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Internship Portfolio

Fort Myers Miracle Baseball Club

Fort Myers, FloridaAnalysis

Tyler Kilburn

Summer 2013

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Table of Contents

Contact Information…………………………………………………………………………….3

Internship and Agency Description………………………………………………………….…3

Agency Analysis……………………………………………………………………………….…4

Special Project…………………………………………………………………………………..24

Promotional Materials………………………………………………………………………….26

Photos……………………………………………………………………………………………27

Summary of Weekly Discussion Board Posts…………………………………………………33

Evaluations……………………………………………………………………………………...44

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Contact Information

Agency Supervisor: B.J. Potter

Agency Supervisor’s Title: Food and Beverage Assistant

Email Address: [email protected]

Phone: (941) 374-0474

Internship and Agency Description

Agency Description:

The Fort Myers Miracle is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball team in Fort Myers, Florida. They are a member of the South division of the Florida State League. Their season starts in April and goes through August. The Miracle is an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball organization and uses the team’s spring training facility.

Internship Description:

I will be rotating throughout different areas of the organization assisting Game Day operations. I will be guided by Savannah, the Community Relations Manager, and B.J. Potter, the Food and Beverage Assistant for the Miracle. Members of the Miracle Intern program are known as the “Street Team” and will assist in Game Day operations rotating evenly in the following areas:

Ticket Sales (12.5%) Guest Services (12.5%) In-game/On-field Promotions (12.5%) Food and Beverage (12.5%) Marketing and Promotions (12.5%) Broadcasting/Media Team Store/Merchandise (12.5%) Community Relations (12.5%)

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mailto:[email protected]


Internship AgencyAnalysis

Fort Myers Miracle Baseball Club

Fort Myers, Florida

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Table of Contents

Community Description…………………………………………………………………………6

Marketing Plan…………………………………………………………………………………..6

Organizational Structure………………………………………………………………………..8

Personnel Policies and Procedures……………………………………………………………...9

Financial Support………………………………………………………………………………18

Facilities and Areas……………………………………………………………………………..19

Major Programs………………………………………………………………………………...20

Personal Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………….23

Job Description………………………………………………………………………………….23

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Community Description

The Miracle play in Fort Myers, Florida. They are in Lee County which has approximately 62,500 residents. The median age of these residents is 35, while the average household income is $30,0001. It is somewhat of a retirement location, but is growing with a developing downtown. The recent success of the nearby Florida Gulf Coast University’s basketball team, dubbed Dunk City, has also brought new attention and intrigue to the area. There are no professional sports besides minor league baseball. Aside from the Twins’ Spring Training, the Boston Red Sox also hold Spring Training in Fort Myers at Jet Blue Stadium. Jet Blue stadium does not host a team after Spring Training, leaving the Miracle as the organized baseball team besides the Twins’ Rookie Ball team to play during the summer months.

1Information obtained from City-Data.com

Marketing Plan

Minor League AffiliateThe Fort Myers Miracle is a high Single-A baseball club in the Florida State League of Minor League Baseball. They are an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball Club. This means that all of the Miracle players are effectively controlled by the Twins organization. When athletes are drafted by the Twins the Miracle is one of the first teams those players will play for. When they show growth in performance the Twins might decide to move them up to their Double-A affiliate team. The Miracle has no control over how long a player stays with the club.

Spring TrainingSince the Miracle is an affiliate for the Twins they heavily associate with them. They host the Twins during Spring Training. In fact that is the primary purpose for the Miracle’s Hammond Stadium. Spring Training is the period of about a month before the major league season starts where new players try to make the team and veteran players get their swing back before the season officially starts. Spring Training games at Hammond Stadium usually sell out as all of the biggest Twins’ players can be seen and the closest major league team to Fort Myers is over two hours away in Tampa Bay. The Miracle use these games to sell their player merchandise for players who used to play for the team and are now showing off their talent and becoming more well-known due to the larger amounts of fans at Spring Training Games. With sell-outs in Spring Training the Miracle generate their highest amounts of revenue from food and beverage and ticket sales for the season.

Spring Training is not the only way the teams are associated, however. The Twins logo remains on signs around the stadium year-round and some notable Twins players have banners that hang throughout the concourse. Also the Miracle share their primary colors of red and navy blue with the Twins.

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Marketing Avenues

Community EventsThe Miracle uses different avenues to raise money and awareness. They like to maintain a strong presence in the local community as they are one of the only organized sports teams in the area. Their players and mascot make appearances in different events a couple of times a month on average. These events include charity events, schools, community events, hospitals, and summer camps, among other things. These events are used to show that the Miracle care about the community as well as serve to get coverage on television and be seen by new organizations.

Television and RadioAlthough Miracle games are not shown on television, Spring Training games are. However, the Miracle are promoted on local news channels with game highlights and upcoming events. Miracle games are broadcasted as well as promoted through commercials on a local radio station.

Online and Social MediaThe Miracle’s main source for the latest news and merchandise is their official online website. Everything from statistics, schedule, ticket prices, upcoming promotions, and player roster can be viewed on the website. The best place to buy the newest team merchandise is their online team store that can be navigated to from the website.

Fans can also stay up to date with the team through social media. By simply “liking” the Fort Myers Miracle page on Facebook anyone can be kept aware of upcoming promotions, news stories, and players. Pictures are posted often that can only be seen on the team’s Facebook and Twitter page.

Twitter is also a good place to go for news and photos. The main highlight of the team’s Twitter page is that it is constantly updated during games, keeping fans aware of every big play and score change. Fans can gain more insight into some of their favorite team players as some players have their own Twitter accounts that can be followed. Those staff and team members that choose to use Twitter must follow the expectations of the company and maintain a professional and respectful page. Fans must keep in mind that not all of the opinions of the players represent the opinions of the Miracle organization.

In-game PromotionsA major part of the Miracle’s marketing plan is their use of in-game promotions. Almost every half inning until 7th inning stretch there is a promotion on the field. Almost all of them are activities for young kids to do on the field, afterwards that kid or kids receive a prize from a related sponsor. In some cases the whole section that the participant sits in wins a prize. A promotion that I have talked a lot about in my posts is Buffalo Wild Wings Blitz-the-buffalo. A fan favorite among many, this promotion involves a member of the street team (interns) dressing up in a buffalo costume (complete with a Buffalo Wild Wings jersey) and running as a kid chases him around the infield before tackling him to the ground. An example of a promotion for adults is the World of Beer Keg Roll, where two or three contestants (who are over 21 years of age) spin 10 times around empty beer kegs, before rolling them to the finish line. Each

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contestant represents a section and the winning contestant wins World of Beer coupons for his or her section.

Organizational Structure

The Miracle staff serves as the organizational policy making board. They conduct weekly sales meetings discussing ticket sales, advertising sales, and group sales, among other things. There are also promotion meetings prior to each homestand to discuss what promotions should be used for those games. These meetings make up the basis of decision making for the company. I could not obtain an organizational chart, but I will show the hierarchy of importance for the front office staff using bullet points and indentions.

President:Steve Gilner

o Vice President / General Manager:Andrew Seymour

Senior Director of Corporate Sales and Marketing:Terry Simon

Senior Director of Business Operations:Suzanne Reaves

Senior Director of Business Development:John Kuhn

Director of Food and Beverage:Phillip Busch

Broadcasting and Multimedia Manager (2):Brice ZimmermanAdam MacDonald

Food and Beverage Assistant:B.J. Potter

Administrative and Operations Assistant:Kyle Schmit

Administrative Assistant:Heidy Mones

Head Groundskeeper – Lee Parks and Recreations:Keith Blasingim

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I learned that while most staff members report to the General Manager and/or a senior director, they do much more than their job titles state. For example almost all of the staff members work the phones to sell tickets and gain sponsors for advertising. B.J. is the food and beverage assistant, but he is also supervisor of the interns, and announcer for the on-field promotions. Adam works in the broadcasting booth, but he also heads up the gift shop.

Personnel Policies and Procedures

PayrollPaychecks are issued on the 15th and the last day of each month (unless otherwise noted). Each pay period will end approximately four days before pay date in order to have the payroll checks processed on time. In order to properly process your payroll check, we need you to provide us with your current address, telephone number, and marital status, number of dependents, social security number and birth date. In addition, an updated application, completed W-4 form and I-9 form must be on file at all times in the Miracle office. Failure to provide us with these documents will make it impossible for us to issue you a payroll check. Upon receipt of your first payroll check of the season, please verify all information (especially name and address) and report discrepancies to your Supervisor immediately. If the situation arises where a paycheck is lost or destroyed, please notify your Supervisor as soon as possible. Once issued, paychecks will be valid for six months from the date of issuance. If not deposited in that timeframe, they will become invalid and will not be reissued.

