|
345 SE 5th
Madras, OR 97741 Phone:
541.475.2275 |
| |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| A job a sports fan loves |
|---|
| MHS grad works for her third pro team -- the Seattle Mariners |
|---|
 | | Photo By Gary Lindberg | | Holly Carman stands outside the owner’s box at Safeco Field. The Madras High grad has worked in the Seattle Mariners’ corporate business and sales department since April. |
|
By Gary Lindberg
It is less than 30 minutes before a Seattle Mariner game. A fan is nervously waiting to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and talking to a member of the Mariner's front office.
That Mariner employee could be Madras High grad Holly Carman. Her official title is coordinator for the corporate business department for the Major League baseball team.
That's an all encompassing title. It involves selling sponsorships to setting up promotional events to leading corporate sponsors around the field during pregame batting practice.
"This is a very interesting job," said Carman, a 2000 MHS grad. "This job has parts of all the sports jobs I've done in the past."
Carman's career with professional sports teams started during what was to be her final year at Oregon State. She had an internship with the Portland Trail Blazers in the community relations and communications departments.
"I was working probably 60 hours a week. I was involved in all aspects of community work," Carman said.
Once that internship ended, Carman moved to Phoenix to work in the Internet marketing department. That lasted a year with Carman discovering, "I'm a Northwest girl. I wasn't really a fan of the Phoenix lifestyle (as in 100-plus degree summer days)."
Carman moved back to Portland and reconnected with the Trail Blazers in a seasonal position. She worked only on game nights.
"That wasn't the career I was looking for, but it was something I could work in until I got a full-time position in sports," Carman said.
Working in sports is what Carman "always wanted to do. I've been a sports fan all my life. It's something that bonds my dad (Mark) and myself."
Her father is an assistant fire chief and fire marshal with the Jefferson County Fire Department No. 1, living in Madras with her mom Dee. Younger sister Heather graduated from MHS in 2003 and will be moving to Seattle later this month.
Carman remembers when her sports fandom started. Her dad took her to a Portland Beaver baseball game when she was 5.
"I still have the little baseball bat they gave out," Carman said.
Now she has a job with the Northwest's major league team. The Mariners called her to set up an interview the same day as the Trail Blazer's final home game. That date, April 16, is also her birthday.
"I interviewed and two weeks later I was moving up to Seattle," Carman said.
Her job has invisible and visible aspects. Carman helps set up proposals to sell corporate logos on the outfield fence. When the Mariners have a promotional night, such as a bobblehead giveaway, Carman is involved.
"When we have a promotion with a sponsor, we have to figure out all of the logistics of it," Carman said. "If there's some kind of event going on, I'll coordinate every aspect of it."
That's the visible part of Carman's job. The Mariners allow corporate sponsors of a promotion to have on-field access before the game. Groups of up to 10 can watch the pregame batting practice and soak in the Safeco Field experience from field level.
"I like all aspects of my job, but it's always fun to go down on the field where the action is," Carman said. "When I'm down on the field with sponsors, seeing it all come together. I'm able to see all the hard work my department has put in and all the long hours all come together."
Often, the corporate sponsors have younger fans with them.
"We try to make it a little more enjoyable," Carman said. "We'll try to get them a signed baseball or a kiddie promotional item. At that age, you'll remember that for the rest of your life."
Carman said she has little actual contact with the Mariner players.
"When I'm on the field, I have a job to do and they have a job to do," Carman said.
She did meet the players during an employee's autograph session earlier this season. Carman often watches the M's games after her duties are over.
She did just that during the Seattle-Boston series on July 21-23. Part of the reason, Carman said, was to watch fellow MHS grad Jacoby Ellsbury.
"Everyone in town knew he was going to go on and do great things," Carman said. "When he got drafted out of high school (in the 23rd round of the 2002 draft by Tampa Bay) then turned it down to go to college (Oregon State) we knew he was going on to great things."
This season, Carman said she's watched all of "about 20 night games. It's hard to do all the time with my work schedule (usually starting at 8:30 a.m.)."
Carman sees herself staying with the Mariners.
"Right now, I'm absolutely loving what I'm doing in my department," Carman said. "It's definitely the career path I want to be on. I don't see myself going anywhere anytime soon." |
| Go to top. |
|
|
