Kristen Pellington & Luke Hassenpflug Project Pitchin’ In Kristen Pellington & Luke Hassenpflug

Community Partner Westerville Naturals support youth development in baseball: teach fundamentals of the game, provide practical experiences, and help develop life skills associated with the game.

Project Description Paint the new storage container that holds the team’s baseball equipment and other materials located at the Westerville North practice field.

Rationale Help team receive the best baseball education experience possible by assisting with needs. Utilize communication, planning and other skills acquired from our internships. Interests: non-profits, communication, event planning, athletics, health, kids.

Project Details Goal: Help the Westerville Naturals baseball team paint its equipment storage container by April 20, 2016. Community Stakeholders: Westerville Naturals, Otterbein University Necessary Communication: Email, phone

Initial Project Move gravel where the team’s equipment storage container would be stationed at practice field. Recruit youth group volunteers to help assist. Use wheelbarrows, shovels and other materials already in hands.

Challenge #1 2 Otterbein classes were planning to move gravel at 1 of the 2 practice fields. Both classes had the same team contact, which caused communication confusion. Team contact would only respond to the other class making it difficult to move forward.

Problem Solving Attempt #1 Since there was confusion with 2 classes communicating with the same contact, we decided to have 1 class relay the project details for both. Result: Did not work. After several communication attempts it was difficult to get a response from the other class.

Problem Solving Attempt #2 Reached back out to contact. Tried to clarify things using clear email communication to avoid further confusion. Result: Success! Contact responded and said he would follow up with possible project dates.

Challenge #2 2 weeks later, we had not received any dates from team contact. Sent follow up, and immediately heard back to find out we were no longer needed to move gravel. A truck was found that could do the work.

Project Switch Since we could no longer implement our initial project, we decided to help the team paint their new storage container instead. Team already had the supplies.

Project Visual Before After

Results Goal was achieved. The storage container looks great. The Westerville Naturals were very thankful for our help.

Legacy Established a relationship with the Westerville Naturals Baseball team that Otterbein never had.

Effect Problem-solving and communication skills were put to the test. Worked together to find solutions to the issue so that goal could be achieved.

Thank You! Dr. Sullivan Westerville Naturals Baseball