AttendanceEmployee attendance and dependability are the most important aspects to your work experience. It is imperative that you arrive on time and be ready to work for all of your scheduled events, or the operation can’t run as efficiently as it should. We understand that things out of your control may happen, but all we ask is that you please notify us in sufficient time to try to get a replacement for you. Prior to game day, please contact the following Supervisors as applicable:

Ushers and Security Personnel: Charley Davey 239-573-6619 (home), 239-470-3008 (cell)Ticket Personnel: Chuck Golden 239-463-4436 (home)Parking Lot Personnel: Ralph Colter 239-498-4487 (home), 765-438-2983 (cell)Parking Gate Personnel: Lou Landino 239-437-1398Merchandise Personnel: John Acquavella 239-246-0219 or Adam Rielly 214-538-1070Other Personnel: Contact the Miracle Office and leave a detailed message for your immediate Supervisor. On day of game, please contact the Miracle Office at 239-768-4210.

AppearanceThe ballpark should be a fun place for everyone involved. If the staff doesn’t seem to be enjoying themselves, then our guests will have a harder time enjoying themselves. Therefore, we ask that you dress casually yet neatly. You will be issued a Twins Spring Training shirt, hat and name tag – these must be worn at all times when you are working at the park. If you need additional shirts, they can be purchased at cost ($15.00) from the Miracle. Additional hats are not available for sale. Name tags must be worn on your shirt to be visible for all fans. Do not

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attach your name tag to your hat, pants, pocket, etc. It is recommended that you wear comfortable tennis shoes that are neat and clean in appearance. Khaki or tan colored pants/shorts are required. For your own safety, please remove any excessive jewelry, including earrings, pendants and bracelets. No body piercing jewelry should be visible to our guests.

Since you are here to serve our guests, it is required that you wear this uniform at all times while working. This will help the fans to easily recognize you in case they are in need of assistance. However, if you are not on duty and are in the stadium, it is asked that you do not wear this uniform.

Standards and BehaviorsWe need to have certain reasonable policies and rules for the conduct of our business. Our most important rule is the “rule of reason.” However, there are a few basic rules that should not be violated under any circumstances. Violation of any of these rules can result in immediate termination.

Absenteeism and Tardiness – It is difficult for us to properly serve our customers when an employee does not report to work as scheduled. It also creates an unnecessary burden on fellow employees. Therefore, we cannot tolerate absenteeism or tardiness.

Autographs – Seeking, asking for or accepting autographs of present or former players, or team personnel while on duty is strictly prohibited.

Be Informed – Try to be as knowledgeable as possible about our ballpark. Familiarize yourself where things are located, for example- First Aid, Restrooms, and Guest Services.

Common Sense – Try to use common sense when dealing with a situation. If unable to resolve a customer concern or complain, seek assistance of a Supervisor immediately.

Conflict of Interest – it is our policy to forbid employees to deal in any other business which competes with our organization. If you think that there is a possibility that you may have a conflict in this regard, it is you responsibility to notify your supervisor.

Damage to Property – We have made a tremendous investment in our facilities and equipment in order to better serve our customers and to make your job easier. Deliberate or careless damage to the organization’s property will not be tolerated.

Discourtesy, Abusive Language, Profanity or Physical Force – Discourtesy, abusive language, profanity or physical force when dealing with fans, clients or fellow employees will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We must remember that the fans paid for their tickets to the game, and therefore are our guests. We all must try to make their experience as enjoyable as possible.

Eating / Drinking – Eating or drinking of any kind while in view of guests is prohibited. All employees must use the designated employee window for concessions and also use the designated break area. Do not stand in front of paying guests in concession lines or sit in areas paying guests are encouraged to use.

Entry – No one is allowed to enter the stadium unless they are working or possess a valid ticket or properly authorized credentials.

Fighting, Threats and Weapons – Obviously, we cannot allow fighting or threatening words or conduct. Nor can we allow the possession of weapons of any kind on organization premises.

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Fraud, Dishonesty and False Statements – Falsification of any application, medical history record, invoice, paperwork, time record, or any other document is strictly prohibited. If you observe any such violations, please report them to your supervisor or the General Manager immediately.

Gifts – Employees may not request or accept any gift of any kind from a customer or supplier, without the express authorization of the General Manager.

Harassment – This organization strictly prohibits all forms of harassment. See No Harassment Policy.

Insubordination – We expect every employee to follow the instructions of supervisors and other management officials. Failure to do so constitutes insubordination.

Misuse of Property – Our policy prohibits the misuse or use without authorization of the equipment, vehicles or othe property of customers, vendors, other employees or the organization.

Poor Performance – Every employee is expected to make every effort to learn his or her job and to perform that job at a satisfactory level. Any employee who fails to maintain a satisfactory level of performance is subject to termination.

Safety – We are committed to providing a safe place for you to work, and we have established a safety program to ensure that everyone understands the importance of safety. This program requires each of us to exercise good judgment and common sense in our day-to-day work. Horseplay and practical jokes can cause accidents and injuries and therefore are not permitted.

Sitting – sitting while on duty is not permitted (unless health related and with management approval).

Sleeping and Inattention – We expect every employee to be fully alert while on the job to ensure the safety of all employees and to properly serve our customers. Therefore, we cannot tolerate sleeping or inattention on the job.

Solicitation/Distribution – Solicitation by an employee of another employee during the working time of either employee for any reason is strictly prohibited. Distribution of advertising materials, handbills or other literature that is not related to the organization is prohibited in all working areas at all times. Solicitation and distribution by non-employees is prohibited on organization premises at all times.

Substance Abuse – Substance abuse is not tolerated at this organization. Our Drug and Alcohol Policy explains our position and policy regarding alcohol and drug use as well as the use of other intoxicants and mind-altering substances.

Theft – We do not tolerate theft in any form. In order to protect you, your co-workers, our customers and the organization, we reserve the right to inspect all purses, personal bags, briefcases/computer bags, packages, vehicles and any other personal property which is brought onto organization property.

Unlawful Activity – No employee may engage in any unlawful activity either on or off the job as this can adversely affect the organization’s reputation.

Violation of any of these rules may lead to discipline, up to and including immediate discharge. Obviously, this list is not all inclusive and there may be other circumstances for which employees may be disciplined, up to and including immediate discharge. If you have any questions about these basics, or what we expect of you as one of our employees, please discuss them with your supervisor.

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Code of Wholly Ethical CommunicationsAll Fort Myers Miracle employees must abide by a code of wholly ethical communications with peers, supervisors, employees, vendors, and membership. Ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity and respect for self and for others. As such, the following rules should be expressly followed to avoid violating such code:

A. Communicate any and all concerns, except those regarding harassment or discrimination, regarding another’s behavior directly with the individual. Sharing such concerns with others that do not have a legitimate reason to know such concerns may quickly amount to gossip- one of the most damaging practices in any workplace.

B. Avoid argumentative tones and comments. Employees should state their position clearly and factually in normal tone, allowing the other individual an opportunity to share her or his position, and inviting open discussion regarding both such positions.

C. Honesty is always the best procedure. It is critical that employees never engage in deceit, exaggeration, or express dishonesty when dealing with other individuals. While some communication may be extremely difficult to have, employees are always expected to provide them in a candid, but respectful, manner.

D. Respect issues of confidentiality. Employees of Fort Myers Miracle will be faced with topics of great confidentiality at times and, as such, must avoid sharing any such information with anyone not intended to be part of such confidentiality. This procedure speaks only to issues of confidentiality related exclusively to Fort Myers Miracle’s purpose and mission and should not be interpreted to include gossip, personal information, and other topics not related to Fort Myers Miracle itself.

Any employee found violating any portion of this procedure may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Equal Employment OpportunityOrganization policy is to be fair and impartial in all its’ relations with employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religious belief, age, sex, national origin, physical disability, mental disability, pregnancy, military status, and genetic information. Decisions on employment will be made so as to further the principles of equal employment opportunity.

Gender Equality PolicyThe organization prides itself on providing a comfortable environment to its staff, guests, and any other outside visitors. Therefore we believe that all people should be treated the same, regardless of age, gender, or beliefs, especially when it concerns any form of sexual discrimination. This activity in any form, whether in implicit or explicit sexual language, inappropriate touches, looks or gestures, or any other activities that the Miracle deems to be in violation of this policy is wrong and will be punishable according to club policy. These punishments can and will include, but are not limited to, suspension, complete termination, and

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even criminal prosecution. If you have any questions regarding this policy, or if you feel that you have been subject to this type of harassment, please speak to the General Manager. This will be kept in complete confidence and will be treated in an immediate and professional manner.

