Alyssa Nakken is the first woman to hold a coaching position on a Major League Baseball team. Nakken, who played first base at Sacramento State and joined the Giants as an intern in 2014, officially became an assistant coach in January of this year, NBC Sports reports.
Nakken made history when she was hired in the offseason, but she made more history on July 20 when she became the first woman to coach on the MLB field. It was an exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics, and she coached first base.
Nakken told NBC Sports of the interview process, “I think that my energy and my hustle and my drive came out in those conversations because I obviously just personally [am] ready for something like this, and the opportunity was there. Even though I didn’t know what the title was, I knew there was an opportunity to come in, make an impact for the organization, and put blood, sweat, and tears into this to make this the best team that it can be.”
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Furthermore, Nakken said she knew she wanted to be a part of the Giants organization and learn the baseball operations side of an MLB team. Working as the chief information officer for the University of San Francisco baseball team helped put her foot in the door to get involved with the Giants, she explained. Prior to her coaching gig with the team, “I jumped in and helped on the business side, on the health and wellness side for our Human Resources department, and I did a lot for this organization.”
Nakken continued on to say that, sure, she’s never had the title of coach before, but she and one other coach on the Giants’ staff hired under new manager Gabe Kapler are the only ones who have been with the MLB team before. “We have a lot of work to do. I’m the right person for that job. For this specific job, I’m right.”
Kapler said earlier this month, according to NBC, “We just see Alyssa as an especially effective coach, period. At this point she’s so ingrained in our culture and so ingrained as a member of our coaching staff that she’s just going around making players and staff members better. That’s how I see it when I see her out on the field.”
Opening day for MLB is Thursday, July 23. Ahead, you’ll find images and footage of Nakken on and off the field, doing her thing.
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