December 11, 2003 - The one thing that really stands out about Steve Cox 01 (Sport Management) is that he loves baseball. The Daniel Webster College alumnus and Nashua native racked up quite an impressive record in high school and college baseball, and landed a job working in the front office of the Nashua Pride, of the Atlantic League. Now hes in the big leagues, as begins a new professional opportunity with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

How does one move from being an accomplished high school baseball player to working in the front office of a major league ball team? For Steve, it was a combination of hard work, some good people, the right school, and, by his own admission, a bit of luck.

"My goal after college was to either play ball professionally or work in the front office of a major league ball team," Steve explained in an interview at Holman Stadium as he was wrapping up his responsibilities as client services director for the Nashua Pride.

Steve's career path was a bit unfocused when he was in high school in Nashua, however. "I wasn't on top of my game in high school," he admitted. "I hadn't put much thought into college." When he was playing high school ball, though, he and a fellow teammate caught the eye of Paul LaBarre, director of alumni relations at Daniel Webster College, who encouraged them to apply to Daniel Webster.

Once there, Steve majored in sport management and played ball for the DWC Eagles. In fact, he played outstanding ball for the Eagles, hitting .448 and ranking 14th nationally in base stealing. Following an internship with the Fleet Boston Classic Golf Tournament, Steve Cox turned around, literally, and had a tryout with the Atlanta Braves on the Monday following the weekend of the tournament.

It was while working with the Nashua Boys and Girls Club, however, that Steve got his big break. "I came to Holman Stadium with the kids in a group outing and ran into (DWC Professor) Eric Schwarz. He hooked me up with Todd Marlin, then the Prides assistant general manager and now the teams general manager. I applied for a job with the team and the rest is history."

Steve began working with the Pride in August of 2001. He started off as a sales and marketing representative, moved to operations manager, and finally was named Client Services Director. "My goal was to stay for two years," he said. Then, this past July, when he began looking around for other professional opportunities, Steve found the Diamondbacks job online. "I did the resume, had a phone interview, and then was invited down for an in-stadium interview."

"I took the position for three reasons," Steve said. "The warm weather; it lets me work in baseball; and its a calculated risk." Elaborating on the "risk" factor, Steve noted that nothing is guaranteed on a major league sports team. Managers and owners come and go, and people are replaced. If a team has a bad year, the front office may find itself entirely reorganized and players may find themselves playing in different cities. Wherever he is, thought, Steve gives a team his all, with lots of hard work and dedication.

Although Steve is enthusiastic about his new job, he was also a bit nervous about it as well. "You have to prove yourself all over again," he explained.

Steve also recognizes that he will be missing the New England sports scene. "Ill be missing the Sox," he said. " I love the intensity of the sports fans in this area. Were so up and down. Ill miss working with the guys here at the Pride." Though Steve will be missing his friends and family, hes secure in the knowledge that theyre behind him all the way.

As is Daniel Webster College. "Daniel Webster College was instrumental in my meeting my goals," he noted, "from extending my baseball career, to providing me with the building blocks to launch my professional career."

Steve also has some advice for high school students considering sports as a career. "Use your time wisely," he said. "Be in constant contact with your guidance counselors, and give yourself plenty of time to write your college applications and essays. Keep an open mind about some of the jobs you may start with - its all about getting experience." He pointed out that students aspiring for a career in professional sports should keep in mind options like sales and management positions.