Accommodations Policy It is the policy of this organization to afford equal opportunity to all employees, regardless of physical or mental disability. However, all employees with such disabilities are expected to perform the essential functions of their positions as both defined in their respective job descriptions or as performed on a regular basis as part of their normal responsibilities. All employees with disabilities are eligible for accommodations per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Such requests must be made to either the employee’s direct supervisor or made to the General Manager. While the organization cannot make all requested accommodations, it will work with the employees to define reasonable terms and supply such terms to the employee. If the employee cannot perform the essential functions with the requested accommodation, the employee may be separated from the organization.

Discrimination and Harassment in the WorkplaceNo-Harassment Policy: The Fort Myers Miracle does not and will not tolerate any type of harassment of our employees, applicants, or customers. The term “harassment” includes, but is not limited to, slurs, jokes, and other verbal, graphic or physical conduct relating to an individual’s race, color, sex (including same-sex sexual harassment), religion, national origin, citizenship, age, genetic information or disability. “Harassment” also includes sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, offensive touching, and other verbal, graphic, physical conduct, or electronic communications (e-mail) of a sexual nature involving either members of the opposite or the same sex.

Violation of this policy will subject an employee to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge.

If you feel that you are being harassed in any way by a coworker, a customer or a vendor, you should notify your supervisor immediately. The matter will be thoroughly investigated and where appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

Our supervisors and managers are also covered by this policy and are prohibited from engaging in any form of harassing conduct. Further, no supervisor or other member of management has the authority to suggest to any employee or applicant that the individual’s employment, continued employment, or future advancement will be affected in any way by the individual’s entering into (or refusing to enter into) any form of personal relationship with the supervisor or member of management. Such conduct is a direct violation of this policy.

Any person who feels that he or she is being harassed or discriminated against must immediately report the offensive conduct to his or her direct supervisor. However, if the employee’s direct supervisor is in any way involved in the alleged inappropriate behavior or is unavailable, the employee should report the conduct directly to the General Manager (if not available, then report the incident to the team President).

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YOU WILL NOT BE PENALIZED IN ANY WAY FOR REPORTING SUCH IMPROPER CONDUCT. Please do not assume that the organization is aware of your problem. Bring your complaints and concerns to our attention so that we can resolve them.

Drug and Alcohol PolicyWe will not tolerate alcohol abuse or the use of other intoxicants and mind-altering substances, including illegal drugs. By virtue of their employment with the organization, our employees may be required to submit to drug screens, blood alcohol tests, breathalyzer tests and medical examinations under the following circumstances: a) when an employee is hired; b) when an employee is suspected of working or reporting to work with intoxicants or mind-altering substances in his or her system; c) when an employee suffers an on-the-job injury or is involved in an accident while at work; d) when an employee returns to work after a leave of absence of two weeks or more; or e) on a periodic or random basis. The presence of 0.04% alcohol or the presence of any other intoxicants or mind-altering substances in the body is a violation of this policy. Refusal of an employee to undergo testing or to cooperate fully with any of these tests is also a violation of our policy.

Our employees are also prohibited from possessing, using, selling or purchasing any alcoholic beverages or other mind-altering substances on organization property or in organization vehicles. Off-premises possession, use, sale or purchase of mind-altering substances and off-premises alcohol abuse may reflect unfavorably on the organization’s reputation and is also prohibited.

This policy does not prohibit the proper use of medication under the direction of a physician. However, the misuse or abuse of such drugs is prohibited. Employees who are taking prescription or nonprescription drugs which could affect their ability to perform their job in a sage and efficient manner must notify their immediate supervisor of this fact when they report to work.

In order to protect you, your co-workers, our customers and the organization, we reserve the right to inspect all purses, personal bags, briefcases / computer bags, packages, vehicles and any other personal property which is brought onto organization property. Failure to cooperate with such inspections is a violation of this policy. Violation of any aspect of the organization’s Drug and Alcohol policy will result in discipline up to and including immediate termination.

General Safety Rules1. All injuries must be reported to your supervisor and/or First Aid office immediately.2. Report all hazardous conditions immediately to your supervisor.3. Running, horseplay, and fighting are prohibited.4. Unauthorized operation of equipment is prohibited.5. Machine guards and safety devices must be in place before operating any equipment,

except as provided in written approved procedures.6. All tools and equipment must be kept in a clean and safe condition.7. Rings, bracelets, watches, chain, loose adornments, long hair and loose clothing must not

be worn or come within three feet of operating or moving machinery or products.

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8. Housekeeping is everyone’s responsibility. Keep aisles and passageways clear and clean. Keep all work areas free of debris. Clean up all food, beverage, oil, or chemical spills properly and immediately.

9. Smoking is not permitted during the time you are clocked in to work. There are no exceptions!

10. Do not lift heavy or oversized objects alone. Ask for assistance or use a lifting device. 11. Use of intoxicants, alcohol, narcotics or any other drugs is strictly forbidden except as

prescribed by a physician with proper written documentation.12. Observe all other safety rules as directed by your supervisor.

Check In / Time ClockGenerally, staff should report ½-hour prior to gates opening unless otherwise instructed. On special event days, it may be necessary to arrive earlier, but you will be notified of this need in advance. You are to clock in and out using the time clock located in the tunnel on the first base side of the stadium. We request that each employee be mindful of the time they are punching in on the time clock. Do not clock in any more than five minutes before your shift begins unless you are instructed to by your supervisor. Supervisors are reviewing hours and each adjustment has to be made manually. If you have a question about what time you should report for your shift, please see your immediate supervisor for clarification. The swipe timecards are the property of the Fort Myers Miracle. We are requesting that upon your last game worked this season, you clock out and return the card to the Fort Myers Miracle for safekeeping until next year. If you forget to return the card, please mail it back to us at the address listed on the back of the card. Each employee has been issued one time card. Please be sure to have your card with you when you are scheduled to work and be conscientious about the times you are clocking in and out. Your pay will be calculated on ¼-hour increments. Failure to clock in and out will cause payroll delays – please be conscientious.

Game Day Employee Parking All employees should park in the back of the main lot against the fence that borders the softball fields. Please do not back into the space. If you would like someone to escort you to your vehicle after the game, we would be happy to provide an escort upon request. There are no exceptions to this during Spring Training. Parking personnel will be on hand to direct you to the specified employee parking area. Your car may be towed if it is not parked in the correct area. If you have questions or need assistance, please see a supervisor.

Prohibited / Permitted Items in the BallparkBottles, cans, food, alcohol, coolers, ice chests, weapons, chairs, whistles, horns, Frisbees, or any other type of projectile objects are strictly prohibited inside the ballpark. A person attempting to bring in such an item should be asked to return it to their vehicle or they will not be permitted entry into the stadium. Bags that are larger than 16’’x16’’x18’’ are not allowed to be brought into the ballpark.

In case of medical reasons and purposes, fans are allowed to bring those necessary items to the ballpark. Baby food, bottles, and children under three years of age who are small enough to sit on an adult’s lap are permitted entry into the ballpark.

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Video cameras are permitted in the ballpark, but fans are not permitted to videotape game action. Umbrellas are permitted if they are not extremely large. Fans are not permitted to open umbrellas while in the ballpark, due to safety concerns. If you see a fan with an open umbrella, please instruct them to close it immediately. Once outside the gates, fans are permitted to use umbrellas.

First AidThere is a First Aid station located on the Main Concourse level on the third base side across from the elevator. It is staffed with two First Aid people for all Twins Spring Training games. All employees, under terms of their employment, are required to immediately report to your supervisor, any injury, regardless of how serious, suffered on the job. NO EXCEPTIONS. This is necessary for us to make sure that you are treated immediately and also for us to correctly and efficiently maintain our workers compensation records. If your injury requires medical attention, please report immediately to the First Aid station during Spring Training games. During Miracle season, report to your supervisor and the Guest Services booth for assistance. An Accident/Incident report or Notice of Injury report must be completed so that we can take care of the situation as quickly as possible.

If one of our guests is injured at the ballpark, make the injured person as comfortable as possible without moving them. Notify the First Aid station as soon as possible via radio. If you do not have a radio, locate an usher or staff member who has a radio and have them contact First Aid immediately. Please provide a detailed description of the current situation. Keep the area clear and keep fans moving. If the injured person refuses First Aid, don’t pressure them, but instead attempt to obtain their description, type of injury, and location so that you may pass this information on to a more qualified person that may be better equipped to handle the situation. Once you have called for First Aid assistance, please hold the red card that will be provided to you high above your head so that our First Aid staff can easily locate you and the injured person in your section.

