he’s around it and studies it which most kids these days don’t,” Martin offensive coordinator Chad Rives said. “It’s very impressive to see what he’s done. He’s gone from equipment manager to my right-hand man.”
Murti, who cultivated a passion for the game by watching it with his father, started drawing up plays for 7-on-7 teams he and his friends used to play on. He sought out Rives when the two met during a soccer period his freshman year, and the rest is history.
“I wanted to be apart it, but I didn’t know how,” Murti said. “When I showed coach Rives my plays I always hoped he would give me some type of shot and thankfully he did."
Warriors head coach Bob Wager loves the passion and energy Murti has for the game and his program.
“You could tell when someone has a general interest and passion for what they’re doing and Rajesh has it for football, but he also has it for everything he does in his life,” Wager said. “He’s a cog that makes this machine run. He does so many different things. It’s been fun to watch him diversify his portfolio. Whether he chooses football for the rest of his life or anything else, he’s going to be wildly successful.”
Murti is also responsible for Martin's drone team, which films practices to give the coaching staff and its players unique angles for film study. As a freshman, he was the only one that knew how to fly Martin’s only drone. Now they have a team and two drones.
“I was the only one that knew how to operate it during every practice so as a sophomore I started to train some of our girls that work the hand-held camera so I could take care of my offensive responsibilities,” he said. “The coaches wanted me to help them find someone like me in hopes it will carry on after I graduate.”
It didn't take long for Martin football players to see the passion Murti had for the program, which has quickly endeared himself to those in the locker room.
“Rajesh is out there everyday grinding and doing everything for the team,” junior Avery Taylor said. “It was an attitude no one had seen in a manager and I love Rajesh for that. He’s one of the most enthusiastic managers we have. He’s always there and he’s become one the leaders on the team. He’s a guy that we can always count on.”
Murti hopes to attend the University of Houston where his family graduated from. He wants to get involved with student coaching and major in sports administration.
This story was originally published May 1, 2018 at 9:55 AM with the headline "DFW student goes from team manager to flying drones and signaling plays as offensive assistant on football staff."