A two-sport Prairie Fire athlete who is nearing graduation is a step closer to achieving his dream.
Zach Ricketts '11, a football and baseball player majoring in
environmental studies, recently received welcome news - he’s going to Boston for an internship with the Boston Red Sox after he earns his degree from Knox College in June.
Ricketts hopes to be a head groundskeeper for a Major League Baseball team someday. Working in historic Fenway Park will give him a taste of what’s really involved in maintaining one of the most well known ball diamonds in the world.
Ricketts got the ball rolling by talking to as many people as possible and sending resumes to all of the Major League Baseball teams. He heard back from some of them, but actually received a call from Dave Mellor, the head groundskeeper for the Red Sox the week of November 8.
Ricketts expects to learn all aspects of groundskeeping while working for the Red Sox at historic Fenway Park.
"It'll be pretty much all everyday duties that you do during the season. It's a full-time groundskeeping internship," Ricketts said. He says he'll begin the job, which is a paid internship, after he graduates in June and continue until Thanksgiving in 2011. "Theirs is actually a larger staff and (Mellor) says it can be up to eight interns. It's run a little bit different," he said. "Boston has more interns do the actual work as opposed to some teams, which have seasonal employees and the interns do more watching. The interns will be doing pretty much everything for the Red Sox."
Ricketts believes his experiences at Knox, in the classroom and outside working on the baseball diamond, will prepare him well for what’s ahead. He cited the environmental studies curriculum as a benefit, as well as classes in weather and Spanish. “Everything touched on some aspect of what I’ll be doing,” he said.
Ricketts' passion for working on baseball diamonds goes back to his childhood.
"I remember when I was real young I would follow my dad around with a pretend mower and mow behind him. We'd always made our back yard into a baseball field. I put stripes in it and we had a mound, so I've been doing it for a long time. I guess maybe around high school and the beginning of college is when I said, 'Wow, I could actually do this for a job,' but I've always loved doing it."
He began maintaining Blodgett Field after Prairie Fire Baseball Coach
Jami Isaacson and Knox Director of Grounds John Steller asked him if he'd be interested in the job. "It's worked out great," Ricketts said.
Taking care of a baseball field involves many hours, and that's part of the reason Ricketts enjoys it so much.
"It's so peaceful, it's unbelievable. I think my favorite time to be out here is Saturday morning before a game. You get out here at 7:00, and you're the only person here, and it's so nice. You are the last person to leave too, later on in the evening," he said.
Ricketts did an internship last summer with the Burlington Bees, a Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. He was part of the grounds crew that maintained the field, typically working 14 hour days when the team was at home. Ricketts was among three interns who worked under Bees head groundskeeper T.J. Brewer.
Wearing a newly purchased Boston Red Sox cap as he worked on Blodgett Field, Ricketts was asked if his upcoming internship would affect his allegiance to the Chicago Cubs.
"I'll still be a Cubs fan but I'll probably also be rooting for the Red Sox big time."s hard at work cutting the
Ricketts admits he's still a little overwhelmed after learning he'll be part of the crew that maintains the home of the Green Monster and so much baseball history.
"Just walking in there for the first time, showing up to work at a Major League field, I think that will be an unbelievable feeling," he said.
The opportunity in Boston is one that could result in a permanent groundskeeping position.
"I asked what the future looked like after an internship and Mellor said he's placed a lot of guys on his full-time staff and he also has a lot of connections with other Major League teams and NFL teams as well. I'd definitely next summer like to get on with someone full-time," Ricketts said.
Ricketts also will face another challenge besides his duties in Boston -- being away from home for an extended period for the first time. He's now learning about the city and envisions sharing an apartment near the stadium with some of the other interns.
Now a step closer to achieving his dream, Ricketts took a few seconds to reflect on what's ahead.
"It's really weird to think I'll be at a Major League stadium next summer. That really hasn't sunk in yet. It's pretty cool."