Name: Evan Elliott
Grad Year: 2017
Major: Journalism
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Age: 20
Relationship status: Single
Q: What do you hope to do with your degree as a career?
A: I’m really interested in being some type of sports writer or something related to sports driven media/broadcasting. I’ve always loved sports and writing so putting these two together seemed like a natural fit; and being a writer can come with a lot of flexibility and the possibility for a ton of wide ranging endeavors so I like that idea of keeping a ton of doors open.
Q: You currently work for the Mariners, what do you do for them?
A: I work in the visiting clubhouse, meaning that I work for the teams that come to Safeco and play against the Mariners. For any given series I can be a batboy or work in the clubhouse and just generally make sure everything runs smoothly for the team that’s there.
Q: How did you get this job or hear about it?
A: I actually got it from a former Western student who I also went to High School with. He knew that I am a huge baseball fan and have played all my life, so he called me up last spring break and asked if I wanted to work with him in the visitor’s clubhouse and of course I wanted to; the rest is history.
Q: How long have you worked there?
A: This upcoming season will be my second year.
Q: What’s the best part of working with the Mariners?
A: There are a ton of things that are a lot of fun about it. Obviously things like meeting players and coaches, or being at the field so often are lots of fun but if I had to choose the best part it would just be the fact that I’m witnessing something that I’ve enjoyed my whole life from a whole new perspective. A lot of the times things are portrayed inaccurately by the media and I just find it super fascinating to see what these guys are actually like and how everyday life is for the players without having to get this information from somewhere else. I’m living it and experience a ton of stuff that I would’ve never known if I didn’t have the job.
Q: Do you get any special perks from the team?
A: I always get all the hats of the teams I work for and then I can pretty much get tickets whenever I want. We’re always fed too, so that’s not a problem. The Mariners definitely take care of their employees. Overall, just being there is the best “perk” and it makes the long hours worth it.
Q: What has been the most memorable moment for you while working there?
A: Other than being a huge Mariner fan, I’m also a diehard Boston Red Sox fan and was lucky enough to work in the clubhouse for them last year. After the series, David Ortiz gave me one of his Phiten necklaces in thanks for my hard work all series and I’ll cherish that forever because he’s one of my favorite players of all time. I also got to see their world championship rings and meet some other guys I admire during that same series, so it was essentially like being on cloud nine for me the whole time.
Q: Did you have a love for baseball from a young age? Or is it more for the experience?
A: Baseball and football have been my two loves pretty much my whole life; my first word was actually ball. I definitely love the game and love the Mariners so it’s a dream job for sure. The experiences that I have on a daily basis make all the long drives and long hours worth it. These are stories I’ll be telling my kids someday.