Anthony Dodds
-Anthony Dodds is from Cincinnati Ohio. He graduated from Tiffin University with a degree in sports management and a minor in marketing. He was a student athlete at Tiffin for three years before hanging up his cleats in baseball and stuck to just being a full-time student. He had to put in a lot of work on and off the field while being a student athlete to maintain his grades. In making the decision to stop playing baseball his teacher and friend Bonnie Tiell helped him realize the potential that he had not seen in himself before and realized that school had to come first before anything else. Anthony had a job working with the Cincinnati Reds Community fund where he helped oversee activities for their Urban Youth Academy. What his job was on a day to day basis was helping introduce athletes to the games of softball and baseball to help give them opportunities using the sports. Some of these opportunities even allowed ma y of the kids to go off and to play in college along with getting them the education that they may not have been able to achieve without the help of the Community Fund. One of the many reasons for bringing Anthony on board with the Reds project was because he too had gone through the organization as a young athlete just as many of the other kids have. By having Anthony apart of the project the kids could see a real life example of a person who achieved great success and found his way back to the Reds organization just as he found himself there the first day he set foot playing with the youth teams. They used his story as a success story before one of the Reds games on tv for essentially the same reason as he told me why they were happy to bring him on as an employee. Anthony eventually left his job at the Reds community fund and got hired at a place called Orangetheory Fitness. He actually told his old coach who was going to higher him that he needed to wait to hear back from the Reds and that he’ll reach out to him again once his job with them was done. He reached out to him again and got hired to sell gym memberships to future members of the gym. He is currently in the process of becoming a trainer for the gym where he would lead the workouts as an instructor.
The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund was put together to help improve the lives of youth by leveraging the tradition of the Cincinnati Reds and the game of baseball. The initiative is a funding mechanism for underserved youth baseball and softball organizations. The initiative began in 2005 by funding five Knothole baseball organizations and then reaching more than 60 organizations while financially assisting more than 800 teams.
Orangetheory Fitness is designed as an interval fitness concept of 60-minute workout broken into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. Participants burn an average of 500+ calories per 60-minute training session. Orangetheory Fitness studios are designed to motivate while having a personal connection with each member. Coaches/trainers help inspire members to exceed their personal goals while encouraging them to not give up when things get tuff.
Anthony says that for anyone who may follow a similar path as the one he did is to keep GOD first, and to always have faith. He says that you need to stay positive no matter what even at your lowest point you need to stay positive. He also said to do whatever it takes to get the job done and some things you have to figure out as you go along, but always stay positive.
- Urban Youth Academy Intern -(Location: Cincinnati, Oh/ Red's Stadium)
- Marketing Coordinator-(Location: Oakley, Oh/Orangetheory Fitness)
-Anthony Dodds is from Cincinnati Ohio. He graduated from Tiffin University with a degree in sports management and a minor in marketing. He was a student athlete at Tiffin for three years before hanging up his cleats in baseball and stuck to just being a full-time student. He had to put in a lot of work on and off the field while being a student athlete to maintain his grades. In making the decision to stop playing baseball his teacher and friend Bonnie Tiell helped him realize the potential that he had not seen in himself before and realized that school had to come first before anything else. Anthony had a job working with the Cincinnati Reds Community fund where he helped oversee activities for their Urban Youth Academy. What his job was on a day to day basis was helping introduce athletes to the games of softball and baseball to help give them opportunities using the sports. Some of these opportunities even allowed ma y of the kids to go off and to play in college along with getting them the education that they may not have been able to achieve without the help of the Community Fund. One of the many reasons for bringing Anthony on board with the Reds project was because he too had gone through the organization as a young athlete just as many of the other kids have. By having Anthony apart of the project the kids could see a real life example of a person who achieved great success and found his way back to the Reds organization just as he found himself there the first day he set foot playing with the youth teams. They used his story as a success story before one of the Reds games on tv for essentially the same reason as he told me why they were happy to bring him on as an employee. Anthony eventually left his job at the Reds community fund and got hired at a place called Orangetheory Fitness. He actually told his old coach who was going to higher him that he needed to wait to hear back from the Reds and that he’ll reach out to him again once his job with them was done. He reached out to him again and got hired to sell gym memberships to future members of the gym. He is currently in the process of becoming a trainer for the gym where he would lead the workouts as an instructor.
