Shapiro to help introduce Cleveland chapter of PCA
Cleveland Indians President Mark Shapiro will be among a number of sports executives in attendance at Progressive Field this afternoon to help launch the Cleveland chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance.
The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is an organization that focuses on educating youth sports coaches, parents and athletes to emphasize character building and life lessons in addition to competition in the youth sports environment.
The PCA was formed at Stanford University in 1998 and offers a variety of workshops and online courses for people involved in different areas of youth athletics. Shapiro joined the National Board of Directors in 2012.
“I joined the National Advisory Board of PCA after I learned about the great work they were doing in helping to insure that youth sports is the positive, life forming experience it has the potential to be,” said Shapiro. “Sports has been a big part of the fabric of my life but my exposure to youth sports through my son’s experiences made me realize how much of the eyepiece depends upon the coach and his approach. PCA has a program and philosophy that is scalable and approaches the sports from a holistic approach guiding the coaches, parents and athletes.”
After joining the National Board of Directors, Shapiro quickly focused on bringing a chapter of the organization to Cleveland, and he spearheaded the effort to open the PCA’s 8th regional office in the city.
“Cleveland is my home, my community and where I am raising my family. I want the Cleveland market to benefit from the great work that PCA does. The natural way to insure this happens and happens soon was to partner with PCA and other like-minded local leaders to help being a chapter to Cleveland,” said Shapiro.
The Indians President said his goals for the Cleveland chapter of PCA are to impact the youth sports experience of as many local coaches, athletes and families as possible, and that youth sports provide valuable building blocks of successes both on and off the field.
For more information on the Positive Coaching Alliance, visit: PositiveCoach.org.
– TribeVibe Contributor Max Lom
Die-hard Tribe fan serving as Spring Training correspondent for TribeVibe
The Tribe is happy to announce that for the first time, the club will have a Fan Correspondent in Goodyear, AZ! If you are a Cleveland fan who is also into social media, you’ve probably seen her online or near the sidelines: @ClevelandChick, also known as Traci. She will be covering Spring Training from a fan’s perspective — where to get autographs, how to watch batting practice, what it’s like to travel to other ballparks, and more. Traci also will be fielding your questions in interviews with some notable Cleveland Indians.
She is definitely a die-hard fan, who is also a big fan of Ketchup – “he doesn’t cheat, he improvises.” Traci also won her first 10-speed bicycle at an Indians game: “It was a powder blue Huffy with a denim seat and rainbow stripes.” TribeVibe caught up with this fashionable Cleveland Chick before she heads west to the Cactus League and asked her a few questions:
TV: Have you been to Goodyear/Winter Haven in the past? If so, what was your experience like there?
CC: Going to Spring Training had always been a dream vacation of mine and when the Tribe announced that they were moving to Goodyear, it was a sign. This will be my fifth season going to Goodyear. My experience at Spring Training has been nothing short of fantastic. Let’s face it: palm trees, sunshine, and Tribe baseball … how could you go wrong?
TV: Why do you like to go to Spring Training?
CC: I love the easy-going vibe that surrounds Spring Training. The players are loose and joking around. The ushers are amazing at Goodyear, letting you walk around and take pictures or try to snag autographs. Meeting other fans is a great bonus. Walking into the ballpark, you can’t help but smile seeing all the old-timers decked out in their Tribe gear. Did I mention the sunshine, palm trees and baseball?
TV: Outside of the baseball, what has been your favorite part of Spring Training in the past?
CC: Spring Training is full of baseball fans from all over the country. I follow the Tribe to all of their “away” games, checking out each of the other ballparks. I’m particularly looking forward to the game against the Cubs. Each home park tries to take on the feeling of their team. Goodyear has Stadium Mustard and the Cubs park has red hots and old style. At the last Spring Training game against the Cubs, I saw an entire row of grown men with fuzzy bear ears sewn on their hats.
TV: What are you looking forward to the most this year?
CC: I’m looking forward to meeting the players, getting some autographs and watching Tribe baseball. More importantly though, I’m looking forward to spending quality time with my dad. A few years ago after my second trip to Goodyear, my dad told me going to Spring Training had always been his dream. So, this year, my dad is my travel buddy. After all the Indians games he took me to as a little girl, I had to do this for him.
Check back next week as Traci begins her journey!
