By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Addison Smith, daughter of Heather Smith and Scott Smith, Geneseo, is spending this summer as an intern at The Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. Contributed Photos
An internship at The Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, has been both rewarding and challenging for Addison Smith, who graduated from Geneseo High School in 2023, and will soon begin her senior year at University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
“The opportunity to work at such a magical landmark has been a true joy and seeing how excited the players and even the parents are to get this experience has made my job so much more enjoyable this summer,” Smith said.
Her position at the sport destination is a natural fit for the young athlete, as Smith herself was a standout volleyball player at GHS, and she said, “I watched the movie many times when I was growing up and I grew up around baseball my whole life and around all kinds of other sports. The Field of Dreams movie and movie site are so magical and I wanted to get experience in a new environment, and it makes all the more sense to do it somewhere special like The Field of Dreams.”
Smith’s internship at The Field of Dreams fits well into her double major in marketing management and sports administration at UNI. She is the UNI Athletics Marketing Assistant which gives her the responsibilities of helping with gameday atmosphere and media break activities during sporting events. She also is president of Panther Mayhem, which is the official student section of UNI.
When asked what a typical day is like for her at The Field of Dreams, she replied:
-Assisting with the management of tournament facilities.
-Coordinating special events, including event setup, execution, and teardown.
-Conducting pre-planning and management activities.
-Acting as a point of contact at all tournament site locations.
-demonstrating continuous leadership, professionalism, and respectfulness.
Her internship includes office hours on Monday through Thursday, preparing for weekend tournaments; and she is at work every weekend, Friday through Sunday, anywhere from 30 to 45 hours.
The Field of Dreams is open seven days a week and Smith said, “We consistently get travelers, and the site also is a popular spot to host different events.”
When she is at the movie site, Smith meets people from all over…”I have learned to answer many questions about the site and movie. I take my time getting to know each and every person, asking them why they chose to come to The Field of Dreams. All the answers are different, which is what makes it one of the most magical places in Iowa. I take pictures of fans on the field and up at the house and I make sure they get to play catch on the field, just like in the movie!”
She also is entirely responsible to run the youth baseball and softball tournaments that take place.
When asked what was the most common reason for visitors to make the trip to Dyersville, Smith replied, “There are two reasons people stop for the most part. One of the most common reasons people stop is because they have a special connection to the movie, and they want to play catch with their dad just as Ray Kinsella did in the movie. The second reason is that they were traveling through on vacation and wanted to se what the Movie Site had to offer!”
Another question I had for Smith was “what skills she uses in her internship, and she said, “I use many skills in this internship, but some of the most important are organization, attention to detail, composure, leadership, communication, and most importantly, kindness. Situations can get heated very quickly and if you keep your composure and stay kind, you can quickly resolve any issues.”
The biggest lesson she has learned from this summer internship “is to stay calm and composed throughout trials and tribulations. Because in the end, the way you handle a hard situation shows what kind of person you are to others. This lets others know you are able to handle things on your own although it may be hard.”
As she is looking to a future career in sports management after she graduates form college, Smith said this summer internship and working with people from all over the United States and Canada has helped her improve her communication skills “as well as helped me be more outgoing when it comes to taking an open opportunity. I wouldn’t be where I am at today without having met the people, I met this summer.”
“Although I haven’t worked it yet, I am sure that working in the VIP section at the MLB @ The Field of Drams will be an unforgettable experience and teach me so much more,” she added. (The Minnesota Twins are scheduled to host the Philadelphia Phillies at the site on Aug. 13.)
ABOUT THE FIELD OF DREAMS IN DYERSVILLE, IOWA
The Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, is the famous setting for the classic 1989 baseball film, “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner. Visitors can explore the history of the legendary diamond or visit the movie site. The site was built into the cornfields for the movie, where a farmer hears a voice telling him, “If you build it, he will come,” leading to the return of ghosts of baseball legends. It is a popular pop-culture attraction and a real-life destination for Major League Baseball games. (Information taken from an online site)
