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Sports Announcer

Sports: Tennessee Smokies Baseball, Kodak, TN
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Do you dream about taking your passion for baseball to a whole new level? Are you interested in what happens off the field as much as on the field? Have you always wanted to hear yourself say, “It might be, it could be… it’s a home run!” Then grab a mitt and get in the game for a VocationVacations® dream job holiday as a sports announcer and promotions manager with the Tennessee Smokies, AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.  Join Jeff Shoaf, assistant general manager, and his sports-announcing and promotions team for an opportunity to be personally “taken out to the ole’ ballgame.”

Jeff loves baseball.  Ever since he was a kid growing up in Texas and Oklahoma, he has had a real connection to the sport. “I started playing when I was six years old,” remembers Jeff. “The Astros were my favorite team, and some of the players lived in our Houston neighborhood and would play stick ball or whiffle ball with us kids.” Jeff participated in other sports and activities as he was growing up, but soon began prioritizing his time and interests.  “The piano lessons went first followed by soccer,” laughs Jeff.  His commitment to honing his baseball skills paid off, and he received a scholarship to play baseball at Washburn University.

When Jeff’s dream of playing professional baseball did not take off after graduating from Washburn, he decided he would find another way to stay close to the game. He attended the University of Tennessee and received a masters degree in sports administration.  In 1995, he began an internship with the Tennessee Smokies.  This was the beginning of a career path with the Smokies that has taken him from director of group sales, to director of community relations, to director of marketing, and now to his role as assistant general manager and his work with the club’s sports announcer and promotions team.

Over the years, Jeff has learned what makes a good sports announcer. “A sports announcer needs to be very outgoing and able to talk for 3 – 3&1/2 hours without anyone responding,” laughs Jeff.   “The announcer is effective if the fans listening truly feel like they are there watching the action and can visualize the player rounding third.”  Jeff also points out that a sports announcer should have a broad vocabulary. “They need to be creative in finding different words and phrases to describe the same things, otherwise it gets pretty boring.” 

Baseball is a sport, but it is also a demanding business whether you are behind the microphone or in the management office attending to all the details.  “The fans at the game don’t realize all the behind-the-scene details that need to be dealt with to insure everything runs smoothly and everyone has a good time,” explains Jeff.  “Traffic needs to be controlled, give-aways need to be organized, hot dogs need to be ordered, the umpires need to get the game balls before the game, and the list goes on.”

While Jeff may not be on the field playing the game he loves, he is committed to fostering the love of baseball by providing Tennessee Smokies fans with a great experience at the ballpark and wonderful memories of their experience. Jeff still remembers the excitement he felt as a child when his favorite player, Nolan Ryan, would be playing. In fact, he is still a huge fan of his.  So much so, his six-year-old son’s middle name is “Ryan.”  Ah, baseball…America’s favorite pastime.

While on your Sports Announcer/Promotion Manager VocationVacations® dream job holiday with the Tennessee Smokies, Jeff Shoaf and his team will tailor your experience to meet your interests, and activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Special events and promotions planning
  • Managing the scoreboard
  • Color commentary and/or play by play announcing over the public announcement system and over local radio station, The Sports Animal
  • Managing and announcing game-day promotional events
The Sports Announcer & Promotions Manager VocationVacations® experience includes:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a Sports Announcer & Promotions Manager
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post-VocationVacation career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job becoming a reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: Available during home games

Price: $849 Per Person

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Days Inn

Pigeon Forge

(Not included in the price of the VocationVacations® holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® adventure:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.