– TribeVibe contributor Courtney Shilling
Traci, a Cleveland native, blogs independently at www.HappinessIsaHotPierogi.com and is in Goodyear this spring and writing about the Indians for TribeVibe. The Indians are not compensating her for her coverage, nor did they fund her travel. You can follow all of Traci’s Spring Training adventure on Twitter at @ClevelandChick and of course, here on TribeVibe.
Tribe wins MLB Wild Card award for keeping our field green
The Cleveland Indians were recently awarded a Wild Card spot for MLB’s 2012 Green Glove Award, a competition designed to promote better environmental practices throughout the league. In recognition of the club’s sustainability efforts, Brad Mohr – the Assistant Director of Ballpark Operations at Progressive Field – was invited to the White House for a forum on sustainability in sports last year. Next month, he’ll be headed to Sydney and Melbourne to speak at the Sports Sustainability United Summit. He has also presented at the Green Sports Alliance Summit the past two years and is very active in the sustainability community in Northeast Ohio. TribeVibe caught up with this industry-leader and asked him a few questions about the Tribe’s green efforts.
TribeVibe: What did the Cleveland Indians do to improve their diversion rate – the percentage of waste materials diverted from traditional disposal – in 2012?
Brad Mohr: We continued to take a serious, thorough look at our trash and recycling procedures in 2012, which paid off in another dramatic drop in trash going to the landfill. The most impactful improvement was the composting of organic material. Organic material that can be composted is anything that will break down in a natural environment such as food prep scraps, leftover food that cannot be donated and grass clippings. Our organics are sent to a facility that makes and sells mulch. We began composting as a pilot program late 2010 and we discovered we could compost a great amount of our waste. We went full throttle on composting in 2011 and recycled over 20 tons of organics. With composting becoming more and more a part of our operation and culture with education and familiarity, we composted 53 tons of organic material in 2012. That amounts to 21% of all of our recycling weight.
We continued to be consistent recyclers of other materials by saving from the landfill:
- 34 tons of aluminum and plastic beverage containers
- 69.5 tons of cardboard
- 31 tons of paper
- 19 tons of metals
- 20 tons of wooden pallets
- 13 tons of fryer oil
- 2.5 tons of electronics
- and an astonishing 2/3 of a ton of light bulbs
All together, we recycled 248 tons of materials. Compare that with 408 tons of trash and we have a diversion rate of 38%.
Indians fan Alexandria Justice a finalist for MLB Fan Cave
Indians fan and MLB Fan Cave finalist Alexandria Justice (left) heads to Goodyear this week.
The Tribe officially has a fan flying out to Spring Training to compete for a spot in the MLB Fan Cave! Alexandria Justice was selected as a Top 30 finalist late on Tuesday and will arrive in Goodyear on Monday. TribeVibe caught up with Alex before she heads to Arizona to demonstrate why she is the ultimate baseball fan.
TribeVibe: What was your reaction when you found out you made the Top 30?
Alexandria Justice: Just like for the top 50, I’m not afraid to admit that I cried like a baby. Waiting for them to announce the top 30 after the voting closed at 5 p.m. was almost the death of me. I swear I didn’t blink for minutes at a time while staring at my computer screen and started to get lightheaded from holding my breath. Finally, I refreshed the page for the millionth time and there I was, in the top 30. My best friend was waiting outside of my room (I wanted to be alone, just in case) so when I screamed, “OH MY GOD, I LOVE EVERYONE IN THE WORLD!” she got the hint that it was safe to come in. She picked me up, spun me around, and we freaked out for the next five minutes. Once again, it was hard to believe that I wasn’t dreaming.
Indians trainer Michael Salazar lost a bet — and has settled up
Indians assistant athletic trainer Michael Salazar, a rabid Notre Dame fan, lost a National Championship Game bet to strength coach Joe Kessler.
Then, this happened on Friday in Goodyear, Ariz.
Q&A with Jonathan Levey, MLB Fan Cave Candidate
We are proud to have two candidates in the running for the MLB Fan Cave contest! We asked each of our candidates some questions to help you get to know them better and explain why they should represent the Cleveland Indians in the Fan Cave. Don’t forget to go vote for Jonathan here and follow him on Twitter @jlevey!
What is your favorite Tribe memory? Where were you and why does it stand out?