The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund was put together to help improve the lives of youth by leveraging the tradition of the Cincinnati Reds and the game of baseball. The initiative is a funding mechanism for underserved youth baseball and softball organizations. The initiative began in 2005 by funding five Knothole baseball organizations and then reaching more than 60 organizations while financially assisting more than 800 teams.
Orangetheory Fitness is designed as an interval fitness concept of 60-minute workout broken into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. Participants burn an average of 500+ calories per 60-minute training session. Orangetheory Fitness studios are designed to motivate while having a personal connection with each member. Coaches/trainers help inspire members to exceed their personal goals while encouraging them to not give up when things get tuff.
Anthony says that for anyone who may follow a similar path as the one he did is to keep GOD first, and to always have faith. He says that you need to stay positive no matter what even at your lowest point you need to stay positive. He also said to do whatever it takes to get the job done and some things you have to figure out as you go along, but always stay positive.
David Steele
-David Steele is from Dayton Ohio and graduated from the University of Rio Grande with a major in sport exercise science. David is a Paraprofessional Educator where he works with kids with disabilities. He found the job by applying everywhere that had what he was looking for and went to the schools in order to make sure that it was a good fit for him. He realized he wanted to go into this field after doing the buddy system while he was in high school realized he wanted to work with kids when he grew up. He also is the JV coach of a high school basketball team and also is the Varsity baseball team of the high school team as well. The main thing to remember about coaching a JV team especially when you’re new to the sport of basketball is to soak up as much knowledge from the Varsity coach as possible and to also remember it’s about having fun and developing the kids talent. When being a Varsity baseball coach it’s important to remember to always be positive and that he says it’s more about a kid’s attitude and effort rather than just a kid’s talent. His focus for these kids is getting them ready enough to the point where they can compete at the college level if that is their plan. He also works for an organization called Pastime Park as a site director. They host independent baseball teams all over the country at different Universities and Pro baseball fields. David’s job as a site director is to take care of admission fees, make sure the fields are playable, create the tournament bracket, plug in the scores once the games are over, and dealing with the occasional angry parent. He has been a site director for Pastime for 5 years.
For David’s first job as an educator the job takes place from 730-230 every day during the school week, depending on holidays and off days for the high school students. He has summers off but is still will be paid by the school. After he ends the day as an educator he drives to his job as a basketball and baseball coach witch takes place around 330-5. His job at Pastime only takes place during the summers so it works out perfectly with him being an educator. Pastime’s headquarters is located in Indianapolis where they handle the big amounts of money and write the checks to utilize fields and hotels for their employees. They also distribute admission bracelets, bats, and anything else that may be needed to run the tournament.
David’s advice for anyone who may be following in the same career path is to care about the job you do enough to where it makes you want to show up every day. Sometimes you may have to step up and be a leader so don’t be afraid to step into that position and that if you have any questions about anything don’t be afraid to ask questions. Show up on time and to also be sure to put forth the effort. He also said if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.
- Paraprofessional Educator-(Location: Plain City, Oh/Johanthon Alder High School)
- JV Basketball & Varsity Baseball Coach- (Location: St. Paris, Oh/ Graham High School)
-David Steele is from Dayton Ohio and graduated from the University of Rio Grande with a major in sport exercise science. David is a Paraprofessional Educator where he works with kids with disabilities. He found the job by applying everywhere that had what he was looking for and went to the schools in order to make sure that it was a good fit for him. He realized he wanted to go into this field after doing the buddy system while he was in high school realized he wanted to work with kids when he grew up. He also is the JV coach of a high school basketball team and also is the Varsity baseball team of the high school team as well. The main thing to remember about coaching a JV team especially when you’re new to the sport of basketball is to soak up as much knowledge from the Varsity coach as possible and to also remember it’s about having fun and developing the kids talent. When being a Varsity baseball coach it’s important to remember to always be positive and that he says it’s more about a kid’s attitude and effort rather than just a kid’s talent. His focus for these kids is getting them ready enough to the point where they can compete at the college level if that is their plan. He also works for an organization called Pastime Park as a site director. They host independent baseball teams all over the country at different Universities and Pro baseball fields. David’s job as a site director is to take care of admission fees, make sure the fields are playable, create the tournament bracket, plug in the scores once the games are over, and dealing with the occasional angry parent. He has been a site director for Pastime for 5 years.
