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What does a ‘xxxxx’ do?

What does an ‘ATHLETE MANAGER’ do?

with Ryan Fletcher

You’ve probably seen Ryan ‘Fletch’ Fletcher’s face on the WSL broadcast over the years. He was the bearded guy putting hats on heads and throwing high fives at Rip Curl’s superstars. As their official ‘Pit Boss’, his work behind the scenes was key in helping the likes of Mick Fanning and Steph Gilmore to their multiple world titles. That gig dream gig didn’t just land in Ryan’s lap. He started in retail for Quiksilver, worked as a warehouse manager for Dragon, transitioned into marketing and eventually worked his way into athlete management. His passion for people and surfing as a whole has made him a bit of an industry legend.

These days, Fletch is an Athlete Manager, or ‘Talent’ Manager for NC Management in Australia. His roster includes world-title contenders like Molly Picklum, core lords like Callum Robson and red-hot rising stars Dane Henry, Milla Brown and Sierra Kerr.

But what does Ryan actually do day-to-day as a talent manager? 

Does he wheel deals like Jerry McGuire? Book flights and organise equipment? Or does he just jet around to events and throw shakas into the camera? 

We sat down with Fletch to find out exactly what an Athlete Manager does in the boardsports industry.

Sooooo, what does an athlete manager actually do?

It all starts with setting goals with the surfer. You really need to fully understand what they want to achieve and how they want to go about it. If we know their goals, it becomes much easier to line up partnerships that make sense, both culturally and commercially. Then it’s about helping deliver on that and bringing in the financial side to support it all.

The simplest answer is its performance, performance, and performance. In this niche of the surf industry, everything comes back to performance and the outcomes that come with it — results and projects. That’s what underpins the commercial side of what we do.

You’re not just chasing sponsors then?

No, not at all. Once you know the athlete’s goals and what they value, that guides everything else. Whether it’s negotiating a new deal or renewing an existing one, you’ve got a framework for what works for them. It cuts out the back-and-forth and gets to what matters faster.

What does a typical day look like?

There’s no clock-on, clock-off in this world. A ‘normal day’ doesn’t exist. You’ve got to be available most of the time, especially when athletes are overseas. A lot of the time, you wake up to messages or requests from overnight.

There’s also days where you’re negotiating deals or managing schedules, or figuring out how to align deliverables with athlete goals. Some of our athletes have six, seven, even eight brand partners — each one comes with expectations, shoots, appearances, content, or other asks. You’re constantly working out how to make that all fit around competition, training, and life.

What do brands typically want from athletes?

In surfing, it’s usually shoots — campaign, e-comm, store appearances, or content for events. But for someone like Molly Picklum for example, who has a few non-endemic partners, it might be talks or seminars in a more corporate setting.

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Do you handle all that coordination too?

Yeah, the way we work, it’s end-to-end. Travel, logistics, contracts, accounting, payments — we do it all. Media requests, WSL, insurance, even connecting athletes with accountants if they need it. Full service.

How much pressure is there around social media?

There’s a social media component in almost every contract now. It varies — the bigger the deal, the more defined the expectations around posts, tags, collaborations, and so on. But again, it depends on the athlete. Molly’s chasing world titles, so the partnerships are aligned around that goal. Social is secondary. With a freesurfer, it might be the opposite — building an audience is part of the job.

What’s the hardest part of the role?

Not being with the athletes all the time. It’s a face-to-face industry and sometimes you’re just not there in the moment. But the biggest challenge? Making sure you’re getting the best outcome for everyone in a deal — the athlete and the partner. You know what it’s worth, but you still want to make sure you’re doing the right thing, and that can feel heavy sometimes.

Any moments that really sucked?

Oh yeah — deals falling through after months of work. You’ve built trust with the athlete, you’ve had all the conversations, and then it collapses. And you have to be the one to call them and explain why. It happens though. Sometimes it’s budget, sometimes it’s timing. Whatever it is, it always stings.”

What’s the biggest misconception about athlete managers?

That we’re all chasing money, pushing surfers into things they don’t want to do. Or that we’re just trying to poach talent from other managers like it’s Hollywood. At least in surfing, that’s not how it works. There’s a lot of loyalty in this world. More than most people expect from the outside looking in.

Okay, let’s talk perks — what’s the upside?

When everything clicks. When an athlete reaches their goal and you land a deal that reflects that. That’s the best part. It means the whole system is working. You’re supporting them in a meaningful way, and it opens doors to new opportunities. That’s the win.

What about the travel — is it as dreamy as people think?

There are perks, yeah. You do get to be there in some amazing moments. But you’re not just floating around sipping cocktails. You’re working — meetings, support, being present when it counts. I was at Pipe this year purely to support Molly, but while I was there, I met with other managers, team staff, and partners. You make the most of it.

Do you work with coaches too?

Always. Sometimes the athlete already has a coach, and we loop into that relationship. Other times we help them find one. Either way, it’s critical to keep everyone aligned — scheduling, workload, deliverables. Coaches are part of the ecosystem too.

Do all surfers have coaches now?

Nope. Mostly just the top-tier crew — CT-level surfers. Some work in groups through Surfing Australia, others have more one-on-one setups. But full-time, dedicated coaching is still relatively rare and expensive.

How did you get into this world?

I started folding T-shirts and selling boards at Quiksilver. Didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I just worked. My first real job was warehouse manager at Dragon. Eventually, I moved into sales, then marketing and team management. That’s where things clicked — brand development and athlete support became my thing. It was boots-on-the-ground stuff, athlete management, partner relationships, working with the WSL. I did that until 2023, then took a break, and now I’ve been with NC Management for almost a year.

What would your advice be for someone wanting to break into being an athlete manager as a career?

​​My path wasn’t exactly traditional, so it’s hard to recommend. Honestly, a lot of it boils down to being a people person and just loving surfing. You’ve got to be open and honest — with athletes, with brands, with yourself. Do your research. Understand the sport, the history, the industry. Know who’s who and what they’re about. You can’t shortcut that stuff.

Networking matters, but it’s not just about collecting contacts. You’re relationship-building, not just for your athletes, but for yourself. People need to enjoy working with you. Especially in surf, where everyone knows everyone, or at least knows someone who does. Sometimes you’ve got to have hard conversations with athletes. They might say, ‘Why don’t I have a deal yet?’ And you’ve got to be able to say, ‘Because we need to get XYZ lined up first.’ You’ve got to be straight with them — it’s a two-way street.

And what about advice for young athletes looking to attract a manager?

Set goals. Whatever they are — qualifying, being the best free surfer, the best at airs or barrels — just know where you’re headed. That gives people something to back. 

It’s important to realise that not every surfer needs a manager right away too. Sometimes people call and say, ‘I need a manager,’ and I’m like, ‘No you don’t — you just need to get your boards sorted, get some results, and figure out what you want to do.’ You’ve got to know what you have to offer before someone else can help sell it. Work hard toward your goals, surf a lot, and be yourself. A lot of good things follow if you just do those few things.

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