Football recruits across the country, whether they choose the Deacs or not, rave about Wake's family environment.

Look across the field during any of the team's early-camp practices, and you'll see the Deacs are taking it one step further. The newest student manager is literally family.

Courtney Clawson, head coach Dave Clawson's daughter, filled a need and is serving as his personal manager through the first half of camp.

"We were short student managers, so I asked Courtney if she'd volunteer and help me out," Dave Clawson said.

The other managers told Courtney the one job not to have is managing coach Clawson.

"I can handle it," she said.

The time together on the field is cherished by both father and daughter.

"It's absolutely awesome. I love it," Dave Clawson said. "She's been great. It's been so much fun to be able to spend time with her like this."

Courtney will continue to serve as manager until Aug. 17, when she'll start preseason tennis practice at her school, Salem Academy. She'll be a junior this year, and she played No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles last season.

Before the practice that never started Monday, Courtney was on the field tossing the pigskin to her father.

"She was throwing some good spirals, and it got better," coach Clawson said, having given her some pointers mid-session.

Football has always been a part of Courtney's life, having grown up being the daughter of a football coach.

"When I was little, I was always the only girl that would go to the youth camp. I would be doing all the drills. Obviously, it's nothing near to the extent of this," she said. "I've known a lot of these coaches for a long time now. They'll say 'hi' to me on the field, but it's definitely very serious. We don't have a long conversation."

When players come over to the Clawsons', Courtney continues to treat them like family.

"They'll come in for ping pong - I beat a couple of them when they came over," she said.

They'll eventually learn that this Clawson is pretty good with a racquet.