My favorite Tribe memory is when Tony Pena hit the walk-off home run with two outs in the 13th inning to win Game 1 of the 1995 American League Division Series versus the Red Sox. It gave me goosebumps as a fan, as it was the Indians’ first postseason win since the clinching Game 6 in the 1948 World Series. I was watching the game with my dad and stepmom. It was a school night so it was even more special to get to stay up late that night to witness the extra-inning heroics.
Who is your favorite Indians player of all time, and why?
My favorite Indians player of all time is Roberto Alomar, because I was a second baseman growing up and viewed him as an idol. Well, he was the best second baseman of his era, and I enjoyed every moment of his three seasons with the Tribe. I admired him so much that I went to Toronto in July 2011 to see the Blue Jays retire their first number, Roberto Alomar’s No. 12, one week after Alomar became the first Hall of Famer to be inducted as a Blue Jay.
There are two Indians fans as hopefuls for the Fan Cave. Why should fans vote for you? What makes you a great representative of the Cleveland Indians?
Fans should vote for me because I’m a fellow Clevelander and I’m a loyal, lifelong Indians fan. It would be a dream of an opportunity to be in the MLB Fan Cave and to represent the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Indians.
Q&A with Alexandria Justice, MLB Fan Cave Candidate
We are proud to have two candidates in the running for the MLB Fan Cave contest! We asked each of our candidates some questions to help you get to know them better and explain why they should represent the Cleveland Indians in the Fan Cave. Don’t forget to go vote for Alex here and follow her on Twitter @alexjustice4all!
What is your favorite Tribe memory? Where were you and why does it stand out?
I have so many amazing memories of the Tribe, but if I had to pick just one, it just might be from the playoffs against the Yankees back in 2007. If not for the Indians, Cleveland public schools wouldn’t have had baseball and softball teams because of a lack of funding. Since my three other siblings and I played for John Marshall, this meant a lot to me. The Indians organization not only kept our teams alive, they also invited us to many events where we had the opportunity to hang out with the players. At the first playoff game in 2007, the Indians invited the softball and baseball teams to hold out the giant American flag on the field for the singing of the National Anthem at the beginning of the game. I cannot even begin to describe how sick that experience was — and to make that unforgettable day even better, we ended up crushing the Yankees in a beautiful 12-3 win.
Who is your favorite Indians player of all time and why?
It is so tough to choose just one of these amazing and talented guys, but I have to say my favorite of all time is Omar Vizquel. In the 10 years that he was with us, I can’t even count the number of times he left me in awe over the moves he would pull on the field. From his incredible offensive performance in the playoff runs in the 90s, to the three-run triple he hit against the Seattle Mariners in 2001 that tied the game and eventually led to a win and the greatest comeback in MLB history, to when he caught the catcher sleeping and stole home against the Detroit Tigers in 2003. His talent was pretty much limitless. Now that he is retired, I am eager to see him come back home in the next few years so he can give us just a little bit more of his magic again.
There are two Indians fans as hopefuls for the Fan Cave. Why should fans vote for you? What makes you a great representative of the Cleveland Indians?
First of all, I am so thrilled to have not only one Indians fan in the running to be in the Cave, but TWO of us. I like the odds! I know that I would make the perfect representative of the Tribe for many reasons. Most of all, though, I just want to give something back to the Indians. The MLB has provided me with 21 years of the great game of baseball, and the Indians provided my sisters and me with four years of softball in high school, and four years of baseball for my brother. Without his high school experience, he never would have lived his dream playing college baseball. Between attending home and away games, watching games on TV, being able to play in high school and seeing the happiness baseball brings my entire family, I could not be more thankful for all that the Indians have provided me. I just want to have an opportunity to show how grateful I am by proving in the MLB Fan Cave how truly passionate Cleveland fans are. My bond with them extends to almost every part of my life, and I only want to continue making our relationship more and more unique by representing them.
Sunny Weather and Timeless Tribe Memories ahead at Spring Training
Can’t wait for Opening Day? For some Tribe fans, enjoying sunlit baseball games begins well before April. Spring Training is quickly approaching, with just eleven days until pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Arizona.
TribeVibe had the chance to speak with Ryan Lantz, Manager of Spring Training Operations, on what makes a trip out to Goodyear such an awesome experience for Indians fans.
“First of all, the weather is incredible this time year,” Lantz explained. A quick peek at the forecast and sure enough, it’ll be sunny: in the mid-to-high 70’s.
