Alumna Pioneered Softball 在UNC, Followed by a Career at the Rockies
2023年7月7日
Sarai Atchison ‘19 has always had a passion 为 sports, but in college she took a more active role creating opportunities to play 为 herself and her classmates. 玩 softball from fifth grade through the end of high school, she considered playing at 大学 of Northern Colorado (UNC).
A huge fan of Harry Potter, Atchison instead decided to play 为 the UNC club quidditch team and found she enjoyed it. But when Atchison faced an injury, she began reflecting on the aspects of softball she missed and the environment of club sports she enjoyed. So, Atchison started UNC’s first club women’s softball team.
Atchison was responsible 为 covering the cost 为 launching the program the first year because club sports are ineligible 为 university funding until they can prove a demand 为 them. For a college student, when there is no guarantee of student interest in their club, that can be daunting.
Fortunately, students expressed great interest in club softball. The team grew to the point that Atchison stepped up and became the coach rather than a player. 通过 that experience, Atchison learned much about herself and what it meant to act in the best interest of others.
"That decision taught me a lot about leadership, and I had to go through a lot of personal growth,” said Atchison. “It was hard 为 me. I like being in the action, but if I wanted this to be successful, I couldn't be that way anymore."
As Atchison launched club softball 在UNC, she was also pursuing her Bachelor of 艺术 in Communication Studies with a minor in Media Studies in the College of 人文学科 and Social Sciences. After graduation, she found two job openings with the Colorado Rockies' promotional team. The job description seemed tailored to what she was looking 为.
Once hired, Atchison worked on the promotional team 为 a year be为e applying 为 her current role as account executive 为 Special Events and 主题 Days. 她认为 her development of necessary skills like communication and leadership to her education 在UNC. Atchison built upon the strong foundation of her education 在UNC while earning her master’s degree in 通信 and Media Studies from 大学 of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Now, Atchison is working on several exciting opportunities with the Rockies. 主题 Days present a fun, new spin on traditional sporting events that appeal to a wide variety of people who might not watch baseball otherwise. The Rockies’ most successful theme day is their Star Wars Day, but there's a new day coming up this year.
"This is the first year 为 Harry Potter night, and that wasn't even my idea.”她 says, referencing the Harry Potter tattoo on her arm and her time playing quidditch 在UNC.
“Because we brought Harry Potter on, Warner Brothers has given us a bunch of things to trans为m our ballpark. I'm excited to see how it'll look,” said Atchison. “我想要 to eventually bring Harry Potter night to that Star Wars-level where anybody and everybody 可以享受它.”
Atchison is excited to continue working with the Rockies, pursuing her love of sports and also elevating the experiences of everyone who walks into Coors Field. 她不能 wait to see how she grows and develops into the most resilient version of herself.
— written by Tamsin Fleming
