How did you find out about your internship?I first saw a team announcement in a local paper, the Lorain Morning Journal, publicizing the Inaugural Season of a new team in town, but didn’t think too much of it. Later, I went on the website and saw that WEOL AM-930 was a sponsor and it sparked my interest. I had done a few promotions with the announcers at WEOL when I had been my high school mascot and thought this might offer the perfect fit. I sent in an application to be a summer intern with my resume and some pictures of me as the Olmsted Falls Bulldog.
What was the hiring process like? How did you get the job?
I sent my application in over spring break. Three weeks later, I got a call from the office asking if I was still interested in the position. The next day they had me scheduled for a phone interview and in less than a week I got the job!
What was the interview like?
It was funny because the interview was definitely separated into how I would do as an intern and how I would fit in as the mascot. The intern questions were serious like “What is your major and what can you bring to the organization,” while the mascot questions were more focused on how I would be able to dance on a dugout with a large hula hoop belly.
What does the internship entail? What kinds of tasks do you do?
The internship offers a very diverse educational experience. There are 12 interns total. One specializes in tickets and one in sales, but the rest of us have an overall summer project, seasonal rotations and daily rotations. My season long project is Stomper and appearances/promotions associated with him. Seasonal rotations last about three weeks and consist of promotions, media, operations and sales. While I am able to move through the rotations regularly, at game time I am always in the promotions category. Promotions focus on between inning races and pre-game announcements. Media relations, where I am now during the day, is in charge of website updates, press releases and announcements. Operations specialize in payroll and general maintenance. Sales work with the sales reps to do calls and deliveries to patrons and sponsors. Daily rotations state where each intern is stationed during the day. I often work out of the Box Office, Team Shop or Press Box.
What’s the best part about the job?
Working at a ballpark over the summer is such a fun experience. Adding the excitement of the inaugural season makes every game day so enjoyable. The GM, Ryan Gates, always tells us that every night is opening night for somebody. It’s always fun to watch the new faces light up when I’m Stomper. My favorite part about interning would have to be the promotions. Coming up with fresh ideas for games and announcements is a lot of fun. The best part about being Stomper is definitely the dancing and the hugs. Everyone loves Stomper and treats him like a celebrity. It’s always so much fun and exciting.
What’s it like to be Stomper?
Being Stomper is so much fun! I was my high school mascot for two years, so I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like coming into the role. I stand just less than seven feet tall in costume and look like I weigh about 500 lbs, so sometimes I come off a tad intimidating to the little kids, but some just think I’m a giant teddy bear! Most little kids can’t say “Stomper” or “Bear” so I often go by “tom-pa!” or “mis-ta ba-ya” (mister bear).
What is your favorite part about being Stomper?
I love all the hugs and pictures, but the dancing is definitely the best part. There’s a dance off on the dugout contest called the Chik-Fil-A Dance for your Dinner where I dance off against two people. That’s always a good time. In the bottom of the eighth, all of the promotions staff gets on the dugout and dances to the YMCA. After the Kids Run the Bases promotion post-game on Sundays, I’ll usually stay and dance on the dugout. Oftentimes, the on field announcer or promo girls or even some fans join in!
Have you ever had to learn a specific dance?
When Michael Jackson died, they wanted us to do a Michael Jackson tribute so I had to learn how to do the Thriller dance and Moon Walk in over-sized bear paws! We even fashioned Stomper a white Jackson glove with four fingers just for him.
Are you the only person privileged enough to be Stomper?
I am the Official Stomper mascot. I am the only one that goes into the suit on game days. I started work May 4, as soon as I got back from MC. On my first day of work, I showed up and they told me that I was going to a donkey basketball game at a local high school. That was when I first asked myself what I had gotten myself into, as I had never heard of donkey basketball before. But I love the role and have made all appearances at daycares, schools, local parades, nursing homes, sporting events and miscellaneous road trips that the bear goes on. Before I became Stomper, the Crushers had a sales rep work the Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade. My last day is Stomper is a 7:05 p.m. game on August 13, and as of now we don’t know who will be filling in for the final nine games of the season that I’ll be missing.
What do your friends think about you being Stomper?
My friends are very supportive of me being Stomper. At college none of my friends really believed that I was my high school mascot, so when I brought in a DVD of me donning a giant bulldog suit they were all very surprised that I actually wore that and danced so much in public! In high school, I guess people were just used to it. I was the mascot for football and some basketball games my freshmen year and then picked it up again my senior year to become The ‘Dawg. However, being a professional mascot for an independent team is far different from my Bulldog days with all of my scheduled appearances and sponsors.
Have any of your friends come to see you as Stomper?
When I told everyone how I’d be spending my summer, everyone said that they wanted to come watch me in action! So far, many of my home friends and MC friends have come to Crushers games, and I think they’ve all had an enjoyable time.
You said this is not your first mascot experience. Please describe.