“It’s also really the perfect time to get an up close and personal experience with the players, in a laid back atmosphere.”
The meet-and-greets and availability of the players lends to plenty of opportunities for fans to get autographs and interact with the team.
“Once the workouts start, one of the best opportunities to get autographs is 8:30-11:30 AM. Before the games, the place to be is down the first-base line. You can also come and catch BP on the major fields.”
TV also spoke with Tom Bowen, a huge Tribe fan and a regular at Spring Training who is excited for a relaxing vacation and to meet some of the new Tribe players.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting some of the players up close, especially [Nick] Swisher,” Bowen said. “In the past, my wife and I got the chance to meet and talk with Justin Masterson a few times, who is just a really friendly, nice guy.”
Lantz and Bowen both love that all of the Cactus League ballparks are within a 45-minute drive, with most being twenty minutes or less, which is a huge draw for those who want to maximize the amount of games they can attend.
“It’s really nice to be able to see some of the other facilities and teams,” Bowen continued. “You can watch half of the league within a 45-minute drive, which is really convenient.”
As Lantz pointed out, Goodyear is also conveniently located for fans who would like to explore outside of the ballpark, with ample places for golf, hiking, shopping, etc. Sedona, Scottsdale, and Phoenix are nearby, and the Grand Canyon is less a than four-hour drive away.
“I’m looking forward to traveling up to Sedona and spending some time in the parks in Phoenix; it’s very scenic,” Bowen said.
If you’re interested in learning more about Spring Training or want to head out to Arizona yourself, indians.com/spring has all the information needed to get you on your way to Goodyear. The Indians travel partner Professional Travel has some great packages to fit any size family, vacation and budget.
“They are very helpful with the planning; they helped us book an extra day onto our six-day package, and accommodated my brother and his wife who are coming from San Diego. We can’t wait!”
– TribeVibe contributor Courtney Shilling
Swisher and Francona discuss the outfielder signing for the Tribe
The Indians unveiled the team’s newest outfielder, Nick Swisher, at a press conference at Progressive Field on Thursday afternoon. The former Yankees standout could barely contain his enthusiasm throughout the event, speaking about his excitement to join the Indians and play for manager Terry Francona, while being close to his roots at Ohio State University and Parkersburg, WV.
TribeVibe caught up with both Swisher and Francona to get their thoughts on the slugger joining the team.
New Indians Outfielder Nick Swisher
On how he feels to have signed for the Indians:
“We’re excited to be here. This is the team that rolled out the red carpet in the right way, hit me in the heart in the right spots, and like I said before, every time we would sit back and look at the situation, all roads would lead to Cleveland.
On whether he originally expected to sign with Cleveland:
“[I was surprised] because we had a good amount of teams going on, and at the end when everything was on the table, we kind of laid it out, and like I said, this was the place we wanted to be… you never know how things are going to shake out. You never know how the market is going to work, but to be in the position we are – getting five years – that’s what we wanted – and we could not be more excited about the opportunity. It’s going to be great.”
On his time with the Yankees and his role in the Indians clubhouse:
“It was a great time. I had an awesome time, you know. I like to think I have fun wherever I go, but just to be part of an organization like that with the tradition – and the winning tradition – that rubs off on you, so hopefully that is something I can bring over here. Maybe be more of a leader in the clubhouse then I ever have been before, and I’m excited about that. I’m excited to get together with the guys, and be part of that team. From what I’ve heard from the guys, it’s a great locker room, a great group of guys, a bunch of guys that want to win, and I’m hoping this year we have a chance to.
On his feeling after his “recruiting visit” to Progressive Field:
We were walking out of here like ‘man, these guys did it right!’ It was just an amazing situation to be in, and I think they tugged on the right strings. They went Ohio State on me, they brought back Jim Tressel – one of my idols, who I hadn’t seen in years – and like I said, they did it right, and I could not be happier about the way it turned out.
Indians Manager Terry Francona
On his expectations for Swisher in the Tribe’s lineup:
He has hit anywhere from 2nd to probably 6th in the order. You can bet he’s not going to hit 6th, but I can see some scenarios where maybe he does hit 2nd. We’ll see, and you know I was being honest when I said I want to sit down and talk to guys about it.
