Mention baseball and even the greenest sports fan will probably think of pitching icon Sandy Koufax in his classic number 32 blue and white Dodgers jersey. One of the most beloved and renowned teams on the scene, the Dodgers have been a source of pride for Major League Baseball (MLB) fans ranging from Long Island to the west coast since they were first founded back in 1883. What has made the Dodgers such a household name? And why are they still referred to as the Brooklyn Dodgers despite their hometown being Los Angeles? Read on for more history on one of baseball's most successful teams in the world.
The Pride of Brooklyn
Before we go back to the beginning, let's address the elephant in the room. Before the Dodgers took up their title of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team had made a name for themself as one of the most well-supported and adored teams in baseball history in a location about as far removed from Los Angeles as you could be in 1957, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Dodgers left their hometown alongside their main rivals, the Giants, in a move that left a string of broken hearts behind them but which ultimately catapulted the already famous team to new heights. Now, let's go back to a time before the Boys in Blue became the sweethearts of Los Angeles.
Where It All Began
Before all the fame and the glory, the Dodgers were known by the far less memorable moniker of the Brooklyn Grays, a team that was founded by long-time baseball fan Charles Byrne in 1883. In their first home, Washington Park, the team rose from strength to strength before finally making a name for themselves when they secured the 1889 American Association League Championship title under a new name, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, also known as the Superbas. After picking up their first big win, the Superbas moved to the National League, where they extended their winning streak and picked up the championship title in their inaugural season. Being the first team in history to achieve such a feat, it is no small wonder that the team started attracting some major interest from sponsors and players alike.
After picking up a second National title in 1900, interest in the team, now dubbed the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, skyrocketed, resulting in then-manager Ned Hanlon setting his sights on owning the team to move them to Baltimore. Fortunately for Brooklyn, loyal fan and co-owner of the team, Charles Ebbets stepped in, almost bankrupting himself to buy the team, keep them in their hometown (for now at least), even going so far as to build a brand-new stadium, the now famous Ebbets Field. The new baseball stadium, built over a former garbage dump called Pigtown, would go on to become one of the most iconic stadiums of baseball's golden age after its completion in 1913.
A Swing and a Miss
While their hometown stadium grew from strength to strength, the next few years proved rocky for the Superbas, whose fame resulted in several key players being poached from the line-up. After narrowly avoiding a 100-loss streak in 1904 to end in sixth place in the National League, fans hoped the bad luck would come to an end for the embattled team. Unfortunately, the blows would continue to land, as they posted a record low of 48-104 in the season of 1905 in Ned Hanlon's final season as manager. While their fans tried their utmost not to lose hope, the team continued to struggle despite being under new management, with the 1900s proving a trying time for the former champions.
Becoming the Dodgers
In 1911, following a long string of disappointing results, and without a finish above fifth place, the team changed its name to the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers. This name was soon shortened to just "Dodgers" before being changed yet again in 1914 when the team became the Robins. The Robins would finally show their fans that their faith was well-placed, with the titular Wilbert Robinson bringing the team partly out of its slump before his retirement at the end of 1931. At this time, the team decided to revert to being the Dodgers, a name that it has held onto since.
The End of An Era
After many trying years, the Dodgers finally found their feet in the late 1930s, eventually pulling ahead of the pack to finish in third place in 1939, their highest ranking since 1916. The rest, you could say, is history, as the Dodgers went on to pick up National League pennants in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1953, and 1953. Unfortunately, a World Series win continued to elude the team, at least until 1955 when the team bested the Yankees to win their first World Series title. This surge of success was a prelude to the team's move to Los Angeles, where they would continue their winning streak. In their new home, the Los Angeles Dodgers would go on to shape baseball history even further, ultimately cementing their place in the history books as one of the most profitable teams in MLB.
AI in Sports: How It's Changing Player Performance & Fan Experience
The introduction of Artificial Intelligence or AI in sports is rapidly growing as it is revolutionizing the experience for both fans and players, bringing significant changes for greater communication.
