'Now I sit at the head of the table': Women in baseball inspire next generation of leaders
Joe Trezza
NEW YORK ¡ª In many ways, there have never been more pathways for women interested in working in professional baseball, with examples in front offices, coaching staffs and departments across the sport. Their success is in part due to initiatives like National Girls & Women in Sports Day, and events like the third annual networking symposium MLB held at the Commissioner's Office on Wednesday to celebrate and advance the role of women in the game.
Around 100 collegiate softball and baseball athletes toured the league office during the annual event, which featured panels, workshops and roundtables with current employees and executives at MLB, Major League clubs and Minor League teams. The goal was to continue promoting opportunities for women in the game and to reinforce the existence of many potential career paths.
¡°As women, we can have it all,¡± said MLB Network sideline reporter Sande Charles, who moderated two of the day¡¯s panels. ¡°I know a lot of times we¡¯re told we have to choose. But you don¡¯t.¡±
Charles was one of a wide range of speakers offering their time and advice from a variety of different backgrounds and areas of expertise. Others included USA Baseball softball national team manager and MLB Girls baseball ambassador Veronica Alvarez, Yankees director of strategic business ventures Valerie Shields, and MLB softball ambassadors (and former Olympians) Jennie Finch and Natasha Watley, who earlier that morning also hosted local youth from PS 111 at a special Play Ball event commemorating the day.
¡°A winding path is sometimes the path to the goal, and mine was just that,¡± said Alvarez, who is also the Athletics¡¯ coordinator of Latin American player development. ¡°Knowing what you¡¯re not willing to do is really important in your path, and then knowing what you do want to do.¡±
Attendees expressed which fields they were most interested in and sat in on workshops based on those responses, giving them the chance to survey the league¡¯s wide range of departments. The morning featured breakout sessions focused on human resources, baseball/softball development, baseball operations, analytics, the diversity pipeline program, corporate communications, facility operations, social media and youth compliance.
The entire group regathered after lunch for panels highlighting women employees' journeys on both the MLB Clubs and Commissioner's Office sides of the game. One major theme of both sessions was the reinforcement of a simple message: You belong.
¡°One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given ¨C which was two years into my full-time career, a long time ago now ¨C was to speak up in meetings,¡± said Rachelle Madrigal, the managing director of the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla. ¡°I used to dodge the attention and sit at the side of the table in meetings. Now I sit at the head of the table, every meeting that I walk into ¡ I have to make sure that I¡¯m confident and I¡¯m ready to lead.¡±
Another theme was allyship and the specific challenges of navigating what is still a male-dominated field. Many times over, the women currently reshaping the game encouraged the next generation not to let that stand in their way.
¡°A lot of being a woman in baseball is making sure your voice is heard,¡± said MLB senior director of product Jessica Carroll. ¡°Making sure you have the confidence to relay your voice.¡±