One of the primary causes of injuries to fans is from baseballs or equipment landing in the seating areas. Whenever this occurs, ushers should check the area immediately to ensure that no one is injured.

If one of our guests requires First Aid and they are unable to walk on their own, please escort them personally to the First Aid station for assistance. If their injury requires the First Aid staff to come to them, then follow the procedures stated above.

Complimentary Food and BeverageEating free food from concessions is not a right of employment. Employees will need to obtain a food voucher for each game worked from Guest Services. Only selected items will be available using the voucher. You will also be allowed complimentary fountain sodas. However, each employee must provide his or her own cup with lid, or use designated complimentary cups, as all other concession stand cups are inventoried. No bottled beverage products of any kind will be given to employees.

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Merchandise DiscountsAll game day staff will be allowed to purchase items from our souvenir shop at a 20% discount off of regularly priced items only. Staff members are not allowed to make purchases or shop on game days. During Spring Training, if you would like to purchase an item from the souvenir shop, you may only make your purchase on non-game days here at the stadium, between 2 and 4 PM, Monday through Friday. This discount is designed for YOU. Any employee found making purchases at the discounted rate for any other fans will be terminated immediately. You may use your name badge as your employee identification when making your purchase and utilizing the discount.

Troublesome VisitorsIf, for any reason, a visitor gives you a difficult time, be confident in your abilities to handle the situation. The earlier a situation can be diffused the better. If problems persist, please notify a member of the Fort Myers Miracle front office staff immediately or, if the need arises, contact a member of the security staff for assistance. No matter what, remain calm, patient and courteous. Troublesome visitors will be escorted from the complex immediately and if necessary, turned over to the police. Because fun and relaxation are the primary goals of our organization, we will not tolerate any unruly behavior by any of our fans that could disrupt this experience. The safety and enjoyment of our guests and employees is our primary concern in this type of situation.

Smoking PolicyNo smoking while on the premises and in uniform. The Fort Myers Miracle prohibits any smoking from the beginning of your work day until your work day ends.

Giveaways, Promotional Items and AutographsFort Myers Miracle organization policy prohibits all employees from obtaining promotional item or other giveaway merchandise advertised for ticket holders for all scheduled events at Hammond Stadium. These items are targeted for the general public only, not for Fort Myers Miracle employees. Any employee observed attempting to get promotional items subjects themselves to disciplinary action including possible dismissal3.

3All policies come from the Miracle’s policy handbook

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Financial Support

Nighttrain EnterprisesNighttrain Enterprises is a separate company from the Miracle organization that controls the hiring, payroll and revenue streams for the food and beverage side of Miracle events. This includes concessions, suites and catering.

Budget and InventoryI was unable to obtain a specific budget. I know that Andrew, the General Manager, approves the final budget for the Miracle, while the head of Nighttrain Enterprises approves the budget for food and beverage at the stadium. Everything in the gift shop is on inventory. Some of the items in the gift shop include:

Hats Jerseys Pins Foam Fingers Golf Shirts Guys and Girls T-shirts Pens/Pencils Baseball Cards (Team Sets) Team Pennants Team Baseballs

The concession stands sell things both on and off inventory. Concession items that are on inventory are peanuts, Gatorade, bottled beer, bottled water, assorted candy, frozen lemonade, sunflower seeds, and Cracker Jacks.

Items not on inventory are: Hot dogs Chicken Tenders Fries Chips Personal Pizzas Popcorn Hamburgers Nachos Fountain Drinks Pretzels Ice Cream

Cash ControlCash is controlled using banks that are used for different sections and aspects of the ballpark and are collected by the General Manager at the end of the night. There are banks for the gift shop, prize wheel, speed pitch, launch-a-ball, ticket office, and concessions.

Sources of Funding

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The Miracle use separate revenue streams that include: Tickets Food and Beverage Advertising Sales Merchandise Launch-A-Ball

Facilities and Areas

Overview of Hammond StadiumHammond Stadium and the Lee County Sports Complex are recognized as one of Baseball America’s Top 5 Spring Training facilities. Hammond Stadium houses the main field that the Miracle play on inside the Lee County Sports Complex. Built in 1991, Hammond Stadium holds 7,500 people. The stadium is named after William H. Hammond, Jr., who led the Lee County Sports Complex to be built and luring the Twins from their former Spring Training city Orlando. The exterior of Hammond Stadium was designed using famous horse racing track Churchill Downs as inspiration. The front of the stadium is adorned with a beautiful waterfall and the street signs for the parking rows are named after some of the best Twins players2.

2Information obtained in an online article on the Twins website by Rhett Bollinger

Fun Areas at the Ballpark Beer Garden – Located on the left side of the concourse, the beer garden is a great place

to drink a variety of draft beers and liquors while socializing. Bullpen Picnic Pavilion – This spot is a favorite for large groups to hang out before

games. It’s great for kids and has many tables to eat and drink on. It is covered to help people stay cool.

Kids Zone – Located on the veranda, a great place for kids to have fun with a bounce house and speed pitch.

Fountain Plaza – A great place to take pictures in front of a large fountain before you walk into the ballpark.

Lawn Seating – Located along the first base side of the park this area is great for kids who want a good view of the game with room to run around.

Maintenance PlansLate last year a $42.5 million renovation plan with a new 30-year lease was approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. Under the plan the Twins will be in charge of paying $13.8 million, while the state of Florida will pay $15 million. The stadium seating capacity will improve to 9,300. A new outfield boardwalk will be built around the field with a party deck in right field. Field dimensions will be adjusted to those of the Twins’ Target Field. The renovation will include the bathrooms, concession stands, suites, pressbox, and a new gift shop. In addition the clubhouses will get new weight rooms and hydrotherapy areas. Construction is scheduled to begin April 2014 with the renovations being completed before the start of the 2015 season.Major Programs

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Daily SpecialsBuck Night Mondays – Get the week started at Hammond Stadium with selected items for only $1. Pick up your bingo cards and don’t forget that seniors can stroll the bases after every Monday game. Buck Night Mondays are brought to you by Humana and Mel’s Diner.

2-4-1 Tuesdays – Enjoy 2-for-1 small hot dogs, domestic draft beers and sodas. Pick up a copy of the Naples Daily News or Bonita Daily News on Tuesday Miracle home game days for a special 2-for-1 ticket offer. All the great 2-4-1 deals are courtesy of Coors Light, Naples Daily News, Bonita Daily News and The Banner.

Craft Beer Wednesdays – Experience specials on craft beers at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday nights this summer! Craft Beer Wednesdays are presented by Suncoast Beverage Sales and J.J. Taylor Distributing.

Thirsty Thursdays – Take advantage of half-price domestic draft beers on Thursday night home games presented by K-ROCK 96.1 and Budweiser.

Fill’er Up Fridays – Happy Hour begins from 6-7 p.m. with $1 beer and soda. The dollar pricing continues for beer until the sixth inning with the purchase of a $15 All You Can Eat wristband ($10 with already purchased ticket). Hot dogs, burgers, chips, popcorn, peanuts and fountain sodas are included in the All You Can Eat price! Kids sprint the bases after the game. Fill’er Up Fridays are presented by Bahama Breeze, Hampton Farms and Budweiser.

Sink or Swim Saturdays – Take advantage of our All You Can Drink deal on Saturdays this summer! Get a $10 wristband for All You Can Drink domestic draft beer through the end of the 6th inning. Purchase a wristband at the Hammond Stadium ticket office or at any bar once inside the gates.

Family Fun Sundays – Get a Family Fun Pack for an afternoon of affordable family fun. For only $25, you get (4) tickets, (4) hot dogs, (4) soda vouchers and a game program. Enjoy a pre-game catch on the field and post-game sprint around the bases.

Monthly Specials Fireworks Nights – A fireworks display is put on after the game. Dog Daze – Bring your dog to the ballpark during these special games!

Special Appearances The Miracle had several special guest appearances this summer who took pictures with fans and signed autographs:

FGCU Basketball team WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler Craig Sager (TNT Sports Analyst) with his own bobblehead doll giveaway NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison Tiger’s Pitcher Denny McClain – the Major’s last 30 game winner

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Baseball CampsThis summer the Miracle hosted two baseball camps for kids aged 6-8 and 9-12. Each camp lasted three days and included instruction and drills from Miracle players, goodie bags, and lunch.

