In this episode, coaches Jen and Aaron are joined by Savannah Bananas owner Emily Cole. Additionally, we’ve got guest host and winner of the Umpire Appreciation contest, Parker McCorey. Together, they’ll discuss what it’s like owning a team along with incorporating humor into the game of baseball.
Before the Savannah Bananas came into being, Emily worked with other teams. Emily started at Rifkin Baseball and worked her way up, which is where she met her yellow-tuxedo-wearing husband Jesse. Their working relationship grew over time into a baseball collaboration and then into a marriage.
The epic proposal that Jessie gave Emily led to Emily organizing a trip to Savannah, where they discovered that the stadium in the city no longer had a team. The following year, the Savannah Bananas were born. When it comes to creating the fun and wacky aspect of the team, Emily explains how the ideas are formed and how they love to break down the barriers between players and fans.
Emily goes on to discuss their recruitment process for new players and the initial problems they had to get talent. The player intensity and personality are equally important to the Bananas, especially with the amount of social media content and dancing involved. Then, Emily tells us about both the worst and best skits that they’ve performed on the field.
Emily and Jesse also own another team called the Party Animals, the arch nemesis of the Bananas. With the invention of Banana Ball, the Bananas needed opponents, thus came the Party Animals. We learn about what Banana Ball is and why there’s a time limit on games. For the Savannah Bananas, it’s all about fan focus and creating memories.
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