If you follow baseball, you may have heard the terms “utility player,” “utility guy,” or maybe a dozen other iterations to describe this specific “position” on a team. Some of the names most synonymous with this coveted title are:
- Ben Zobrist
- Jackie Robinson
- Pete Rose
- Julio Franco
- Javier Báez
- Craig Counsell
- Martín Prado
But what does any of this have to do with me, a social media guy working at an advertising agency in Sarasota? If you ask me, it has everything to do with it.
By baseball terminology, a utility player is defined as an athlete who can play multiple positions. Primarily, they’re players who serve as substitutes or can fill in for various roles during a game. But in a sport with such fine-tuned athletes, who excel at their single position, why would you want someone who is good at so many?
The answer is simple: it gives teams an edge. You now have someone who can pick up the proverbial “slack” when needed. When a player gets injured or requires rest, how do you fix that problem in a pinch? Well, that’s where a utility player steps in to fill the void quickly and effectively without missing a beat to keep the team moving forward.
OK, I know what you’re thinking – get to the point, Ty!
Throughout my professional career – and even prior to that – I’ve always been intrigued about learning a little about a lot. Don’t ask me why because, really, I don’t know. Maybe it was being involved in a variety of sports as a kid, my parents making sure school and every subject was valued, from science to P.E., or that I enjoyed watching everything from Star Wars to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Whatever the reason, it stuck. I even remember my elementary and middle school principal presenting the “Principal’s Trophy” my eighth-grade year and, in his speech, referencing, “This student may not be the best at everything, but he’s going to give everything his best.” That’s when he announced that Joe Butler won the award… just kidding. I remember him saying that at 13 years old and now, having just turned 39, it still sticks in my brain and has guided my thought process on every aspect of life, work, being a husband, a dad and a son.
I believe that discovering new skills, hobbies and more makes you not just a better well-rounded employee, but also a more well-rounded person. You begin to appreciate what others have had to put in to get to the level that they are in their fields. You can empathize with these people on a level once unknown because you now have a taste for the amount of effort and resilience they need to accomplish their tasks. At an agency, like Grapevine, where we specialize in so many facets of the industry, I love being able to “get my hands dirty” wherever I can.
From beginning my career here as part of the public relations team, to migrating into running both social media content and advertising campaigns, assisting with design, working on video shoots, and, most recently, my task of building out a podcast studio, I’m proud to lend a hand wherever it works out best.
So, as I wrap up this deep dive into the “utility player,” my challenge for both you – the reader – and myself is simple. What will be the next tool in our tool belts?
About Grapevine Communications
Grapevine Communications is a full-service creative marketing agency celebrating 23 years of success on the Suncoast of Florida. To learn more about what we do, visit our services page or call us at 941-351-0024.