ActivitiesBelow are some activities that the interns were largely responsible for putting on during games.

Prize Wheel – The prize wheel is a dollar to spin and everyone wins. Kids love it and adults play it too because they can when a Miracle ticket to an upcoming game. Other prizes include baseball cards, boats of popcorn, wristbands, and formerly koozies.

Gift Shop – Working the register for the gift shop, selling merchandise to customer.

Guest Services – At guest services the interns field fans’ questions, distribute prizes to contestant winners, coordinate who needs to be picked up for on-field activities, sell All You Can Eat/Drink wristbands on select nights, and give out lineup sheets, among other duties.

Sign Ups – Two interns sign up contestants for the on-field games prior to the start of the game.

Enter/Exit Gates – Interns stand at the gates at the beginning and ending of games to give out daily deals and promotions for the Miracle and other local businesses. See promotional materials.

Inflatables – The interns are in charge of putting up and taking down the inflatable bounce house and speed pitch.

Launch-A-Ball – Throughout the game interns take turns pushing a cart of tennis balls for what the Miracle call Launch-A-Ball. At the end of the game a tire is rolled out from home plate to land around the pitcher’s mound. Fans can buy tennis balls for $1 each or 6 for $5. When ready the fans try to throw the tennis balls into the tire. If a fan makes it in the tire he/she wins half of the money raised that night. If multiple people win then the pot is evenly distributed among them. If there is no winner the pot carries over to the next night.

On-Field Promotions World of Beer Keg Roll – Two or three contestants spin around empty keg shells about ten times then push the kegs to the finish line. Not only do the participants win World of Beer coupons, but the winner wins coupons for his entire section.

ABC Pest Control – This game uses a younger kid who chases two interns who dress up in cockroach and bumble bee costumes. The kid wears a pest control shirt and backpack and “sprays” the bugs on his/her way along the race, momentarily “killing” them. The race starts at the third base foul line and wraps around home plate to finish at the first base foul line.

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Buffalo Wild Wings-“Blitz the Buffalo” – A fan favorite, the chosen kid chases down an intern dressed in a buffalo costume (complete with baseball style jersey) and tackles him/her. This game starts at the first base foul line for the buffalo and close to home plate for the child participant. The participant’s whole section wins coupons to Buffalo Wild Wings.

Nike Factory Stores Shoe Stampede – This event is a favorite among children for the large number of participants it involves on a nightly basis. Usually 10-15 kids are selected to participate. They line up on the third base foul line as interns spread their shoes out in center field. When the announcer yells “go” the kids race to be the first to put on their shoes and return to the foul line.

Florida Lottery “Let’s Make A Deal” – For this game three interns each hold up a box of a different size. One box contains the lottery tickets that go to the contestant if he/she chooses the right box. The other two boxes contain random things.

Nirvana Sleep “Get Ready for a Good Night’s Sleep” – This event takes two contestants who go through a race of sorts. They start out sitting on a chair; race to put on pajamas, before spinning around a bat roughly ten times, and then grabbing either a blanket or pillow and giving it to the mascot. Whoever gives their item to the mascot first is the winner.

Power Ice Net Catch – This game puts a kid in center field with a large net. The interns use a slingshot to shoot softee balls and a t-shirt into the air for the participant to catch in the net. At the end of the game the kid gets a shirt.

7 th Inning Stretch – During the 7th inning stretch the interns accompany the mascot Missy on top of the home dugout and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” before dancing to a song, like the Macarena.

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Personal Evaluation

The main thing I learned during this internship was how a game schedule is put together and how to coordinate with people who are going to be on the field, whether it be people who are throwing out the first pitch, singing the national anthem, or participating in on-field activities. I learned how to staff a typical game and who works with whom. I also learned what pre-game preparations need to be made and how long they take.

Easily one of the most positive things about the internship was the people. Most of the staff members were friendly and easy to talk to, but more importantly I really got along with the other interns. We all had different backgrounds and came from different universities, but all became good friends. We all worked together and when things were tough we struggled onward together. We went to a local bar after games pretty regularly and were able to bond on a different level than we could in a work environment. I also enjoyed watching baseball from the first and third base tunnels when we were waiting to go on the field for our promotions.

As far as what could be improved on, the games started to blend together in terms of our in-game promotional schedule. All of the sponsors have to be appeased though, so I understand how it can be hard to make any major changes. The biggest thing for me that could use some work was the non-game day duties. Far too often the tasks leaned on the "busy work" side of the scale. If more concrete tasks could be established into the program then that would be nice. I also would have liked to get some time in the press box like the program stated there would be.

Job Description

This position is a good starting point for anyone wanting to work with a baseball organization. While there are things to learn during office hours on non-game days, the real meat of this position is work during game-days. Interns are in charge of setting up promotions, guest services, tables on the concourse, and the Kids’ Zone before games and tearing them all down after games. During games the interns will take turns doing various positions such as working the prize wheel, guest services booth, gift shop, and on-field promotions. It is important that the interns are willing to have fun and laugh at themselves as they may have to step outside of their comfort zones doing things like dressing up in costumes on-field and dancing on the dugout. Interns will be able to meet many on the employees and get a feel for how a baseball organization is run. They will also be able to see future stars of the Minnesota Twins baseball team.

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Special Project

For my special project I worked closely with a group of other interns to plan, promote, and put on a special game dubbed “Intern Takeover Night”. This idea came together when talking with my supervisor (at the time) Savannah about what I could do for a special project. She said that the Miracle street team plans a special game every year and with that my mind was made up.

During our early meetings we decided to go with a carnival theme for the game scheduled on Tuesday, July 30th. A Carnival theme made the most sense, because we already had many food items that one might see at a carnival, such as cotton candy and popcorn. I personally emailed our Director of Food and Beverage, Phil, to see what other kinds of carnival-themed foods we could have that night. Funnel cakes were shut down, but I was able to secure corn dogs. It was my job to email Phil about a week prior to the game so he could put in an order for the corn dogs.

Next we wanted our games to be more carnival inspired. We decided that we would not set up the bounce house that night. We planned on only using the speed pitch inflatable as a back drop for a new game involving a wall with different sized circular holes where kids would try to throw tennis balls through. We also decided to set up a corn hole board and fill a kiddie pool with water, put buckets to float in the pool, and let kids attempt to throw ping pong balls into those buckets. These games would replace our prize wheel and offer the prizes that were normally won with the wheel. Each game was a dollar to play.

To help promote our special night, I wrote the script for a PA read that was played at games leading up to the July 30th game. This script follows below:

“Fans join us on Tuesday, July 30th for our annual intern takeover night. On July 30th the Miracle Street Team will take over the ballpark for a carnival-themed Ticket Frenzy Night here at Hammond Stadium. On Tuesday, July 30th, your Miracle play the Daytona Cubs in what is sure to be an awesome night, full of free tickets to local attractions and unique promotions throughout the evening. The night will feature a specialty carnival items in the concessions and free tickets to attractions from all over southwest Florida. The 2013 Miracle Street Team night, Tuesday July 30th, don't miss it!”

We changed up the between inning games as well. Some highlights include using different heads for the costumes during the ABC Pest Control race, having kids race to get the shoes for different costumed critters for Shoe Stampede, and mascots holding up the boxes for Florida Lottery instead of normal clothed interns. A full description of the game schedule is included on the next page.

Launch-A-Ball was a bit different this night as well. Instead of the usual one ball for one dollar, we decided to give 2 balls for one dollar in keeping with the “2-4-1 Tuesday” theme. And instead of throwing the balls into a tire at the end of the game as usual, the balls were thrown into a bucket that was held to an intern using caution tape. The added bonus of missing the bucket was that you could hit the intern for some laughs.

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The other big aspect of the night was that it was “Ticket Frenzy Night”. This entailed the Miracle making a ticket exchange with a business. The staff and street team made calls to local attraction businesses offering tickets to a Miracle game in exchange for tickets to their attraction. These tickets were then auctioned off every inning to fans. Some of the attractions and restaurants we made exchanges with are:

Edison & Ford Winter Estates – Admission Tickets Minnesota Twins – Spring Training Game Tickets Gulf Coast Symphony – Concert Tickets Sun Splash Water Park – Admission Tickets Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre – Dinner and Show for 2 Key West Express – Round Trip Tickets Boston Red Sox – Spring Training Game Tickets Florida Everblades – Game Tickets Babcock Wilderness Adventures – Eco-Tour Tickets Imaginarium – Family Admission Passes Zoomer’s Amusement Park - $10 Gift Cards Florida Repertory Theatre – Tickets Congo River Golf – Free Rounds of Golf Escape Zone Skate & Fun Center – Free Wristband for 4 people Tampa Yankee’s – Game Tickets St. Lucie Mets – Game Tickets Bonefish Grill – $25 Certificates

There were multiple sets of tickets for many of the attractions.