Artificial Intelligence has been improving the sports we watch and analyze for nearly the past 20 years, but the latest generation of ultra-modern AI tools is revolutionizing every aspect of sports, from improving player and team performances to ensuring safety along with fan engagement and the experiences.
AI can process and store large amounts of data, which allows us to gain insights that we couldn't see before. This capability is at the center of the revolution. For the players, this brings improved strategies, varied training methods, and a significantly lower risk of injury.
The fans enjoy a whole new level of engagement in the game, thanks to Al-powered platforms providing content tailored to them, such as virtual reality experiences and more.
The massive impact of AI in the Sports Industry
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the Sports Industry rapidly by offering solutions to common problems such as individual performance, tactical requirements, injuries and recoveries, variations in training, etc.
The capacity of AI and GenAI tools to analyze complex data and provide instant insights is ushering in a new era of athletic performance and fan engagement as well.
From predictive analytics that improve player safety and performance to AI-powered viewing experiences for fans, the influence of artificial intelligence is setting the bar higher across the industry.
1. Player and team performance
(Image Credit | Markovate)
GenAI can analyze team and player behavior to reach conclusions that would contribute to improved training and coaching. For example, they can monitor and analyze the movements of players with computer vision.
In this way, they can assess whether an athlete is moving wrongly or could be injured. Machine learning algorithms can watch game videos to identify patterns of the opposing team. Sports coaches can be made to develop wiser game plans and strategies by artificial intelligence.
Some techniques, including motion tracking and motion analysis, can capture changes in the posture, movement, or technique of a player that indicte fatigue or poor motor control.
According to a study by Grand View Research, the sports analytics market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2028, showcasing the rapid growth and demand for advanced analytics tools in sports.
The following two tools are widely applicable to player and team analysis:
SportVU: This system tracks detailed player and ball motion in a game with computer vision and machine learning. It can analyze shot mechanics, accelerations and decelerations, speed, and distance.
KINEXON: This system tracks positional and motion data in real-time by equipping players with sensors.
2. Injury Prediction and Prevention
(Image Credit | Sportsmith)
Injuries occur regularly in professional sports. Identifying and preventing injuries before they even occur is likely one of the most thrilling applications of AI.
Teams can utilize AI algorithms to monitor an individual's motion as they move their joints and strain their muscles. It can search for patterns or instabilities that signify an injury before the symptoms themselves appear.
AI can recognize a slight deviation in the amount of strain a soccer player puts on their knee joint and warn the coaches or medical staff. Way before the injury became acute enough to cause the player to miss games, the team could either give them rest or do exercises to help them recover.
A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global sports medicine market, which incorporates AI-driven health monitoring solutions, is projected to reach $9.3 billion by 2026, underlining the significant role of AI in athlete well-being.
The following two tools could be used in the AI-powered prediction and prevention of injuries:
Sparta Science: It uses computer vision and motion sensing in analyzing movement patterns of an athlete. Based on motion data, biomechanical deficiencies, and especially risks of increased injury, machine learning models are able to identify those.
Zone 7: It measures injury risk using factors such as workload, degree of fatigue, and others through artificial intelligence and research in sports science. Their methods take age, position, body composition, and medical history into account.
3. Training Through AI-Powered Analytics and Wearables
(Image Credit | Sports Tomorrow)
Smartwatches and fitness trackers are examples of wearable technology that have become essential for tracking many of the parameters mentioned earlier.
Wearable GPS devices that can track athletes' speed and location, overall distance traveled, and movement patterns are available to provide relevant information.
Wearable heart rate monitors use optical sensors to measure blood flow in real-time, tracking the heart rate. This is an important aspect of monitoring heart health, fitness levels, and recovery. It also helps in tracking blood oxygen levels, which is another important component of modern-day fitness trackers. They use optical sensors to track the oxygen saturation level of blood.
