This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to work for one of the elite franchises in sports, the San Francisco Giants. As a Junior Giants ambassador for the Giants Community Fund, I organized and ran a co-ed, completely free youth baseball league in West Sacramento, California, just a short commute away from Davis.
As part of my job, I worked extensively with the Department of Parks and Recreation for these 8-10 weeks. My duties included: recruiting coaches and volunteers, working with parents, game-day activities, scheduling, and sending out weekly newsletters. The most important aspect was upholding the Giants Community Fund mission statement, which is to enrich the lives of young people through sports, especially those who are economically disadvantaged. We promoted positive lessons and values such as healthy eating, reading, good sportsmanship, and other life skills.
One of the most exciting parts of the job was working at AT&T Park in San Francisco on game days for various events. One in particular was the Buster Posey Glove Giveaway, which provided 1,000 new baseball gloves for kids in our leagues that Buster Posey purchased himself. The event was a great success, and I got to see Buster Posey in person during a question and answer/meet and greet session. Seeing the faces of all the smiling kids who could not be happier to see their role model up close was one of the best moments of the summer.
It was a wonderful experience working for an organization like the Giants that creates a positive impact far beyond the playing field. In a similar way UC Davis makes an impact beyond the classroom, such as through their research and work in the community. After I graduate here, I hope to continue pursuing my career in the sports industry, while also making a difference in the lives of young people.
I’ll miss summer 2016, a season which I will always remember. As I embark on my senior year, my advice to my fellow undergraduates is this: passion is everything. Find something that you are passionate about, and run with it, no matter who or what tries to knock you down. Or, to use a baseball analogy: “Life is going to throw you curves, just keep fouling them off. The right pitch will come, and when it does, be prepared to run the bases.”