For the 7th inning stretch all of the guys dressed up as different mascots and costumes, and the girls wore tutus. The song we chose to dance to after “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was “The Wobble” by VIC. None of the guys knew how to do the dance before rehearsing it. Once we all had it down we surprisingly looked forward to it. When the time came, we really nailed it.

It is important to note that while this was supposed to involve the whole street team, it became apparent that that would not be the case following some of the early meetings. Not all of the interns required as much time to be put into their internship so the few people that were there on a nightly basis, including myself, took control of the Takeover Night. I played a large role in coordinating what needed to be done and sending reminders in emails to the other interns. I also played a large part in making the changes to the between innings games, carnival games, and making sure everyone knew where they needed to be during certain times.

Our supervisor BJ was really impressed by the night and the changes we made. He even liked our 2 for 1 Launch-A-Ball idea so much that he wants to run that promotion every Tuesday. I had a great time during the game and was glad to see our ideas come to fruition.

Promotional Materials

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Photos

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The front of the stadium and veranda (before inflatables are set up)

The bounce house and speed pitch inflatables in the Kid’s Zone

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“Chugs the Drinking Monkey” who makes special appearances on Thirsty Thursdays.

Me in the cockroach costume with The bullpen with relief pitchersthe Bumblebee before our ABC PestControl Race

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ksMascot Miss-A-Miracle (Missy) giving hugs and high fives to fans in the stands

Sports Analyst Craig Sager signing autographs and taking pictures with his bobblehead giveaway

Craig Sager letting people look inside his pink limousine

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Season Ticket Holder Cayden helping me with Launch-A-Ball and a flooded dugout during after a game

was postponed due to rain

Dogs entering the park during the Miracle’s Dog Daze

Kids playing a scrimmage during camp

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Miracle player Kennys Vargas helping out during camp

Spraying a hose during a pre-game water event on Splash Day

Miracle radio announcers and the view from the Press Box

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Stars Wars and Wrestling Nights with Southwest Florida Wrestling Association

Me in the Chugs costume during our Intern Takeover Night

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Our prop for one of our games during Intern Takeover Night

The tunnel to the dugout, flooded, during a postponed gameSummary of Weekly Discussion Board Posts

Week 1:

I'm doing my summer internship with the Ft. Myers Miracle. It is a Single A baseball team affiliated with the Minnesota Twins. It is in Ft. Myers, Florida which is about an hour south of Tampa Bay and 10 minutes from the beach. It is the commercial center of Lee County and has a population of about 63,500. The ballpark where the Miracle play is Hammond Stadium. It is the Twins' spring training ballpark so it is pretty nice. I'm still getting to know the other interns, but they all seem pretty cool. I'm not the only one from out of state either as two of the interns are from Missouri and Ohio.

During my first week as an intern I was surprised by how messy and seemingly unorganized some of the areas and rooms were below the stadium. The office where the interns meet before games is essentially a storage closet for costumes and promotional items with chairs. It gets the job done certainly; it's just not very clean. Also there is a huge gated area right behind the

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dugouts that runs parallel to the stadium with a dirt floor. This is used as just another dumping ground for props and miscellaneous things.

During my next two weeks I anticipate getting more comfortable in my role on the "street team" as the interns are called. Most of the interns started right around when I did so we are learning together for the most part. Soon I feel that I will be able to take more of an initiative once I learn regular duties well enough to perform them without being directed or helped.I have received the following types of orientation so far: on field promotions. The internship is supposed to provide experience in a broad scope of areas including ticket sales, food and beverage, and opportunities in broadcasting/media which I'm particularly interested in. That being said at this early stage of my internship it appears that our main role focuses on in game/on field promotions. We each get a schedule of the game's promotions that is broken down by inning and we are split up by inning. So for two innings I might be on the field doing promotions and then I might take a couple of innings and work at the guest services booth helping with something. Overall it's been a pretty fun environment and I do get to see some cool things.

Week 2:

The biggest issue I've faced in the first two weeks of my time here has been getting the timing of things down and knowing where I need to be when I need to be there. My internship is with a baseball team so everything we do is based off of innings. Before the games start everyone on the "street team," as the interns are called, gets a sheet with where people are each inning and before the game starts. We do a lot of on-field promotions so we have to be ready to go out there right after the third out of our required innings. I am constantly having to check my sheet during the game to find out where I am stationed whether it be at one of the kiosks or on the field. If I am on the field I need to know what promotions are coming up and whether I need to be on the third or first base side of the field. This fast pace environment has taken some getting used to and I would say that it has been the hardest part of the internship so far.The past two weeks I have kind of been eased into my position. I've had to learn where things are and where things go. Some of the other interns have been here longer and some started just before I arrived, so we are figuring things out together in some cases. Like I said above the street team focuses mainly on on-field promotions and guest services and the like. We are split

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up and assigned different positions per sets of innings. Different promotions are done every inning and some every half-inning so you have to know where you are at on the schedule at all times.

A couple of interesting things happened this past week. For one it rained one night so we had to roll the tarp out over the field and back off of it. It takes a full effort to get done. All of the interns had to stop what they were doing and help as well as did many staff members as there is no ground crew here.

A special event the Miracle had one night this past week was bringing in "the mighty" Gonzales. He is a strong man who according to him has been on several late night news shows doing strong man stunts. He was a weird guy. He did two events with us in different innings. One he had us tie towels together and wrap them around his biceps, pulling away from his body as he kept his hands close together. This was his "human tug-of-war" stunt. He didn't even describe how it was supposed to go until right before we went onto the field as he himself was unsure of the stunt. His next stunt was more straight forward. He put a cinder block over his groin area and had one of the local radio talk show hosts break it with a sledge hammer. He assured us he was not wearing a cup either. Although I was not on the field for this stunt, I made sure I was somewhere where I could see it. He was also supposed to have a cinder block broken off of his head, but whether it was a lack of time or that the radio guy was drinking, he did not do it. All in all it was an eventful night.

All of the other interns are around my age so it is easy to connect with them. They are all nice and help have been more than willing to help me out with things as needed during my first couple of weeks here.

Week 3:

One organizational policy that I find both valuable and surprising is the policy of how interns are able to get free food during games. Not only are the interns able to get free food from the concession stands, they can get specialty burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches off the grill. The only thing interns cannot get for free is bottled drinks, which is understandable, and obviously no alcoholic beverages. These free meals are valuable seeing as how the interns do not get paid and I do not have to be frugal and seriously contemplate whether I want to spend money on a meal during a game. We run around the whole game so it is important that we maintain energy throughout the night. The reason that it is surprising to me is because I used to work for the Carolina Panthers football club and we always had to pay for our meals. I understand that I was paid there and not paid now, but like any sporting event food is not cheap.Over the first three weeks I have seen ups and downs with my interpersonal skills. I consider myself a very approachable person with a friendly demeanor and that stands up with how I've greeted our fans with a warm smile when they enter the ballpark. I don't push our promotions on fans as they enter or leave the park, but if they show interest then I kindly give them what I have.

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I also talk to young kids a good amount and have made good impressions on them as well. Last week we had a baseball camp for 6-8 year olds and as I began to see the same kids over the course of the week they began to joke with me and talk more to me as a friend. The area where I could improve on is my assertiveness as it relates to asking people if they want to participate in our in-game promotions. I need to go after people harder and not be afraid to get turned down.

In relation to this setting I think I am in good shape. I work well with the parents and kids who come to the game and am able to handle the fast paced inning by inning schedule that the interns have to follow. I know how to be at a certain place at a certain time and be held accountable.

In relation to communication with the other staff I feel very comfortable. All of the interns are around my age so that helps to work with them. Everyone in the organization seems very laid back. The people I directly work with are very easy going and easy to work with. As far as the other staff members they are all very friendly. Everyone who walks by me greets me if not start a conversation. Even the general manager walks around like he's just another worker and always says hey when he sees me and the other interns. Everyone is easy to talk to.