Since the 2010s, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), such as GPS tracking vests, have been commonly used in professional sports. Such vests are offered with discrete and effective GPS tracking and sensors located on the back and shoulders; they are typically worn as tank tops.
In football and rugby, the vest is mainly utilized to track the location and movement of a player and, thereby, report strengths and weaknesses.
4. Sports Commentary and Reporting
Sports commentary and reporting can automatically be generated from match events and live data by employing natural language processing(NLP) methods like GPT-3. Artificially intelligent commentary not only comments on a strategy but also summarizes the critical events of match play.
Similarly, GenAI can create such highlights, summaries, and post-match data reportage for viewing audiences as well.
NLP methods can make the commentary more dramatic and interesting by taking into account the game statistics and situations in real-time data. With the use of generated personalities and tones, it is possible to accommodate various fan interests in the coverage.
Automated GenAI reporting enhances sports coverage and commentary without losing interesting and captivating stories.
5. Sports Officiating
(Image Credit | Griffon Webstudios)
The use of AI in sports officiating is not without controversy, including traditional backlash and concerns regarding technology's influence on the game. Yet, the improvements it introduces, such as real-time analysis and decision support, are dramatically enhancing the accuracy and fairness of officiating.
Its capabilities to review plays from multiple angles and analyze them in seconds are proving invaluable in high-level games where every call matters.
Despite initial doubts, the use of AI in officiating is increasingly being accepted, with many seeing its potential to eliminate human error and ensure a level playing field.
As the technology improves and its uses extend, its role in assisting fair play and accuracy in sports is poised to increase, ushering in a new era in the use of technology and sportsmanship.
6. Player Scouting
(Image Credit | Intuz)
Team owners are using artificial intelligence to review the performance of the players. To determine the most skilled people to invest in, they use data analysis using artificial intelligence. It takes millions of dollars to find talent in the sports world.
So, team owners would like to ensure that scouting one player is the best decision. Artificial intelligence is used widely in scouting players for any sport, be it cricket, football, or basketball.
AI-powered Change in Fan Engagement and Experiences
1. Personalized Fan Engagement
To provide customised fan experiences, GenAI algorithms can model the preferences and behaviours of audiences. Sports teams and broadcasters can use these insights to optimize engagement across media channels.
For example, social media platforms can deliver tailored video highlights, personalized promotions, and AI-recommended content to resonate with each fan.
The NBA revealed 'NB-AI', allowing fans to activate "movie mode" and watch live games animated like popular films, such as Spider-Man
Based on their past interactions and activities, the Generative AI identifies what content types, sports stats, and topics each fan finds most appealing. It creates and sends personalized content for each person. This level of customization, enabled by GenAI in sports, helps sports organizations connect more deeply with their audiences.
2. Viewing Experiences
GenAI can process live video to generate augmented reality (AR) overlays and graphics that enhance broadcasts or live streams.
For example, shot trajectories, real-time player stats, and situational analysis can be visualized and overlaid onto the gameplay footage. For virtual reality (VR), GenAI can create real-world simulated environments for an immersive in-game perspective.
The key innovation is using Generative AI to dynamically generate and adapt AR/VR overlays and environments on the fly, customized to each moment. As the narrative and action of the game shift, the GenAI-powered augmented experiences shift with them, elevating viewing to multidimensional engagement.
A survey conducted by PwC found that 65% of sports fans are interested in using AR or virtual reality (VR) devices to watch sports, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences enabled by AI-driven technologies.
Conclusion
AI collaboration with sports is making the place safer as well as fairer. Predictive modeling and algorithms in AI are becoming a must for injury prevention. AI guarantees that more accuracy and fairness can be introduced in the outcome of a game by enhancing officiating. Both the aspects of performance and integrity are vital components in ensuring the prosperity and popularity of sports continue.
The impact of AI reaches sports journalism, advertising, and the creation of next-gen sports equipment, beyond the field or court. These innovations create new revenue streams and provide more exciting ways for fans to engage with their beloved sports and teams.
