Since I started working in sports 6 years ago, one of my biggest role models has been Rachel Balkovec. She embodies what I would like to be in any professional environment I could work in. She is who I chose to be my sport professional pen pal, and she graciously accepted. I direct messaged her on Instagram and explained how much her work meant to me and why I was reaching out. She was extremely kind in her response and has already been extremely helpful towards my professional goals.
Rachel Balkovec is one of the first of her kind. She is the first female general manager of a Minor League Baseball team, a title she has held since the last off season. Balkovec has worked in baseball for over 10 years, starting with the St. Louis Cardinals rookie organization and is currently with the New York Yankees low-A affiliate minor league team. When Rachel was applying to jobs initially out of college, she was met with a lot of apprehension because she was a woman, and was told that multiple times when interviewing. Eventually, her sister told her to use her nickname “Rae” because it was more manly, and it ended up working.
One of the reasons I admire Rachel so much is how strong she is in the face of adversity. The odds have been stacked against her for so long and she persevered through it all.