Q and A with Baysox Community Programs Manager Dana DeFilippo
Tell me about how you ended up with the Baysox.
Oh my gosh, where to begin. I graduated from Boston College in December 2007 and at that point I didn't have a job; I didn't know what I was doing. I had a contact with the New York Mets and I was talking to her and she suggested I go to [MLB] Winter Meetings. So early that December I packed my bags and flew to Nashville all by myself and I went to Winter Meetings. I interviewed with a bunch of teams and I got four different job offers and I accepted the one here with the Baysox.
What was the atmosphere like at the Winter Meetings?
It was crazy; it was actually really scary at first because I was out there all by myself and I didn't know anyone and I didn't have anyone flying out there with me so I was all alone in a hotel room. It was definitely crazy walking around the place and recognizing some front office staff members from Major League teams and seeing MLB TV broadcast live and stuff like that. So it was exciting in that way and a great chance to network.What job did you take here with the Baysox?
The main reason I accepted this job as opposed to the other jobs is because the other jobs were internships and this was a full-time job so I got benefits and everything. I accepted the office manager position here, so I was basically the secretary for lack of better words, but I also did marketing stuff and they allowed me to sit in on marketing meetings. Right away I was put in charge of the Kids Club and stuff like that so I did marketing but my main job was office manager.
Talk about how you ended up with the job you have now.
Years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. I was the office manager for that very first season, so about eight months, and then after the first season I was promoted to the job I have now - Community Programs Manager. I was given the responsibility of reading programs and all that community based stuff like donations requests. And now I'm just getting more and more on my plate, which I like because I'm getting more responsibility. After that second and third season, I'm going on my fourth season, I'm going to be in charge of some of the promotional days, as well as all of the other stuff, including some sales, like beer dinner sales and birthdays. I'm also going to be in charge of our front office manager who is an intern, as well as our unpaid interns.
What are some of the challenges that you face on a typical day?
One thing that's very challenging is that because I deal a lot with teachers, who are so busy to begin with, that they might not ideally do everything we want them to. So I'm in the process of sending e-mails to teachers with letters to be sent home to parents, but who knows if the teachers are actually going to print out the letter and send it home with all the kids. So the challenging part is getting people to be as enthused about the team and about our programs as I am.
What is your favorite thing about working with the Baysox?
My favorite thing about working here is probably the people I get to interact with. If I ever left I would be heartbroken because all of our fans are such good people, especially because most of them you see over and over again. We have the select group of Millennium Club fans who are here every single game and you really get to know them and they get to know you. They are just such good people and they are fun to be around because they like the Baysox just as much as you do and they are here to see them succeed. And then you see other fans who are just very interactive and fans with families that you see once and of course you will see them probably once a month. So, definitely seeing the fans and being able to be out and about.
What is the most interesting/weird experience you've had working here?
There's a lot of little things that happen that you really have to be on your toes with. For example, one time last year there was a crazy rainstorm and all that rain kind of got stuck in one of the tents in the picnic pavilion and so that night a wind gust came and blew the rain off and it drenched this entire family. That's the kind of thing that's funny, but you want them to have a good experience so that's the kind of thing where customer service is most important. I went over and I apologized and I got them some free T-shirts and they didn't so much care that they were drenched, but they appreciated being taken care of and I knew they were going to come back. You see that a lot. It's definitely a lot of stuff that you don't plan on that happens last minute that you have to react to.
Talk about what you do on a typical home game day.
Well we basically work the 9 to 5 hours to begin with, and just do the regular work day, which is still like promoting our reading programs and trying to do Louie appearances. Once 5 o'clock hits we change into our game day attire and we head out since most of the time our gates open at six. It's a pretty quick turnaround. During the day, we'll go up to the suites that are booked for that night and we'll help clean them and make sure they're all set and ready to go. But then at 5 o'clock we are setting up tables for any sponsors and then when the gates open people are here and we are interacting with people or standing at fan assistance and helping out there and doing on field promotions and all that sort of stuff.
What is your favorite promotion?
Oh my gosh, there are so many. I love any of the promotions that we get to dress up, that's my favorite thing because you get to be somebody else. We had "Saturday Night Live" night where I was Mary Katherine Gallagher, or we had "Party Like it's 1929" night where I get to wear a flapper's outfit, or we had "Fairy Tale" night where I got to be Snow White. That was so much fun because there were these little like 3-year-old girls wearing Snow White outfits coming up to me saying "oh my god, Snow White."
I'm putting you on the spot, you have to pick the best costume you have ever worn for a game.
Best costume ever? It would be my ninja turtle. We have "Super Hero" night, and I know the ninja turtles may not technically be a super hero, but in my mind they are. So, I was Raphael, and that was my favorite costume because it wasn't something that somebody gave us and told us to put on, like I literally made that costume. I cut up a yellow T-shirt and put it on top of a green T- shirt and we made turtle shells out of cardboard boxes and fabric and stuff so a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into that.
What's your favorite act that you're involved in?
Well I love going to schools and bringing Louie out because I love the kids' reactions to him and nobody knows what he is. At games I love to sumo wrestle. I think it's because I like putting on the fat suit and parading around and all the attention is on me. And usually I win because I'm pretty feisty and I'm quick. And dancing on the dugout of course because I like embarrassing myself in public so dancing on the dugout every night is the perfect chance to do that.
The Baysox 2010 campaign has come to an end. The Baysox open the 2011 season on the road in Harrisburg Thursday, April 7. They play their first game at Prince George's Stadium Thursday, April 14, at 7:05 p.m. Baysox ticket packages are now available. Click HERE for more information on 2011 ticket packages.