In this sense, artificial intelligence in the sports field could be said to be, by itself, a change not only for the athletes or for the coaches but for the sports system in general. With AI, the sports of the future could easily be foreseen because technology would harmoniously mix with manly athleticism at its highest levels.
Baseball is a great game because it can be played for so little. You don't need extremely expensive equipment to play. You don't often need an expensive location to rent. It is perfect for local communities because it can be enjoyed by almost anyone and is fun to play and watch at practically every level.
It is for all these reasons that many communities have local baseball leagues of their own, especially for kids. Kids, however, are not the only ones who enjoy baseball, and adult amateur leagues can do wonders towards helping the community come together and stay fit all at the same time.
If your local community doesn't have a league that fits you and your level, then there is nothing stopping you from starting one of your own. With this guide, you will know exactly what you need to get your own league up and running and how to keep those upstart and running costs low so that everyone can enjoy.
Ensure There Aren't Local Leagues Already
There may actually be a local league in your area, but they aren't that great at advertising and letting others know it exists. Look through your local newspaper or ad listings, ask around, go to the town hall, or see if there is anything organized through the local gyms or community centres. Once you have exhausted those options and haven't found either any league or a league that suits you, then you can take the next step in starting your own league.
Before you can start a league, you need to have players and interested people. You can do this by putting up flyers, by putting in a local ad, and by using social media. Don't forget word-of-mouth, either. Ask your friends and family and have them spread the word to get in touch with you if they know anyone who might be interested, and so on.
Building a mailing list is essential as you can then get in contact and keep everyone who messaged you informed of what steps you are taking. Once you have enough players for a game, you can, for example, start looking at fields to rent.
A great way to keep costs low is to have every member get their own equipment. If you are trying to put together a league for amateurs, this can be very useful and can help those just getting into the sport properly. You can even float the idea of using part of the membership fee to cover basic costs, from field rental all the way to Lizard Skins bat grip tape.
Having everyone vote is another great way to keep the members engaged. Polls are easy to manage online. Some things you can vote on include what everyone wants to split costs on. Essential things, like field rental, are non-negotiable, but you can also split the cost into everyday equipment items like that bat grip tape so that it is always available and on hand.
This will give you a better idea of what the membership fee should be and also ensure that everyone knows where their membership fee money will be going.
While professionally maintained fields may require a rental price, there are many local areas where you may be able to play for free. Parks and even schools are great places to go to, as you can get in touch with either your city or the school board to discuss hosting your league there at certain times (usually on the weekends).
Decide on the Membership Fee
Membership fees cover the communal cost of running the league. It should cover field rental, game equipment like diamonds, a first aid kit, and even a small marketing budget to get the word out there about the league, any games, and of course, if you hold a tournament.
How Will Teams be Split Up?
As interest and your list grows, you will need to decide how teams are split up. This can be entirely random, it can be based on a skillset, it can be through a draft, or it can be a hybrid mix of options. The approach that suits your league best will depend entirely on how many are there to play regularly. If it is a small group splitting up everyone randomly on the day for a game may be all you can manage. If your league grows, you can then start putting people together with those of similar skill sets.
Create a Schedule
While everyone will need to pay a membership fee, there also shouldn't be a penalty for not showing up. This is meant to be fun, and other responsibilities and events are going to take priority from time to time. That is why you will want to create a schedule so that people have options.
For example, you could meet twice a week. The first time could be a batting cage session and practice on a weeknight. The second time you meet up could be on the weekend for a few games randomly split up. This way, people have the option and can likely make more time to get out there, stay fit, make friends, and play baseball than otherwise.
If you have at least one team that is very good, you will want to look into entering local competitions with other leagues in the area. This often requires a fee, and you often need to go through a few hoops, from registering the team to following the rules of the tournament.
