The day of the first football game was a busy one for equipment manager Richard “Dick” Townsend.

Not only was there the regular work of doing laundry, placing decals on equipment and regular equipment check-out, but also taking care of the equipment that was used to shoot a Tyson food commercial.

“I guess this [Tyson commercial] is what makes this job so exciting, but you have to love to do it because you are a servant to everybody,” Townsend said.

Within a time span of 10 minutes, at least three different coaches came in with various instructions for equipment they would need. These coaches would be lost without him.

Head football coach Joe Novak said, “He’s definitely a part of the team, and he does a great job of keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.”

Townsend also is an important person to the players themselves.

Freshman wide receiver Shatone Powers said, “He takes care of us. And if there’s anything we need he takes care of it.”

For a veteran like Townsend, all this commotion is second nature. After all, he’s been doing the job for 39 years.

He’s been at NIU for 13 years, and during that time witnessed a few traditions. One of the most interesting traditions is the helmet collection developed by the football team.

“Nebraska got us started with it, and since then we’ve traded helmets with almost every team we’ve competed against for the last 13 years,” Townsend said. “It’s a representation of when we were independent and in the MAC.

As for memorable stories, this equipment manager has plenty.

“I don’t think I could tell them all, there are so many. I’ve been here through the good times when we were 9-2, and the bad times when we were 0-11.”

Prior to coming to NIU, Townsend spent 26 years as a high school coach, among other things.

“When I was a coach, I was also a trainer, an equipment manager, and then if there was time, I would coach.”

Aside from his hectic career as an equipment manager, Townsend also is the inventor of the “Double-latch Laundry Belt.” It’s a tool he designed six years ago after becoming fed up with the way the traditional laundry bag would not completely dry clothes, and the way the pin made all that racket in the dryer and caused burned hands.

The contraption securely holds socks, shorts and jerseys while in the washing machine without losing anything. Townsend claims he has had great success with the tool, and there is a market for it overseas.