SMBA ’27 Steps Up to the Plate

SMBA ’27 students recently had the opportunity to step behind the scenes at Petco Park through two Major League Baseball events, gaining firsthand experience with youth programming, event operations, and postseason baseball.

For MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run, students helped set up and operate the event as local youth athletes competed on the field at Petco Park. Working alongside the event team, SMBA ’27 helped create a positive experience for participating athletes and their families while seeing firsthand what goes into executing a youth sports event in a professional setting.

“As volunteers, we were on field level helping support the kids as they competed for the best scores across three different stations. It was really rewarding to be a part of, and I hope that we had some national qualifiers in our group that got to go represent San Diego at the World Series!” - Sophia Reetz

“As a volunteer, I got to hype up the kids while they pitched and help ease their nerves. Seeing those boys and girls in big moments was inspiring, and it was great to see MLB invest in that.” - Caden Flamand

Just days later, SMBA ’27 was back at Petco Park as the Padres hosted the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Wild Card Series. Students supported Strike Out Cancer, an initiative with Major League Baseball and Stand Up To Cancer, by helping place placards throughout the stadium ahead of the games. With postseason energy throughout San Diego and the Padres sweeping the series, the experience gave students the opportunity to contribute behind the scenes during one of the biggest moments of the season.

“Throughout the season, AbbVie has been donating to support cancer research for every strikeout in the MLB. In the postseason, those donations are doubled. Placing cards may not be the most glamorous job, but seeing fans hold them up on the broadcast was surreal. It reminded me of the importance of all jobs in sports from the CEO down to the smallest volunteer.” - Sophia Reetz

“Seeing our Strike Out Cancer signs used on TV was awesome. Some of us even got to tell Padres General Manager AJ Preller about our contribution before game 2. It showed me the power that sports can have beyond competition.” - Caden Flamand

For students who volunteered at both events, the experiences offered two very different perspectives on the work happening behind the scenes in Major League Baseball. From helping young athletes compete at Petco Park to preparing the stadium for a meaningful initiative on the postseason stage, SMBA ’27 was able to contribute while gaining valuable experience along the way.

A special thank you to Paul Yeomans, Brett Belluomini and the entire USA Marketing team, Dr. Jay Martyn and everyone involved in creating these opportunities for SMBA ’27!