Hamber Students Take on Another Baseball Season at Nat Bailey
Photo Credit: MLB
It’s time for another exciting season of home openers, playoffs, and close games at Hillcrest Park’s Nat Bailey Stadium — often referred to as “the Nat”. Many Hamber students have begun work at the Nat in jobs like concession, promotion and ticketing. The stadium is home to the Vancouver Canadians, the only Minor League Baseball team in Canada and the team with the best overall record in the 2023 Northwest League season.
Last season, several Nat Bailey employees, including many Hamber students, were laid off shortly after being hired due to a sudden change in employment age requirements. Despite these issues, however, Hamber students currently working at the stadium are optimistic for the upcoming season.
Sienna Lawrence (11) was rehired by the stadium after working last summer, bypassing the hiring interview process and going straight back to her previous position at the Children’s Play Area.
“Nat Bailey let me work when I was 15 instead of laying me off until I was 16,” she shared. There, she watches over the bouncy castles and slides, ensuring that all of the kids are entertained and, more importantly, safe.
“You have to be somewhat strict with the kids when they start misbehaving or not following the rules in terms of taking turns or sitting at the top of the slides,” she told The Nest. Lawrence is anticipating a fun and fulfilling season of working with her classmates, having “funny conversations” with the children she cares for, and “eating the Nat Bailey quesadillas again.”
For some students, this year marks their first season working at the stadium. Alejandro Diaz-Henderson (12), who started working at the Nat this year as an usher, expressed his excitement for the upcoming season. “We have a good team this year, it's going to be good,” he said.
In his short career at the Nat, Diaz-Henderson has enjoyed watching the Canadians play while on the job. “I get to have a really good view of the game when I’m ushering,” he said. “I’ve watched two of the games and we won both.”
Other students, such as Cobe Monte (12), are returning to the Nat for their second or third season. Monte, who is returning for his third season as a chef, expressed his love for the job. “It’s the best — I love seeing all the Hamber guys and girls.” He also shared that he finds every shift to be like “hanging out with friends.”
Monte encouraged more customers to stop by. “I’m cooking chicken nuggets and fries and burgers, so if you want a burger, just let me know,” he said. “I do the most important thing in the whole city.”