Getting Sponsors
As you grow your local baseball league, you can expand, and to expand, you will want to look into sponsors. You can get local businesses to advertise on your uniforms, have a sponsored drink partner and more. Use the funds from that to enter into competitions, expand your league for new members, and even to manage other community outreach programs.
A baseball league has the chance to keep people fit and bring a community together. If your local area doesn't have one, use these tips and get started. You, your friends, and your community will thank you.
For sports fans around the world, predictions are a crucial part of being a supporter. They give you the run down not only on your team and how they should progress in the season to come, but on your opponents too and who you should look out for. Predictions are also a great help when it comes to placing sports bets and give you a better chance of winning. Platforms like BetMGM Maryland sportsbook allow you to place your bets, as well as take advantage of a range of bonuses and promotions.
If you're interested in finding the best sports predictions for next season, whether it's NFL, baseball, or soccer, read on to find out more.
Although the NFL season for 2022/23 doesn't kick off until September, it's never too soon to start making predictions of how it may turn out for the teams! There are many factors that can affect predictions going into the next season such as the success of certain teams off the back of the season past, as well as off-season additions to the team. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is wait and see â but here are a few results that may ring true next season.
There are a few games, seven in total that the Miami Dolphins need to win if they're going to consider themselves contenders for the playoffs. Playing the way they have been and pulling it out of the bag means that the Miami Dolphins should get over the line with 8.5.
New England Patriots
If the Patriots are looking to hit the over, there are a few things they need to take care of going into the next season. They will need to make sure that the coaching staff can take on necessary roles to ensure they're building a strong defence and address problems like the linebacker and cornerback positions.
New York Jets
The New York Jets have been building from the ground up with improvements in coaching and on the field. The Jets should surely be able to win six games and should be giving it their all next season. All eyes will be on quarterback Zach Wilson and his development throughout the year.
MLB Predictions for the season
Image â The Verge
Major League Baseball is one of the most followed sports in the US, with fans not just in America but all over the world too. The seasons are broken up into three parts, pre-season, regular season and post-season. The pre-season is training to get fit and work to get in shape for the coming season. With the regular season packed full of gruelling games that run from April to late September, here are some of the predictions going into 2022.
2022 MVP
One of the bold claims made before the MLB season started was that Yankees all-star Joey Gallo, in his prime could receive votes for 2022 MLB MVP. He is expected to find himself in the conversation around MVP and we are all expecting to see him hit a high batting average, resulting in more home runs for Gallo and more victories for the Yankees.
With quality pitchers galore at their disposal this season, The Brewers are expected to use their elite pitching credentials to bring home the World Series win in 2022. They have always been an under the radar kind of team, but don't sleep on them this year. Their rotation features three of the biggest stars in baseball today, all dominant in how they play â look out for The Brewers as the season plays out.
MLS Predictions
Image â Fortune
Major league soccer is the top soccer league in the US and with the 2022 season running from February to October, let's take a look at some of the predictions for this year.
New England Revolution
Due to New England Revolutions Supporters' Shield success, the trophies are set to continue into the 2022 season. Playing to such a high standard in 2021, they have no reason to stop now and settle with what they've achieved. Expect to see this team storming the MLS cup race in the months to come.
Kings of the MLS, this team boasts new and talented players, with plenty of midfield capacity. They have a couple of open spots to fill this season, so with any luck, they could end up with an even stronger team. New York City FC has shown that they're able to work out the play-offs, so in the upcoming season, there's nothing to stop them from being the team to beat!
For sports fans around the world, predictions are a crucial part of being a supporter. They give you the run down not only on your team and how they should progress in the season to come, but on your opponents too and who you should look out for. Predictions are also a great help when it comes to placing sports bets and give you a better chance of winning. Platforms like BetMGM Maryland sportsbook allow you to place your bets, as well as take advantage of a range of bonuses and promotions.
If you're interested in finding the best sports predictions for next season, whether it's NFL, baseball, or soccer, read on to find out more.