As I said earlier we held baseball camp for 6-8 year olds this week. They were divided into groups and rotated among stations where a Miracle player taught them different fundamentals and practiced drills. Most of them could not really learn what was being taught, but all of them liked the competitive drills and anything that could be a competition. Some of the kids were actually quite good for their age. The most annoying part was that some of the kids had poor attitudes, but that is to be expected with kids that young. Something you might find funny is that during one game this week I wore a buffalo costume and was chased on the field by two kids until they tackled me to the ground as part of our "blitz the buffalo" promotion for Buffalo Wild Wings. Below is a picture of me in the buffalo costume.

Week 4:

This week started off with a shocker as one of my two supervisors was laid off. Savannah Martin was laid off on Monday. The organization in charge of hiring personnel for the Florida State League- which the Miracle is a part of- made league-wide cuts. As part of these cuts they figured the Community Relations position could afford to go. Now BJ Potter, my other

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supervisor and assistant of the Food and Beverage department, is taking over her duties in addition to his own. This also means he will now be my full time supervisor/coordinator. I ran some emails by him making sure he was aware of his responsibilities as they related to my requirements and he was cool with them. The other interns had to do the same adding to BJ’s stress, but he was good at keeping it together and staying cool in front of us. Task wise it was a pretty chill week getting things ready for a busy week ahead with a full set of games and another kid’s camp.

For my special project I will be putting on a special “Intern Takeover Night” with the rest of the interns. This night is scheduled for July 30th. We were to pick a theme and adapt our promotions and other aspects of the ballpark to that theme. The theme we have chosen is a carnival night. Some of the food we will be selling includes carnival classics like popcorn, cotton candy, and corn dogs. That night is also “ticket frenzy” night where businesses provide some kind of voucher to fans which can be used for tickets to games in exchange for space to promote their business at the ballpark. This can include having a business’ name used as part of an on-field promotion, a statement read over the PA system, and tables or booths set up displaying information for that business among other things. I will start emailing businesses next week to see who is interested. We will not have our coordinator BJ that night, as we will be putting on the whole show. We are also working to get a dunk tank for the night.

The thing that I find to be the most helpful out of what I’ve learned in my PRT classes is to do whatever you are asked to do even if it is not the most exciting thing in the world. Almost every speaker that has come into my PRT classes has said that you have to do the little things for your organization early on. A lot of what is considered the “grunt” work. For me things like getting tackled in a nasty, smelly buffalo costume are not things that I jump right into doing. That costume as well as the Bee costume is so hot and stuffy that it is hard to breathe down here in the Florida heat. Also putting gift cards in every drink holder in the ballpark during a hot afternoon was tough to be happy about. And although they might not be fun they are required of me. I do what I need to do with a smile and not a word of complaint and I’m hoping that goes as long a way with the organization as I’ve heard it does in my PRT classes.

I do not have a good picture of me with my internship in the background, but I do have two good pictures that show some of what I’m doing here. Tell me if these do not work.

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Here’s me in a bug costume as a part of our Pest Control Critter Crawl promotion. The bug and bee costumed interns are chased by a kid with a pest control backpack and “killed” with “pesticide” as part of a race.

This is a picture of our mascot Miss A Miracle, or Missy, with the ballpark in the background.

Week 5:

Now that I am halfway through with my internship here I had my midterm evaluation. It went well enough with my supervisor B.J. being honest with me. After seeing how he viewed various aspects and areas of my job so far I definitely feel that this will impact me positively. I will now set out to improve upon what B.J. feels I can improve upon, such as paying closer attention to detail. I have not taken PRT 359 so I cannot say how this relates to that class. Overall I would

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say the evaluation was fair, because I got solid marks for most areas. That being said I believe some of the responses were a bit harsh, in particular the responsibility and dependability mark. For this I received a rating of 2. I act very responsibly while I am on the job so I can't see a problem there and the only other aspect of it is being on time. I've only been late once and it was by five minutes, because I had to drive my girlfriend to the airport after a visit. Either way what's done is done.

1. I hope to gain knowledge in maybe human resources or broadcasting.

2. One interaction that had meaning for me was my first customer at the ticket window this week when I worked in the ticket office. It was a short interaction, but gave me confidence in the job I was doing and gave helped me gain experience in a new area.Another interaction was with the son of a season ticket holder. He came up to me while I was pushing a cart for one of our promotions and he asked if he could push the cart. He even began doing most of the talking as we walked around after I let him push the cart. He was a sweet kid who just wanted to feel a part of something and I enjoyed his company and enthusiasm.

3. I enjoy interacting with the customers/fans, because they have a real love for the game of baseball. Being a low minor league ball club the Miracle do not have consistently high turn outs like other major sporting events. However, the fans that do come, especially the season ticket holders, come out regularly with a love and knowledge for the game that is refreshing.

4. I enjoy interacting with the core group of staff with the Miracle, because they are young and fun to be around. They keep things light in the office and make jokes constantly. It reminds me of my close group of friends back home and I hope that my future group of colleagues is as fun as them.

5/6. I am keeping my cognitive self-care in line by going over my requirements as often as I need to as well as asking questions when I have them to my university supervisor and internship supervisor. For my physical self-care I run around my cousin's complex that I live in and get plenty of exercise during game days running around the ball park to be where I'm needed at specific times. For my emotional self-care I have been reading, playing video games, and doing normal hobbies that I would have done back home like playing guitar. I text my friends and girlfriend as often as I can to remain connected and keep my social life as alive as it can be down here. I also call my parents every so often to hear them and let them know what's going on with me and talk to them about any concerns I might have.

Week 6:

Something funny happened to me this week while I was getting the Buffalo costume cleaned. It has to be taken to the dry cleaners due to the nature of the costume. As soon as I walked in the lady behind the counter gave me some jokes about the suit, but little did she know the joke would soon be on her. I placed the suit on the counter in the three pieces I had: the body, gloves, and jersey (worn over the suit). I was wondering when she would smell the awful stench it

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carried. This thing had not been washed in who knows how long and it was rained on as well, mixing wet hair with nasty sweat. I would have to wonder no longer as the lady behind the counter started moving the suit around in order to get a better idea of the costume when she let out a nasty cough. It took all of me to suppress a laugh for I knew she had just gotten a horrible whiff of the buffalo. Try putting it on and running in it I was thinking to myself. Anyway that's my story. It's one of those stories that is better if you are there, but take my word for it, it was definitely a small highlight of the week.

I have not used too many new programming skills. I mainly use the basic Microsoft programs, but I have gotten better acquainted with Google Calendar. As far as the pressure for my internship I have just tried to focus on what I need to in small increments at a time. I start by focusing mainly on my tasks for the day, then looking ahead to the full week, followed by having a general overview of what the month looks like. This helps to keep the stress down by taking things slow and keeping things manageable, and also allows me not to get blindsided by something coming up in the future. During game days I have plenty of time during the morning/afternoon to take care of small intern related tasks as well as take care of personal tasks like going to the grocery store. I also have some time to myself to relax. I do not work with anything on the homepage, but there are some cool applications like one that lets you scroll through a list of upcoming games and click a link to directly buy tickets for that game. There are also baseball staple applications for the team schedule and stats that can be conveniently looked through from the homepage. My preferences at work include working the guest services booth, helping customers and being in charge of making sure kids know where to go for promotions, as well as working with kids, whether it be talking to them before they chase me on the field or allowing them to spin the prize wheel. Two of my professional strengths include maintaining a professional appearance, fully groomed and shaved and having an approachable attitude and demeanor. I am also open to doing any task required of me as long as I have sufficient training or preparations for it.

Week 7:

This week during one of our games we had Craig Sager Night with Craig Sager on hand. Craig Sager is a sports analyst for TNT that usually is on the court during their presentations of NBA games. He has been working for TNT for over 15 years now, but he actually got his start down here in Fort Myers Florida as a local sports analyst. Sager is best known for his flamboyant and often retro colored suits and blazers that he wears. When he arrived at the ballpark he did not

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disappoint. He wore a teal colored blazer, pink dress shirt, and yellow tie. We gave out Craig Sager bobble head dolls and had a signing booth available before the game where you could have Sager sign autographs and take pictures. It was also his birthday and I had the pleasure of shaking his hand on the dugout after we sang him happy birthday during the seventh inning stretch. Now that the back story is over I will say how I helped a customer. One customer came up to me at one point during the game and explained how he had missed Craig Sager and wanted his autograph for his son. I had some time as we were in between on field promotions so I took the man and his son up to the suite where Craig Sager was watching the game. Sager is a very nice man and was more than happy to give his autograph to the young boy. The man was very grateful to me for helping him out. On a side note Craig Sager traveled to and from the game in a pink limousine.