As I said, I used to be the Olmsted Falls Bulldog. Because I’d already had two years of mascot experience, I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like coming into the role. Being the Bulldog had been a lot of fun because I knew the majority of town members at the games. I also really enjoyed dancing to half time shows with the marching band. That was the best. Now that this Crushers season has progressed and I’ve gotten to know a lot of our season ticket holders and host families, it’s almost more fun that they don’t know my identity at all. All of the little kids love Stomper the big grey cuddly teddy bear far more than others liked the semi-ferocious looking Bulldog.
Is it your goal to move up in the mascot business and one day be Slider?
People do ask me a lot if I want to pursue a career as a professional mascot. Honestly, it’s never something I’d seriously considered, but I know that it’s something I’m good at. But, it’s a good in with any organization, so I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea!
How do people react when they find out who is inside the Stomper suit?
It’s very funny when people learn who the mascot is. All of the players have had to come on appearances with me at some point or another and usually don’t meet “Meredith” until after they have interacted with “Stomper.” While everyone often messes around with Stomper as if he’s really dumb and just one of the guys, their tune usually changes when they meet who is actually under the suit.
What are some of the challenges the Crushers are facing being in a new city for the first year?
I feel like we’ve had a lot of success for being a new team. The park has 3,000 physical seats, and we average 2,619 fans a night, showing just how good attendance is. The community has been very welcoming and supportive of the team. Steven Edelson, the owner of the team, flies in from his home in Chicago regularly to check on all of us. He often brings his kids or wife and recently celebrated his birthday with us. General Manager Ryan Gates also brings a lot of experience to the club, as he worked five seasons with the West Virginia Power, a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. All of the experience within the organization has allowed the season to flow very well. We’ve faced some minor issues such as parking, but those were quickly resolved. We also play on turf, which can hold a lot of water, so we don’t have the same rain delay challenges as many ballparks.
Describe your daily routine.
I start every day at 8:30 a.m. Often on Sundays we are allowed to come in at 10 a.m., but if I have an appearance at a local church or group, I have to be there early at my own time. On non-game days, we work until 5:30 p.m., but usually end up staying later in order to make sure everything is cleaned up with the team shop or box office. On game days, I make the switch from intern to Stomper at about 4:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m., and we get the props and inning promotions schedule laid out before I morph into Stomper at 6:05 p.m. The games usually end around 10 p.m. So by the time I finish up Stomper autographs, get changed, chug a Gatorade and make the 30-minute drive home, I’m rarely in the door before 11 p.m. Sunday’s games start at 5:05 p.m., so I’m usually able to make it home by 9-9:30 p.m. on those days. Game weeks I will work at least 95 hours. In May, before games started, I would work about 55 hours. It’s definitely a lot of hours a week, and sometimes I get tired, but seeing the faces of fans light up to Stomper makes it all worth it.
How will the internship prepare you as you work toward your degree?
The internship has taught me so much about marketing. In May, the ballpark wasn’t finished, so all of the interns were constantly sent out on sales calls or to hand out pocket schedules. Sending us out on those promotional and sales trips taught me a lot about the right way to professionally approach a company. Since we’re new in town, it was never just about promoting this season, but rather making sure that the town knew what Crushers Baseball was all about. The Frontier League isn’t the most commonly known baseball league. Teaching people that we are not affiliated ball and that it’s more of a revolving door to get players back into baseball was a bit of a struggle at first. I’ve learned a lot about interacting in a business setting and leadership. I am the youngest one in the office by a good three years, even among the other interns. I am learning and doing the same tasks as the others, just without the pressures that they face with graduating soon.
What will you learn from this internship that you can incorporate into your volleyball season?
Working so many hours as an intern has taught me huge lessons in time management. I have had two days off since May and work constantly to keep my life balanced. In the same way at MC, balancing schoolwork, volleyball and being in a sorority is also a full time job of its own. With volleyball, we practice daily and log even more hours when we go on road trips. Making sure schoolwork comes first is always a priority that the team values. Heading back to MC in the fall, I will be coming right off this rigorous schedule, as I work right up until the day I leave, at least as Stomper. Having been in such a structured office, I plan to take those time management skills and apply them directly to my collegiate schedule.
Have you learned anything from being Stomper?
Being Stomper has taught me a lot. At a baseball game, people constantly looked to Stomper to be dancing, cheering, or just goofing around to raise the excitement in the stadium. I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter if you’re winning or losing, if you bring excitement people get into the game. And when people get into the game, the team plays better. What that means for volleyball is that I’ll be working to try to help the team keep an upbeat tempo and outlook throughout the season, whether we’re winning or losing.
What are the chances that Stomper can make an appearance at a Marietta Volleyball game?
As much as I’d love Stomper to make a trip down to visit me, he is the property of the Crushers. I don’t know that the organization would be willing to send him down to me, and since I don’t come home during the fall, I don’t know that this would be able to happen. I will work on it though! Also, our ticketing intern, Josh Calver, is a basketball player for Heidelberg University, and since we travel to Tiffin on Sept 30, he plans to make sure everyone in the gym knows that Stomper is Marietta’s right side hitter. So, that’s just one more thing to bring the energy for!