Although the NFL season for 2022/23 doesn't kick off until September, it's never too soon to start making predictions of how it may turn out for the teams! There are many factors that can affect predictions going into the next season such as the success of certain teams off the back of the season past, as well as off-season additions to the team. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is wait and see — but here are a few results that may ring true next season.
There are a few games, seven in total that the Miami Dolphins need to win if they're going to consider themselves contenders for the playoffs. Playing the way they have been and pulling it out of the bag means that the Miami Dolphins should get over the line with 8.5.
New England Patriots
If the Patriots are looking to hit the over, there are a few things they need to take care of going into the next season. They will need to make sure that the coaching staff can take on necessary roles to ensure they're building a strong defence and address problems like the linebacker and cornerback positions.
New York Jets
The New York Jets have been building from the ground up with improvements in coaching and on the field. The Jets should surely be able to win six games and should be giving it their all next season. All eyes will be on quarterback Zach Wilson and his development throughout the year.
MLB Predictions for the season
Image - The Verge
Major League Baseball is one of the most followed sports in the US, with fans not just in America but all over the world too. The seasons are broken up into three parts, pre-season, regular season and post-season. The pre-season is training to get fit and work to get in shape for the coming season. With the regular season packed full of gruelling games that run from April to late September, here are some of the predictions going into 2022.
2022 MVP
One of the bold claims made before the MLB season started was that Yankees all-star Joey Gallo, in his prime could receive votes for 2022 MLB MVP. He is expected to find himself in the conversation around MVP and we are all expecting to see him hit a high batting average, resulting in more home runs for Gallo and more victories for the Yankees.
With quality pitchers galore at their disposal this season, The Brewers are expected to use their elite pitching credentials to bring home the World Series win in 2022. They have always been an under the radar kind of team, but don't sleep on them this year. Their rotation features three of the biggest stars in baseball today, all dominant in how they play — look out for The Brewers as the season plays out.
MLS Predictions
Image - Fortune
Major league soccer is the top soccer league in the US and with the 2022 season running from February to October, let's take a look at some of the predictions for this year.
New England Revolution
Due to New England Revolutions Supporters' Shield success, the trophies are set to continue into the 2022 season. Playing to such a high standard in 2021, they have no reason to stop now and settle with what they've achieved. Expect to see this team storming the MLS cup race in the months to come.
Kings of the MLS, this team boasts new and talented players, with plenty of midfield capacity. They have a couple of open spots to fill this season, so with any luck, they could end up with an even stronger team. New York City FC has shown that they're able to work out the play-offs, so in the upcoming season, there's nothing to stop them from being the team to beat!
Women in sports have always been a sensitive topic. Somehow the world is now recognizing gender equality in the sports industry. However, it was never the case from the beginning. Legends like Billie Jean King stood up for the women in sports with their leadership skills and will to change.
We, Sportz Point always found how gender parity, respect, and equality can make huge changes in life and sports. This section will cover some great contributions from female athletes, leaders, and women around the world. Every Tuesday there will be a new article on Women In Sports.
In our first article of the series, we will put a light on the sport- Baseball. To be more clear, Pro Baseball and the Major League Baseball (MLB).
Women In Sports: Female Coaches in Pro Baseball and MLB
Baseball has always been a men-oriented game. The MLB is a league structure based on male athletes, male support staff, coaches, physios, doctors, and many.
Yet, there is been few who were willing to make changes. Moreover was dedicated and strong enough to make changes.
Female Coaches in Pro Baseball and Major League Baseball
Justine Siegal: The First-ever female coach in Pro Baseball and MLB
Justine Siegal was the first-ever female to coach a men's team in professional baseball. In 2009, she was hired by the Brockton Rox.
Justine has a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from Springfield College and was always wanted to be a Baseball Coach from the small age of 16.
After making history in 2009, it was just a matter of time before Justine debuted in the MLB as a coach. In 2015, she became the first-ever female coach in Major League Baseball. She was the coach of Oakland Athletics.