This week I folded and delivered many pocket schedules to businesses and restaurants around Fort Myers in an effort to raise awareness and create a buzz for the second half of the season. Most places were more than happy to set up a schedule somewhere for incoming customers to grab as they wanted. In addition to a full game schedule the pocket schedules also contain a list of promotions for every game. Every fireworks game, bring your dog to the ballpark game, thirsty Thursday, etc. is listed on those schedules. Something that helped my learning was tips on how to speak with potential clients on the phone from my supervisor BJ. He told me how it was important to state your business, your name, what your business offered, and what you hoped to gain from the client, all while using a positive attitude. He also helped me learn how to take "no" respectfully while keeping the door open for later business. This was helpful as I am starting to do more calls for our intern takeover night.

The person who has indirectly taught me a lot is the general manager and vice president Andrew. Before I knew his position I always saw him walking around the ballpark doing miscellaneous tasks and talking to a variety of people. I was honestly surprised to learn he had such a high level position. He is the friendliest man on staff and never seems to raise his voice, even when telling his staff what could have gone differently. He makes himself seen every day. He even took part in our kids’ camps. Andrew helped create change in me by showing me how a leader leads. He leads by example and never acts better than anyone else. He even helps us roll the tarp out onto the field. To me this is the sign of a true general. He makes me want to be a better leader and showed me that you must never show signs of frustration. Hard work can overcome any troubles and worrying about things only wastes time.

Week 8:

The biggest incident that became a conflict for me was a decision that was out of my control. My original supervisor Savannah was let go by the management company that staffs teams in the Florida State League. Until that point she had had all of my paperwork and knew all of my requirements. I was shocked, as was the other staff members and interns. I had to get all of my paperwork together again and have a talk with BJ who was also working with the interns at the

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time. He would become my new supervisor and thus I had to tell him what I required of him. Thankfully BJ is a cool guy and was up to the tasks I asked of him. It became a smooth transition.

To be a successful intern here you have to above all be able to laugh at yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. Most people do not like to dress up in silly costumes and run around on field in front of a crowd of people, but all of the interns with the Miracle must do just that. You have to have a good attitude and be able to talk with people as the interns are the main ones responsible for signing up contestants for the on-field promotions, running guest services and the prize wheel, taking parents and children to their designated locations for promotions, handing out promotional items to fans, and greeting fans, among other things. Interns here must also be ready for hot afternoons before the sun drops, as well as long game nights and the possibility for rain. Here in Florida it can rain seemingly at any time and it almost always rains every day. Sometimes it rains very hard, but for only a short period of time. Other times it rains steadily for a long while. Interns must be ready to drop what they are doing during a game in order to be ready to help with the tarp. It is not fun, but it is essential for the team.

For a refresher on my special project I am helping some of the other interns on our "street team" set up and implement a game night where we are responsible for everything going on that night. Probably our biggest objective is to bring in customers who are willing to take part in our "ticket frenzy night". Through this we are willing to give an attraction business tickets to that game on the 30th in exchange for tickets to their attraction. Those tickets will then be auctioned off to fans to win. Those businesses would also have the opportunity to have a promotional P.A. read for them and can buy a table to set up on the concourse where they can distribute flyers and other promotional items.

This week I sent out several emails as well as made calls to businesses asking if they would like to take part in our event. I coordinated with the other interns to see where they had called so we did not have repeat calls. I am still waiting for a response from several businesses and may have to call next week if I still do not hear anything.

Week 9

As the season has gone on I have begun to recognize the season ticket holders and learn some different things about each of them. Most of them are older and some have children who love doing the on-field games. One of the season ticket holder's kids in particular sticks out to me. His name is Cayden and most of the interns are not very fond of him, because he likes to constantly interact with the street team. He is a young kid of about 10 and I see him not as

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annoying, but as a kid with a high level of interest who just wants to be involved. He comes up to the guest service and prize wheel booth often, if for no other reason than to talk to us. One day I let him push the cart for our Launch-A-Ball promotion and now he always comes by to ask if he can do it again. He had great enthusiasm when he helped me that day and I thought it was awesome. Also he has done so many on-field promotions that we have to tell him we are looking for new kids to have a try.

Someone who has influenced me to some degree is actually one of the other interns. His name is Brendan and he goes to the University of Missouri. As another intern who traveled a long way from a big university he is doing a similar internship program to my own. We've become solid friends as we see each other so often and keep pushing through the grind together. His influence on me comes from his demeanor. To this day I can honestly say I have never heard him complain. Now I'm not saying I'm a complainer and I would never complain in front of the Miracle staff members, but if nothing else than in my head I think of how dissatisfying some of the tasks can be. Brendan never looks visibly flustered either. His expressions never show signs of distaste or annoyance and it makes me want to suck it up when I think something could be going better, because I know I'm not the only one going through this and it's easier to push on then to waste time complaining about something.

My supervising situation has been a whirlwind since I arrived. Just when I was settling in with Savannah she was let go, forcing me to switch to the assistant supervisor and go through paperwork and requirements all over again. Thankfully B.J. has been great since taking over full time supervisor duties. He is very easy going and easy to get into contact with. Savannah sometimes took longer than I would have liked when responding to emails, but B.J. is pretty good about them and also responds well to texts. He is a younger guy and keeps things pretty informal with the interns. He doesn't like keeping us late after long games. If a game goes to into extra innings especially, like it did last week, he makes sure we do our normal end of game task and gets us all together just long enough to tell us we can leave. When he makes our street team game schedule he tells us we can always switch duties during certain times with other people if we want as long as everything gets done. As far as feedback goes I will have to talk to him sometime around the game on the 31st. I recently found out that he is taking another job elsewhere and I held my breath that he would be here until I was finished. Thankfully he is, but just barely as his last day is August first.

Week 10

My internship is finally winding down to a close. What seemed like an incredibly long time at the start actually went by pretty quickly. My tenth week as an intern just finished, but I am not done yet. Next week I will officially finish up with everything once my special project and portfolio are completed.

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Easily one of the most positive things about the internship was the people. Most of the staff members were friendly and easy to talk to, but more importantly I really got along with the other interns. We all had different backgrounds and came from different universities, but all became good friends. We all worked together and when things were tough we struggled onward together. We went to a local bar after games pretty regularly and were able to bond on a different level than we could in a work environment. I also enjoyed watching baseball from the first and third base tunnels when we were waiting to go on the field for our promotions.

As far as what could be improved on, the games started to blend together in terms of our in-game promotional schedule. All of the sponsors have to be appeased though, so I understand how it can be hard to make any major changes. The biggest thing for me that could use some work was the non-game day duties. Far too often the tasks leaned on the "busy work" side of the scale.

As far as learning goes I found out how a game schedule is put together and how to coordinate with people who are going to be on field, whether it be people who are throwing out the first pitch, singing the national anthem, or participating in on-field activities. I learned how to staff a typical game and who works with whom. I also learned what pre-game preparations need to be made and how long they take.

Although I liked this internship on the whole, I would be hesitant to recommend it to other students. This is mainly for the fact that at this time it seems there are issues with staff stability. I saw one person on staff be let go and another on his way out as well. Thankfully this did not have a negative impact on me, but as my time is just about up it is not the same for all interns. Many more will have their last days with the organization next week, like me, and some the week after, but for those staying after our supervisor leaves August 1st I cannot say how they will be affected. However, if the staff situation is stable and you like living in Florida I would recommend this internship. You will be able to decide for your future career if you want a job with a baseball organization and all of the many hours that go with it.

Courses that stand out as having a help towards this internship are PRT 376 and Public Speaking. PRT 376 is Sport Administration and taught me about how an organization is made up and run and how policies are set in place and why they are there. This all held up when I learned about the Miracle organization and I was able to put pieces together and answer some "why" questions myself, because of what I learned in the class. This course also had a required field trip where we went to a ropes course as a class. Although I did not exactly look forward to that trip, I took a lot away from it and became closer to my classmates. It was a team building exercise and made me want to come out to the local bar that the interns went to even thought I did not know them that well. I ended up getting to know them better and became much closer to them. The class also talked about business ethics and while I think I already had a strong moral compass, those beliefs were reinforced with what we talked about in class. I remembered them well when I dealt with banks of money during my internship. Public Speaking was an obvious help as I learned to become more comfortable speaking in front of people. With the Miracle I talked to many customers as well as got on the field in front of all the fans at once. These are things that my Public Speaking course helped me feel better about.

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One aspect that would help if taught is learning how to sell. One of the most uncomfortable things about my internship was getting on the phone with potential clients and trying to sell to or make an exchange with them. Sales is a major starting point in many sports businesses and I think our program would do well to add in more selling techniques and practices.

Evaluations

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