Giesens making Naturals family tradition

SPRINGDALE -- Marc Giesen made the nearly 600-mile trek from Houston back to his hometown of Rogers for his wedding a couple of weeks ago.

But before going to his parents' house, he made a slight detour to Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

The 24-year-old couldn't drive past the ballpark without stopping to visit clubhouse manager Danny Helmer. He and his brother, Evan, didn't realize they would start a family tradition when they attended the Northwest Arkansas Naturals job fair 10 years ago.

"I'm just so grateful for the experience we've had," Evan said. "I would never have guessed when we went to that job fair that it would end up like this and our whole family would end up working there."

It may have started as another summer job, but they paved the way for their brother, Ryan, and sister, Sara, to make Arvest Ballpark their workplace, too.

"I saw how much they enjoyed it, so I figured I would, too," said Sara, who has worked in the team store since 2013.

"It's fun, but it's just different from anything else," Ryan added.

Ryan will leave for Wichita State in the fall, but said he will return next summer, if possible, to work at Arvest Ballpark for his fifth straight season as a batboy.

The Giesen guys have spent most of their time at Arvest Ballpark as batboys or clubhouse attendants, which means Helmer is their boss.

Helmer has forged a special relationship with the Giesens, but specifically Marc, who worked from 2008-2015. He even went with Helmer to work the clubhouse in the Arizona Fall League in 2013 and 2014.

The hours are long and the work tedious at times whether it's doing laundry, hanging uniforms, scrubbing shoes or just vacuuming the clubhouse long after everyone else is gone. They are helping prepare food such as cutting up fruit and vegetables before the game, along with making sure water coolers are filled, along with buckets of gum and sunflower seeds.

"Part of it is it takes a special person to work special hours, but with that, it takes a special manager and boss, which is where the Helmer family comes in," Marc said. "Danny always keeps an upbeat spirit in the clubhouse to always make you want to come to work.

"There are very few people you want to work with until 3 in the morning. When you hit the 2 a.m. mark, you're scrubbing shoes and folding and hanging jockstraps. Nobody wants to do that at 2 a.m."

Ryan acknowledged he learned from all those tasks.

"It can be fun to work hard," Ryan said. "Just do it and have fun with it."

There are also a few great memories along the way.

Marc recalls being the batboy when the Naturals won the Texas League Championship in 2010 and the game was in Midland.

"In the first game, I couldn't batboy because we drove in too late, but then the next night Danny's like 'Why aren't you out there? Put on your uniform and get out there'" he said. "Things like that make you want to work harder. That's special. Winning, even as a batboy, I got to be there."

And the chance to be around the next potential Major League Baseball superstar is also a benefit.

"It's so cool that we got to be around in the same locker room as Salvador Perez and Moose and all those guys that are killing it with the Royals," Evan said. "To say we were around them when we were in high school is such a cool thing."

Evan, now 25 and working as a high school English teacher in Kansas City, worked some in retail at the same time he worked for the Naturals from 2008-2009 and 20011-2012. He said the two jobs were very different.

"I'd come off work at Target and come batboy a game and it's so night and day the experience," Evan said. "You're checking out groceries at Target and you're working just as hard when you're here, but it's just a different atmosphere. It's such a unique experience.

"Even after I was in college I came back to batboy and I was like 20 years old. I was probably the oldest batboy out there. I'd see my friends and and I'm like 'I'm a batboy and it's so much fun, I don't care.' It's awesome."

That atmosphere breeds dedication like the Giesens have shown. But Marc went beyond, not missing a single game for five consecutive seasons. He even worked a game the night of Sara's high school graduation.

"I worked, left for an hour and a half and came back," Marc said. "I wouldn't do it if it wasn't for Danny. I wore my Naturals polo and came right back to work."

Helmer said his relationship with the Giesens has grown way beyond simply professional. Marc has spent time in their home, along with Sara, who now often babysits their kids. But he can't say enough about their work ethic.

"They have a positive attitude and great work ethic, which is a credit to their parents," Helmer said. "I just try to make it a fun place to work."

The Giesens have one sibling left and that's Mary Kate, who will be old enough to work for the Naturals by next season. They have no doubt she will join her siblings at Arvest Ballpark.

Considering her family tradition, she'll likely be a natural.

Sports on 06/29/2017