About my internship

Baseball For All is a non-profit organization with the goal of building gender equity in baseball by providing girls with real opportunities to play, coach and lead in this sport. After playing baseball for years on teams where I was the only girl, I learned about Baseball For All (BFA) and the Girls Nationals Tournament when I was in middle school. BFA helped me get on a 13U team called the LA Monarchs. I traveled to Rockford, Illinois and got to play on an all-girls baseball team at Nationals. Playing with other female baseball players was a life-changing experience. I got to meet other girls just like me that loved baseball. I realized I wasn’t alone as a “girl baseball” player. On the Monarchs, I wasn’t worried about fitting in or proving that I belonged on a baseball diamond. I could just focus on playing the game I loved. I was lucky enough to play in three BFA National tournaments and play internationally in Japan as part of their ambassadors’ program last summer. I learned so much being a part of those teams and competing with and against great female ballplayers. Without BFA, I don’t think I would have tried out for my high school team and became the first girl to play baseball for West Anchorage High School. I made varsity my junior year and was the varsity captain my senior year.

Now that my playing days are over, I want to help grow girls baseball. Girls should have the same opportunities in baseball as boys do. I decided to intern with BFA because I had such a positive experience when I was playing and I wanted to be part of their mission to grow opportunities for girls and women in baseball. 

What skills have you learned or developed? 

At BFA Nationals, I was in charge of the seven and under (7U) division. I made practice plans and successfully led three clinics. We started with the basics and ended with a coach-pitch game. The girls loved it and I had a great time introducing girls to my favorite sport. I learned how to keep young kids engaged and to adapt a practice plan on the fly to address the skills and personalities of the players. 

I also assisted with directing the massive BFA Girls Nationals tournament. That taught me customer service skills and the importance of organization in administering a complex event. Except for one week, my internship with BFA has been virtual. I have learned how to communicate with my supervisor often and to hold myself accountable despite not being in the same physical space as my coworkers. 

How do you think this opportunity will impact your career path, future goals and/or academic path at Princeton?

I have always loved baseball and am interested in pursuing a career in the sport. Working with BFA this summer rekindled my passion for the game. I hope to be able to keep working to grow girls’ and women’s baseball. 

What has been most memorable for you? Please describe your favorite moment so far.

The last BFA tournament I played in was three years ago. Being back this year was such an amazing experience. The number of girls playing has nearly doubled in just a few years. Baseball has been an important part of my identity. BFA is giving hundreds of girls across the country the opportunity to play the game they love and I am extremely proud to be a small part of that.

The Summer Social Impact Internship (SSII) Fund provides financial support for undergraduate students with eligible summer internships at nonprofit or government organizations. Learn more about the SSII Fund.