Along with that, she was also the first-ever female to throw batting practice to an MLB team during Spring Training. Justine has many more achievements in her career as a coach. She coached the Japan and Mexico Baseball team as a guest coach in 2019.
Beating stereotypes has been the feature of Justine Siegal. From once being told that girls only play softballs to being a coach of a men's pro baseball team, she is been an inspiration to many.
Justine is currently a baseball consultant for the tv show, A League of Their Own.
Rachel Balkovec: First-ever hitting coach in the MLB
Rachel Balkovec is another trendsetter in the Baseball game as a female. She is the first-ever hitting coach in Major League Baseball.
In 2019, New York Yankees appointed Rachel as their hitting coach. Before that, Rachel worked as a strength and conditioning coordinator with the Johnson City Affiliate in 2016. It was also the first time a woman had held that role in baseball.
Rachel, a woman of determination faced gender inequality issues throughout her career. In an interview with CBS News, she has explained how she was rejected in the MLB just because she was a female.
But, she never gave up. Rachel started changing her name Rae in all of her applications. Boom! she was getting calls straightaway for the job. Eventually, she ended up joining the St. Louis Cardinals as a strength and conditioning coach.
Her fighting spirit and determination to combat any situation is a lesson for any female who wants to make a change.
Another Rachel, and nearly the same story of passion, hard work, talent, and determination.
On the same day, Balkovec was hired by the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs hired Rachel Holden as their hitting coach in 2019.
Before coming to coaching Holden was a four-time All-American softball player at Marshall. Post her retirement, she took up coaching. But, found the gender imparity issue in the recruiting system. Hence, she went onto make her own company, Folden Fastpitch.
Rachel Holding teaching power drills.
As her training methods and tools started getting popular, she found herself at Justin Stone's Elite Baseball Training academy. She used to teach hitting swings to both male and female players. In 2019 as Justin was appointed by the Chicago Cubs, Folden also joined them as a full-time hitting coach.
On July 20, 2020, Alyssa Nakken made history by becoming the first-ever full-time female coach in MLB history.
She was in the first-base coaching box for the San Francisco Giants in the final innings of an exhibition game.
Though, Alyssa who never thought of being a coach served the Francisco baseball operations department for six years. She worked there on multiple roles including the health and wellness programs of the department.
Alyssa will focus on fostering a clubhouse culture in the Giants team.
Alyssa was also a great softball player in her time. She is a three-time all-conference selection and a four-time Academic All-American at Sacramento State. She also has a sports management degree from the University of San Francisco.
"Coaching, I never saw it. This job has kind of been hidden for so long. I'm so excited to be in this role for the challenge and the opportunity to make an impact for this organization that I love. But also, I'm excited that now girls can see there is a job on the field in baseball. It's really cool."
Alyssa on being the First full-time female coach in MLB history
Bianca Smith: The First Black Woman to Coach in Pro Baseball
Racism in sports was always a subject of matter just like gender imparity. However, it seems like it is getting a bit less as the Boston Red Sox hired Bianca Smith as their coach in the minor league.
Though, Bianca aspires to be a major league coach one day. Bianca, who is a die-hard Red Sox fan, remembers her mother who was a Yankees fan.
In her resume, Bianca had Two graduate degrees — one in sports business, the other in sports law. Internships with the Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers and one with Major League Baseball. College coaching experience. Certifications on multiple software programs that analyze pitching and hitting. And, the Red Sox could not help themselves from recruiting Bianca as their coach.
While being the coach on Division III Carroll University's baseball team, someone had asked her what she did. As in reply, she had told she was the coach of the team, the man said, "That team's going to lose."
Bianca says she kept on proving herself.
"I try to use as fuel. I try to prove them wrong."
Women like these have made a valuable contribution to the empowerment of women in sports and gender equality in sports. I hope this series "Women in sports" inspires every man and woman to break that stereotypes and bring change to the world. The episode - Female coaches in pro baseball is dedicated to all the women still fighting to break all the gender barriers.
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