In her years at Keene State, one might say that Chase Lambert’s eyes – and ambitions – have widened. To Chase ’23 and to those who know her best, her shift to a sports management major sounds and feels so right.
It is now the laser-like focus of her remaining education, she says. Thinking big picture, the field hockey standout from Suffield, Connecticut, says she imagines going to law school to become a sports-contract lawyer. “My classes have sparked my interest in that field,” says the affable Chase, who will serve a second season as captain of the Owls in the fall.
Toward that end, Chase is interning this summer with the Keene Swamp Bats, a top collegiate summer baseball team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, which features thirteen teams in six New England states and boasts of nearly 150 Major League alumni.
Its internship program focuses on four areas of academic discipline: social media, game-day operations, broadcasting, and baseball analytics.
Chase, Bats President Kevin Watterson says, has taken on some of the most difficult responsibilities, including lead intern for the organization’s popular baseball camp, which drew almost 300 youths to its two-week program last month.
“Connecting with parents, campers, coaches, and players, Chase managed the most successful baseball camp in the Bats history,” Watterson says.
“She handled high-stress situations with ease,” Watterson says. “One of Chase’s attributes is her ability to assist her peers in executing their goals. Chase understands the importance of customer service, always focused on what is best for our sponsors and our fans. When a task is assigned to Chase, we know the outcome will be a positive one. We are proud to call her one of our own.”
An offensive midfielder with six goals in 49 career games, Chase is regarded as a grind-it-out type of player and a strong leader.
Chase calls her classes “insightful and tailored perfectly to her field of study” and what she anticipates in the real world. Chase is buoyed too, she says, by Keene State’s reputation for graduating job-ready, highly employable talent.
“When I changed my major, I did feel like I was going to be behind, but I was not. Instead, I feel more prepared than ever.” The internship, she adds, has given her unique insight into the role that community can play in sustaining a successful sports organization.
“Getting to feel it firsthand, in my college town is something special: talking to fans who come to every game, rain or shine; hearing their stories: the wins, the losses and the memories from the past 25 years. I would say that has been the most rewarding part. That and knowing I might be making a small impact.”