Published: June 19, 2009 10:22 am      

Interns fill essential positions for P-Rays

PRINCETON — Every season since 1998, the Princeton Rays have had two teams. First, is the baseball team. The other is the unheralded intern team.

The interns perform a myriad of tasks that include field maintenance, cleaning up after games, selling programs and souvenirs, conducting between-innings games and contests, and helping with the promotion of the games. These duties are not glamorous, but they are essential to the successful management of a sports team organization.

Over the years, the Princeton Rays internship program has developed into a well-known and respected program under the skillful tutelage of General Manager Jim Holland. In essence, the intern program has evolved into the “Holland Practical Course in Sports Management.” The general manager is justly proud of a high job replacement rate of the young people who have graduated from his course.

During the 12 years, the program has attracted over 70 interns. They have come from an astounding 37 colleges and 16 states.

“In a way, the interns are like the baseball team. We have had good years and others that could have been better. On an individual basis, I have been pleased with the performance of over 90 percent of the interns,” Holland said.

This season, the Princeton Rays have 11 interns, which far surpasses the previous high of seven interns in a year.

“After their first week on the job, I have high hopes for this group of interns. They look like an outstanding team,” Holland said.

Although there is a variety of college majors among the interns, they share some common characteristics. They all were high school athletes, and they love sports.

The 2009 interns are:

• Scott Barlage (Trine University, Indiana): Scott is a junior majoring in sports marketing. His hometown is Miller City, Ohio. He enjoys golf and being outdoors. Ultimately, he would like to work in the front office of a sports organization, preferably in baseball.

• Andrew Buffington (Lakeland College, Wisconsin): Andrew is a senior studying accounting. He resides in Howards Grove, Wis. He enjoys hiking and being outdoors. In high school, he participated in track.

• Jason Elliott (Western Michigan University): Jason is a senior majoring in integrated supply management. He is from Grand Blanc, Mich. He likes to travel and to watch movies. In high school, he played basketball and soccer.

• Cindy Hess (College of William and Mary, Virginia): Cindy is from the local area — Honaker, Va. She is a senior majoring in business marketing. She would like to have a career in sports advertising. While in high school, Cindy was a cheerleader, and she played tennis and ran track.

• Evan Krpan (Indiana University): Evan is a junior studying sports marketing. He resides in Indianapolis. He played baseball in high school. He would like to obtain a position in sports marketing with either a baseball or football team.

• Doug Maurer (Indiana University): Doug majored in sports marketing and management. He has a minor in general studies. In high school, he played soccer, basketball, and football. In the latter sport, he once booted a 45-yard field goal. He hopes to work for the NCAA, which is based in his hometown of Indianapolis.

• Tim Merolillo (Concord University): Tim is a recent graduate, and he plans to go to graduate school this fall. After completing his studies, he would like to be a trainer for a baseball team. While at Concord, he played baseball. In his junior year, he smashed 12 home runs.

• Ben Meyer (University of Wisconsin): Ben is from Mt. Horeb, Wis. He is a senior with a double major in political science and history. In high school, he played baseball and ran cross-country. His hobbies are sports and history.

• Amanda Pecota (University of Akron, Ohio): Amanda is a recent graduate with a major in mass media. She hopes to get a position in media relations with an athletic team. In high school, she ran track and played tennis. She is a present resident of Medina, Ohio, but is originally from San Jose, Calif.

• Sean Salemme (North Carolina State University): Sean, a resident of Raleigh, is majoring in sports management and history. In high school, he participated in basketball, baseball, and cross-country. His hobbies are sports and watching movies.

• Malcolm Smith (Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire): Malcolm is a recent graduate with majors in sports management and business administration. Malcolm is a rarity. This is his second season as a Rays’ intern. He would like to work in sales and marketing for a professional team. He played basketball, baseball, and lacrosse in high school.