Looking ahead

As I frantically try to fill my blog for monday's deadline, I'd like to take a look forward ... what will I do upon graduation? Many of my classmates (and college grads country wide) are jobless, and have no where to turn for work. While I don't make much money, I'm glad to have a job. First things first, I can see myself maintaining this blog more now that i'm out of school than when I was in school... so it will be interesting to see if that is the case as my post-grad life goes on. I imagine I could use this blog as a place to share information on what I do during my day-to-day life.

I work as the Director of Media Relations for the Chicago Bandits, a women's pro fastpitch softball team in the NPF. My job is to get the Chicago Bandits organization and our players lots and lots of press converage in various media outlets. This is a struggle at most times as women's sports often get no love in the media world. The women (all college graduates) that play on the Bandits are some of the best athletes in the world. Many of them are Women's College World Series (WCWS) alums and some are even Olympic atheltes. The most recognizable athlete on the team is Jennie Finch. She has won 3 Olympic gold medals and has become sort of a celebrity/role model for millions of young softball playing girls across the country. The stardum has not gone to her head though. Being part of the Bandits organization, I have gotten to meet, talk to and hang out with many of the players. I must say, I was a little worried before I first met her that she would have the "i'm a superstar, what do you want" attitude.

I was completely off base.

Finch might be one of the most down to earth athletes I've ever met. She is genuine and really has interest in what people say. There is a reason she has become such a big star and great role model for the millions of girls that look up to her. She has also become the biggest poker chip in the game of media coverage. I really hate to say it, and I often try to avoid using her name, but sometimes you have to dangle the large bait in order to get the fish to bite.

Thankfully, My PR/Media teammate (Sarah Russell) and I haven't had to dangle Jennie Finch. We've actually had some great headway this season in terms of coverage. John Radtke of the Daily Herald and Andy Rohr of the Elgin Courier have become two of the most flourished Bandits writers or space-givers this season. Andy has been out to the first 3 games, of 5; and Radtke has done wonders for us by getting us into the Herald consistantly (something that happened 0 times last summer).

As the first homestand has just concluded, I have ideas on how to get us even more coverage and hopefully it will help spur revenue -- that is after all, the main goal of our staff.

We want to make the NPF and pro softball a league/sport where women can play and be respected like the professional athletes that they are. We don't want them to have to balance their pro career with another job. (many of them are teachers/coaches in the offseason) We want the women of the NPF to be able to only focus on softball throughout the year -- like the players of the MLB do.