Meet Daniel!
He’s managing life with hemophilia B, and dreaming of managing the Houston Astros one day!
By: Shelly Fisher
Daniel was in between classes and a visit to the dining hall when I got the opportunity to visit with him. As a sophomore majoring in sports management, he shared his passion for baseball, dedication to family, and his dream to one day manage the Houston Astros. Halfway into making that dream a reality, Daniel’s will no doubt be a name that we ultimately hear loud and clear in the world of sports.
Choosing his university with practicality in mind, Daniel doesn’t mind the hour and a half drive to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside because it allows him to be closer to his family while pursuing his academic goals and participating in a club that honors his Latino heritage. Though he managed many different teams in high school, he shared that he was enjoying a new experience– managing his university’s track team and doing all of the filming. Daniel told me he also finds time to participate as a member at large in a Latinos Unidos club, and believes in their mission to help Latino students grow and learn while observing their cultural heritage.
It was no surprise when he shared that his current favorite class is Ethics and Issues in Sports Management because it allows him a deeper dive into his major amidst all of the recommended basics. In addition, he confided that the professor happens to be his favorite teacher this semester. “He gives us a great idea of what it’s like in the sports world because he has experience.”
With his keen sense of management and foresight, Daniel was already looking ahead to his internship with a professional league near the university, and hoping for a paid internship with a clubhouse. He also plans to obtain an eventual master’s degree at the University of Texas for additional certifications in his field.
Daniel is no stranger to the sports world. Growing up in a family with a mom and sisters who love collegiate volleyball, and the Texas Longhorns in particular, he quickly found his personal favorite in the game of baseball. After playing in his local league through the coach pitch level, he took a break due to the type of head bleeds he was experiencing at that time, but he knew he still had a lot to offer the sports arena. “I have a very intelligent brain when it comes to baseball or sports.”
After some encouragement from the sports enthusiasts in his family, he began to pursue team management while in high school. Managing his school’s football team for 2 years, the baseball team for 5 years, and the wrestling team for 4 years fueled his love for athletic competition, and he found his niche in supporting coaches and teams. He credits two of his coaches, Tom Davey and John Jrolf with making him feel like a part of the team and not treating him any differently after finding out about his hemophilia diagnosis. “They helped push me and mold me into how I am going into this industry and how I want to work in sports. I want to make an impact on a team and I know that I can.”
Since then, he has realized his pursuits in clubhouse operations might also include scouting and upper level management. Though he takes some heat from his Wisconsin friends, he is proud to proclaim that his all-time favorite team is the Houston Astros, and he hopes to support their management in some way once he graduates. With a brain wired for baseball, he follows the Houston Astros closely and already has some management suggestions for them.
Daniel said his friends would describe him as generous, likable, easy to talk to and funny. Though most of the students in his friend group commute to the university, a typical day would involve attending classes, eating in the dining hall and hanging out with them at a pool hall named The Den.
After a routine procedure at birth involving a heel prick, Daniel was tested and diagnosed with hemophilia B. It was unexpected, as Daniel was the 4th sibling in his family. “My mom had to learn a lot more in order to take care of me and it definitely changed our lives. I am so grateful to her for going through everything with me and supporting me all the way.”
Having recently attended his first Coalition for Hemophilia B event in Chicago, he is looking forward to more and hoping that one will be held near a ballfield. “You meet more kids who share your disorder, connect and grow friendships, and learn more about your disorder. You also see friends you have met in the past that are spread out all over the country.” He would like to put in a special request for a Houston, TX, symposium so he can see his Astros play.
Daniel had sound advice for anyone who is recently diagnosed. “Don’t let it bring you down. There are new ways to help with medicine. Keep your head up. Take your medicine. Go to events and meet people. See hemophilia B as an opportunity and take that opportunity to grow.”
There’s nothing like meeting a fellow Astros fan from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, but meeting one with some very specific management advice for the team is a whole other experience! If anyone from the Astros ball club is reading this, you might want to look Daniel up! I know I will be watching for his name in the sports world not if, but when, he joins the game!