My Spring Training Experience

First off, I would like to thank UF CJC, ESPN Gainesville, the Miami Marlins, the Tampa Bay Rays and Eric Esterline for allowing me to partake in this opportunity. This week opened my eyes to the different opportunities that are available within sports media and gave me real experience covering Major League Baseball. 

My first day with credentials was daunting. When I walked into the Miami clubhouse I didn’t quite know how to approach players and the other press at first, but the Marlins media and press team were very helpful with answering questions and giving me tips. After that, it was a much smoother experience. I got the chance to talk with JJ Bleday, and wrote a cover story which I was quite proud of. This was definitely the highlight of the week for me.

During my two days with credentials, I got to interview multiple players, get a chance to see all the different moving parts that an MLB Spring Training game requires, and meet some awesome other people men and women in the field (quick shoutout to all my new baseball Youtuber friends). These are experiences that I never would have imagined I would have at the age of 19. 

To anybody reading this who might be considering doing this Spring Training experience in the future: if you want to work in the sports world, sign up. This week taught me so much more about the behind-the-scenes of Major League Baseball and the press than I could have imagined. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made at University of Florida so far. 

P.S. I miss sports. If you want to talk sports, let me know.