For David’s first job as an educator the job takes place from 730-230 every day during the school week, depending on holidays and off days for the high school students. He has summers off but is still will be paid by the school. After he ends the day as an educator he drives to his job as a basketball and baseball coach witch takes place around 330-5. His job at Pastime only takes place during the summers so it works out perfectly with him being an educator. Pastime’s headquarters is located in Indianapolis where they handle the big amounts of money and write the checks to utilize fields and hotels for their employees. They also distribute admission bracelets, bats, and anything else that may be needed to run the tournament.
David’s advice for anyone who may be following in the same career path is to care about the job you do enough to where it makes you want to show up every day. Sometimes you may have to step up and be a leader so don’t be afraid to step into that position and that if you have any questions about anything don’t be afraid to ask questions. Show up on time and to also be sure to put forth the effort. He also said if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.
Mike Deitsch
-For my third and final interview I decided to go outside of just the sports world to see how the business world and the sports would intertwine with eachother. For this, I interviewed my brother because he works at your normal everyday -office job at a well respected organization while still being able to coach at LaSalle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio as well. He is one of very few people who are allowed to do both as the baseball season and his hours at his job at a Company called Abco Safety conflict with one another. However, since he has been able to build such a close relationship with his boss and one of two owners of the company, he was told that during the season he would be able to leave work a little earlier than usual. This is due to the laid back atmosphere that is laid out within the small personable company that is Abco Safety.
Mike Deitsch is from Cincinnati Ohio. He decided to pursue his degree in business management at Rio Grande University in Eastern Ohio. During his time at Rio, he participated in playing baseball for their team as a pitcher for four years where he discovered something unique. While there, he took notice that he and many of his other teammates were held to a higher standard due to the fact that the school was smaller than most. As athletes they were always expected to go to class and do well. The teachers knew that there would be times in which they would be in some classes due to their busy schedule with baseball which is why they were held to such a high standard. All the athletes knew that there would be consequences with their teachers and also the coaches if they were not to show up or pass a class. They knew that in order to be eligible to play they had to show up and do well, which made him and many others try much harder in school. His baseball coach expected greatness out of all his players just as a boss would expect greatness out of their employees. He was taught to be a great person outside of baseball and to show up on time because his coach preached that many lessons will translate from the field to the office such as showing up, and being on time to meetings or events. After college Mike fell into a job with a company called Abco Safety as a specialist/outside sales supporter in sales. His job was to help control new accounts that are acquired by upper management and make sure the orders are placed, pulled from the warehouse, and sent out on time. He also is in charge of informing the customers on the accounts of any issues that may occur as well. He interviewed for the job twice. The owners had already a little bit of information about him as he was offered the interview through his mother who had previously worked with one of the owners. The company is laid back due to their small size and it is very easy to talk to the other employees and really pick the brains of the owners because they are on site at the operation due to their lack in size. Mike is also the assistant coach at a high school in Cincinnati called LaSalle. There he works with kids maintain and enhancing their skills as athletes and gets the chance to participate in helping the Varsity team out once the JV season ends due to his knowledge of pitching.
What Abco Safety does is they are a distributer of safety equipment to various businesses around the country. They are the middle-man to the vendors that come to them for various products. They try and make sure that each time an order comes in that it will be sent out within the same day so that they can adhere to the demand of their customers. They try and build close relationships with the companies they sell to in order to gain their trust and have no issue in going the extra mile in making sure every customer gets exactly what they want and make sure the delivery is on time.