On his philosophy for selecting the batting order:
You can’t let guys choose their spot in the batting order, but when there’s a comfort zone, I want there to be that, and I want there to be some consistency where I don’t want guys showing up every day and having to look at the lineup. I don’t think that’s healthy. You know, you go through injuries and things like that where guys have to make adjustments, but I like to be really consistent.
On the impact of Nick’s father Steve Swisher, a former Major Leaguer:
I think more often than not you see guys respect the game that grew up in households like that…I’m sure that Steve is extremely proud of Nick. I was actually watching him during the conference and you could see he was kind of beaming, as he should.
– TribeVibe Contributor Max Lom
Inside Working in Sports: Omar Jufko (Part 3)
TribeVibe chatted with Cleveland Indians Dockmaster Omar Jufko, a graduate of Cleveland State University with degrees in Sports Management and Public Relations, to get the inside track on how to break into the highly coveted sports industry. Jufko began working as a Visiting Clubhouse Intern under fellow TribeVibe star and Head Visiting Clubhouse Manager, Willie Jenks. Since 2009, Omar has worked in the Visiting and Home Clubhouses and the Indians Executive Office Front Desk. In 2012, Jufko was promoted to Dockmaster within the Ballpark Operations department. Jufko was kind enough to meet with TribeVibe to discuss his journey through the Indians Organization.
TV: How did you transition to being the Dockmaster?
OJ: The job was open and I saw it as an opportunity to take another step. I went from being unpaid, to being paid but still part-time/seasonal, to having a full-time position in the face of the general public. I looked forward to having another full-time position that dealt more with the infrastructure of the organization. It was another chance to challenge myself. I’ve never dealt with shipping and receiving from a big scope before so, I knew I was going to have to learn on the fly. It was just another challenge. The day you stop challenging yourself and become complacent is the day you should just hang it up.
TV: For those who are not familiar with what a “Dockmaster” is, can you tell us what the job entails?
OJ: 75% to 80% is basic shipping and receiving, but not like a mom and pop corner shop – it’s a huge organization with huge needs. I’m talking player personnel and equipment, 53-foot TV trucks for broadcasts, all the freight for merchandising all of the goods that come in for Corporate Partnerships, print materials for Communications, electronics and tech gear for Information Systems and I touch every part of this business on a daily basis. In-season, I have a staff of about 20 security guys in fixed points throughout the ballpark. I have my own assistant that helps with the shipping and receiving. My personal mission with him is to help him grow and evolve professionally and in his personal life as well. When I started I was about his age – early 20’s – and Willie was a mentor to me so, I’d like to pay that guidance forward to someone else. My mentors definitely helped me find myself.
TV: That’s an interesting point, what advice would you give to young people trying to find themselves professionally? Especially people in their 20’s who are working but, would like to on a path toward upward mobility?
OJ: You really need to take a long hard look at the opportunities that you may or may not have in front of you. It’s a lot of soul searching. Sometimes you have to veer off the road that you want, to do something else but, always know in the back of your mind where you ultimately want to be [in your career]. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Sometimes the decision isn’t so easy. Keep your goals in focus and make sure your [career choices] keep in line with that.
Just think about what you and I are doing right now, we’re sitting in an empty ballpark. Sometimes you get these surreal moments [working here]. I’ve hung out with the Yankees in the Visiting Clubhouse or have taken someone’s Mercedes to the airport but, it’s the little things like this that matter most to me – sitting here in a quiet ballpark. It’s almost like my home; I spend the better part of my year here.
TV: We do spend a lot of time here. Tell us about the time commitments of working in this industry for those who may not know.
OJ: It’s intense! It’s unlike most professions – outside of an ER doctor or someone in medicine. You’re looking at 15-20 hour workdays depending on your assignment. Fans see the show when it’s on TV but really have no idea all the work it takes to pull the ballpark experience off.
TV: How do you balance your personal life?
OJ: I see my work life as a parallel to the game of baseball. It’s all a process, a grind and a routine. I arrive here early, around 5 or 5:30AM, get a work out in, get to my desk by 6AM, answer all my e-mails and get ready for the first shipments at 7AM. I try to stay focused and on task so I don’t get stressed.
TV: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
OJ: Hunger and humility. Never be complacent and always look for the next step. At the same time, understand that you’re not above anyone or any task.
-Erin Parker, TribeVibe Contributor
