INTERNSHIP INSIGHT: Charles Book '20 - Sports Info Solutions

Charles Book lines up a forehand.
Posted: Aug 07, 2019

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott College is a pioneer in requiring comprehensive internship experiences in every program of study for undergraduate students. Here's a look into men's tennis student-athlete and sport management major Charles Book's (Devon, Pa.)  internship experience at Sports Info Solutions.

ECGULLS: Describe your overall internship experience.

BOOK: My overall experience has been really exciting because I get paid to watch baseball and analyze the games. I get access to a lot of information and technology that I would not ever have had I not taken this internship. For example, there is an operating system that we use that only works inside the building that provides a comprehensive database to every game and details on every player. We get a chart that shows every pitch that every pitcher throws and how much movement it has, among many other points of data throughout the games and after that can really illustrate how the players on the field are performing. I wouldn't have access to any of this, especially learning the software, without this internship. 

ECGULLS: What have you learned from your internship?

BOOK: I have learned a lot about scouting and analytics. I have always been really fascinated by both, but now I know how it is applied a lot more and the amount of little details that I have learned is really interesting to me because this is a field that I really enjoy. For scouting purposes, every day it is required to review and score a minor league game where you determine how hard every ball is hit, grade the fielders and baserunners on their ability for every play and action they make. Through this internship, I have gotten to see Gavin Lux, Keibert Ruiz, Bobby Dalbec, CJ Chatham, Alec Bohm, Mickey Moniak, Kyle Tucker, Ian Anders, and even Tim Tebow play and have also been able to analyze their skills. 

ECGULLS: How will this internship help you in your career moving forward?

BOOK: This gives me hands-on experience in the field of both scouting and baseball operations. I have worked in gameday operations for the past few years which I am very thankful for, but the field of baseball operations has always been what I want to do and this is my first piece of experience in that environment. Having experience in this industry goes a long way towards getting a future job.

ECGULLS: What kind of networking have you done at your internship?

BOOK: I have not had as much time to network as I would like, but I have got to meet a lot of people with years of experience in baseball operations and that is really interesting to me. 

ECGULLS: Do you have a favorite experience or story from your internship? If so, what was it?

BOOK: My favorite experience was getting to work a live Phillies game through my internship and analyzing the game through the software we use. Ever since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with Phillies baseball and getting to work a live game was really incredible for me. During the game, I had to score the game live meaning determine shifts, hit location, and how much time it took for the ball to get location, as well as determine mistakes and enhanced events both on the basepaths and in the field.

THE ENDICOTT INTERNSHIP MODEL

A philosophy of "learning by doing" permeates the college curriculum in which students are encouraged to integrate theory and practice in all of their studies.

Through their experiences in internships students will be prepared to:

  • Apply, integrate, and evaluate knowledge within a particular academic discipline
  • Develop competencies for careers and community service
  • Explore career options and gain field experience
  • Foster personal growth through increased self-confidence, interpersonal skills, an understanding of self and others, and a heightened awareness of ethical standards
  • Improve the ability to learn in a self-directed manner

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)