Women in Sports: Chanel Zapata

By: Madison Hedding

Who: Chanel Zapata Community Engagement Manager At SABR – (Society for American Baseball Research)  Social Handle: @ChanelZapata

Chanel was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From the time she was young, she knew that her career path was going to involve sports. In Puerto Rico, they only had access on television to ESPN, so Chanel grew up a fan of all teams and athletes and rooted for everyone. “Sports are embedded in the culture down here. I always loved that it was my way of bonding with my grandfather. I was the only girl out of all my cousins and siblings. It was my way of being a girl and also fitting in.” 

Once it was time for Chanel to attend college, she realized that in Puerto Rico, there weren’t any opportunities for her to pursue Sports Management as a degree. “My mom told me, that if this is what I wanted to do, I had to leave and go to the states.” So, Chanel picked up her life and jumped feet first all-in, and moved to the United States. 

Chanel decided to start her undergraduate career at Ohio University. “I immediately knew that Ohio University was not for me. I didn’t like the snow, it was always so cold, and it just felt like it wasn’t where I was supposed to be.” She became homesick during the fall semester of her Freshman year, and just knew she had to explore other universities she could attend. 

She found a great program close to home and transferred from Ohio University to the University of Tampa the spring leading into her second semester of school. “I loved it as soon as I stepped foot on campus. I had the opportunity to work with the Yankees for Spring Training, I worked for Minor League Baseball, and even was able to go back home and intern with the Puerto Rico FC and Baloncesto Superior Nacional.” It quickly became one of the best decisions Chanel made in her entire life.

During her time in college, Chanel realized that she always was the only person in the room that looked like her. “I knew by watching ESPN, there were women who looked like me, but they were all anchors and I didn’t want to go into broadcasting.” Throughout her time in undergrad, Chanel tried a few different routes in the sports industry but realized the best thing for her to do to continue her career in sports was to go back to school and get her Master's. 

Chanel was presented with an opportunity to attend Arizona State University in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Program and graduated with her Master’s in Sports Law and Business in December of 2018. 

During her time in Grad School, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. With her mom and brother back home, Chanel went through a tough time trying to prioritize school and ensuring her family was okay. “All my faculty and staff at ASU was more than supportive of me through such a hard time of my life. They truly helped me stay grounded and helped in any way they could.” 

“I applied for a ton of positions post-graduation from ASU in Minor League Baseball, as the headquarters are in St. Petersburg, Florida – less than half an hour from where I attended undergrad at University of Tampa.” Post-Hurricane Maria hitting Puerto Rico, her mother and brother moved to Florida. So, applying to jobs close to where they were living now, just made sense. 

“One day, I got a call from the MiLB and was told they had an open internship position and it was hers if I wanted it. Well of course I said yes!” Chanel was offered the intern position which was for marketing research and strategy. With it being a dual department role, both in club services and marketing, her main priority was to research unique strategies to create cultural fan engagement initiatives. 

In the middle of her internship, her boss left to pursue another role in the sports industry, and Chanel jumped at the opportunity of leading the program, even as an intern. Thus, allowed her to fully take on and run the Hispanic,  Latino and Latinx marketing initiatives for the entire department. “It was the toughest, most crazy learning experience ever. Going to school did NOT prepare me for that. But, I learned more than I ever thought.” 

With the pandemic hitting in 2020 and everything that happened from that with staffing minimizations in departments, furloughs, those around her being let go from their positions, and just the reality of the unknown, Chanel realized that it was taking a toll on her mental health. “I knew that I loved what I was doing, but I didn’t want that to continue. It became tough, not just for me but the entire sports world.” 

Due to this, Chanel decided that it was time for her to move to a more steady and secure job, taking on the Community Engagement Manager At SABR – (Society for American Baseball Research). SABR is a non-profit that fosters the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball. “It’s so rewarding, and at the end of the day, that’s what I want to do and I get to do that.”  

Share some struggles/challenges you have had to overcome that you face as a woman working in sports? 

For Chanel, it’s the intersectionality of being a woman. “I am very aware of how people perceived me, and very aware of how I was seen.” Even in school, she was ‘trained’ in aspects to fit in rather than embracing who she was. “In interviews, I would be told to pull my hair back, not wear my glasses, things like that just so that I would seem like everyone else. It took me a long time to realize that fitting in, isn’t fitting in at all. The fact that I couldn’t go to work and be myself, was tough on me.” But through doing some reflection, talking with her mentors and her allies, she was able to come to an understanding that the things out of her control may not change, but what is in her control, can. Some days are harder than others, but Chanel is in a much happier place in her identity. 

Chanel is now at the point of her life where her strength comes from embracing her differences. “I used to be so scared of how people would view me because didn’t look and sound like everyone else. But now, I realize that my differences are a strength, and never a weakness and I’ve embraced that in everything I do.” 

What is the best advice you can give a woman who is either just getting her foot in the industry, or already working in sports about how to navigate the struggles and challenges we face? 

Chanel firmly believes the best advice she has ever been given and shares frequently, is to be true to yourself. “Don’t be afraid to embrace your authenticity. Nobody is you, and that’s your power – so use it.” Sometimes, those foundational reminders are the ones we need the most. 

In a world that’s always evolving and fast-paced, reminders to ground and empower who you are authentic as a human is so important. “I love how everyone’s lives are so diverse and yet bring something so incredible to the table. Always stay true to yourself because, at the end of the day, that’s all you’ve got.” 

Everyone’s story is unique, and your journey is your journey. Through it all, staying true to yourself is the most rewarding thing you will ever experience; be true to yourself. 

If you are interested in sharing your story, struggles, and words of encouragement for other women in sports, please send me a DM through social media (@MadisonHedding) or email me at 15mhedding@gmail.com 

Support Women in Sports. ALWAYS. 
Madison Hedding

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