Mike has made a very big connection between having a job in the big world of business and also with the sports industry world as well. He has made the connection between companies being compared to a team that you are on in sports. With every team there are important positions that you have to put trust in the teammates at those various spots. If one person within the business does not do their job correctly then that could mean issues for the other departments within. Just as if a player is not doing their job at the position that they play, could tear the whole team apart which can then translate to a lack of success within the program.
Mikes advice for anyone following a similar path is from his experience in being an athlete you need to be on time and have a good appearance. To succeed you have to want to be the best and set high goals and expectations for yourself. You have to be passionate about what you do and try to once again be the best at what you do. These few things have carried him a long way since college and it has really paid off.
- Insider Sales Specialist- ( Location: Cincinnati, Oh/Abco Safety)
- JV Assistant Baseball Coach- (Location: Cincinnati, Oh/Lasalle High Schoool)
-For my third and final interview I decided to go outside of just the sports world to see how the business world and the sports would intertwine with eachother. For this, I interviewed my brother because he works at your normal everyday -office job at a well respected organization while still being able to coach at LaSalle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio as well. He is one of very few people who are allowed to do both as the baseball season and his hours at his job at a Company called Abco Safety conflict with one another. However, since he has been able to build such a close relationship with his boss and one of two owners of the company, he was told that during the season he would be able to leave work a little earlier than usual. This is due to the laid back atmosphere that is laid out within the small personable company that is Abco Safety.
Mike Deitsch is from Cincinnati Ohio. He decided to pursue his degree in business management at Rio Grande University in Eastern Ohio. During his time at Rio, he participated in playing baseball for their team as a pitcher for four years where he discovered something unique. While there, he took notice that he and many of his other teammates were held to a higher standard due to the fact that the school was smaller than most. As athletes they were always expected to go to class and do well. The teachers knew that there would be times in which they would be in some classes due to their busy schedule with baseball which is why they were held to such a high standard. All the athletes knew that there would be consequences with their teachers and also the coaches if they were not to show up or pass a class. They knew that in order to be eligible to play they had to show up and do well, which made him and many others try much harder in school. His baseball coach expected greatness out of all his players just as a boss would expect greatness out of their employees. He was taught to be a great person outside of baseball and to show up on time because his coach preached that many lessons will translate from the field to the office such as showing up, and being on time to meetings or events. After college Mike fell into a job with a company called Abco Safety as a specialist/outside sales supporter in sales. His job was to help control new accounts that are acquired by upper management and make sure the orders are placed, pulled from the warehouse, and sent out on time. He also is in charge of informing the customers on the accounts of any issues that may occur as well. He interviewed for the job twice. The owners had already a little bit of information about him as he was offered the interview through his mother who had previously worked with one of the owners. The company is laid back due to their small size and it is very easy to talk to the other employees and really pick the brains of the owners because they are on site at the operation due to their lack in size. Mike is also the assistant coach at a high school in Cincinnati called LaSalle. There he works with kids maintain and enhancing their skills as athletes and gets the chance to participate in helping the Varsity team out once the JV season ends due to his knowledge of pitching.
What Abco Safety does is they are a distributer of safety equipment to various businesses around the country. They are the middle-man to the vendors that come to them for various products. They try and make sure that each time an order comes in that it will be sent out within the same day so that they can adhere to the demand of their customers. They try and build close relationships with the companies they sell to in order to gain their trust and have no issue in going the extra mile in making sure every customer gets exactly what they want and make sure the delivery is on time.
Mike has made a very big connection between having a job in the big world of business and also with the sports industry world as well. He has made the connection between companies being compared to a team that you are on in sports. With every team there are important positions that you have to put trust in the teammates at those various spots. If one person within the business does not do their job correctly then that could mean issues for the other departments within. Just as if a player is not doing their job at the position that they play, could tear the whole team apart which can then translate to a lack of success within the program.
Mikes advice for anyone following a similar path is from his experience in being an athlete you need to be on time and have a good appearance. To succeed you have to want to be the best and set high goals and expectations for yourself. You have to be passionate about what you do and try to once again be the best at what you do. These few things have carried him a long way since college and it has really paid off.