This week’s Alumni Spotlight beams on to 2006 Communication Studies graduate Eric Flemming. I chose to profile Eric for this spotlight because he has managed to land a job that many of you dream about. Really. I can name several of you off the top of my head who would want Eric’s job. Why? Because he works for the World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants!
Eric is the Minor League Operations Assistant and has worked in this capacity since 2007. After he graduated with his Communication Studies degree, Eric graduated with his MA from USF’s Sports Management program in 2008. He works for the Baseball Operations Department which is responsible for player development, scouting, and rosters for the San Francisco Giants ML club and the seven minor league clubs. He works with about 200 minor league players and about 45 minor league coaching staff members and helps them with their everyday tasks. He also assists their scouting department during the draft with video and stat spreadsheets and assists the Vice-President of Baseball Operations with his tasks, such as contacting agents, speaking with the commissioner’s office, speaking with other teams, and other day to day operations that pop up for a ML baseball team. Didn’t I tell you that many of you would want Eric’s job? Wait, it gets better.
One of the perks of working for the team that goes to the World Series is that Eric also got to go to the World Series! He also marched proudly (I could have said “walked” but I’m pretty sure that he marched proudly) in the parade in honor of the San Francisco Giants.
One of the other reasons I chose to profile Eric is because I think that he has really landed his dream job (I actually don’t just think this, he told me this when I asked him to speak as our Alumni Speaker a few years ago). According to Eric, “I love working in a competitive environment where you are trying to be better/work harder than 29 other teams and try to win a Championship every year. I also love that every year is different. The work is pretty much the same, but the rosters are always different, the games are different, the draft prospects are different, and the outcomes are always different. That keeps the job from getting stale and really motivates everybody I work with to come in everyday and outwork other teams.”
Congratulations, Eric!
Eric and his wife, Caitlin, posing with the National League Championship Trophy and the World Series Trophy
Good Job Eric! Glad to see another alumni reveling in success!