June 21, 2024 | By: Shaun Bernstein of the Write Stuff Agency, in For Love of the Game
Field of Dreams’ founder Jennifer Stitt, has over two decades of experience in the summer camp industry. She has spent nearly 15 years running her own business, and she’s become a noted figure in the children’s athletic space, and her programs continue to grow and expand year after year. Even more notably, she happens to be a woman, in a sport and an industry that traditionally has been heavily masculine.
If you know Jen, you know that she does not usually love the spotlight. She’s happy to let the work, and the smiles on campers’ faces, speak for themselves. Yet as she reflects on another year of camp, she took some time to chat about her journey, what she’s proudest of, and what it’s meant to be successful in a world where no one might have expected it.
To mark the occasion of her latest season, she sat down with The Write Stuff Agency’s Shaun Bernstein recently for a Q&A:
Who are some of the women in business that you looked up to growing up?
My biggest influence was definitely my grandmother. My grandmother was an entrepreneur long before I came along, and she had a store in Montreal with one of a kind giftwares that sold imported cards, stationery, and other beautiful things from the US and from Europe. We lived in Toronto but I remember going to visit as a kid – we were very close.
I never got to meet my grandfather, but both of them were success stories. His parents had come to this country with no money and no English, he put himself through school, and became a successful business owner. She started the store long after he was gone. I miss her terribly, but I’m warmed by the fact that we still have stickers and greeting cards from the business around my home today.
How did you get started in this business?
Early on I had considered going to law school, and then I shocked my friends and family by doing a 180! I often mention that I was a teacher, but I really was a classroom teacher. I had started Field of Dreams before attending teacher’s college, knowing that that training would help make the camp run better, and figuring that I could teach during the year, and run camp in the summer. Those skills that I learned definitely have helped with coaching, planning practices, and running training programs.
I spent the first few years of Field of Dreams building it while teaching at various schools, and working at a doctor’s office. My husband Nolan and I still joke about how when we first moved in together, I was working non-stop, literally 3 different careers at one time! Eventually, the camp became successful enough that I could move from 3 careers down to 2, and finally down to 1. I haven’t looked back since.
Who’s supported you on this journey? How have you dealt with any of the negativity?
I’ve had some amazing supporters in my corner! My brother is an accountant so he’s been helpful as a de facto business advisor, and can answer some of the logistical questions as they come up. My husband has also been remarkable – he joined as the Director of the Aurora camp a few years ago, and then really helped get us through COVID and our bubble camps.
I really haven’t had any significant pushback in my business, thankfully. As a coach, especially when I was younger, I would hear some coaches that I would coach against and some umpires griping about why they had to work alongside a woman who’s coaching, but those voices were easy to ignore. As coaches learned more about me, they used to specifically request me to come and train their teams. The people who I’ve been lucky enough to work with have been supportive from day one.
Also, the fact that I am a woman, and now a Mom myself, has been a huge asset for the camps. Parents tend to trust me specifically because they can tell that I’m nurturing and well-trained, and they feel comfortable leaving their children in my care. It’s a trust that I will never take for granted and one that means so much to me personally today.
What has being a female leader in sports meant to you?
It’s an amazing feeling – there are many women way more powerful than me in sports and all of them are paving the way for more females, hopefully in a way I do as well. It is a traditionally male-dominated occupation of course, but there is definitely a place for women, and I’m excited to see that on the rise. There are strong initiatives to hire women specifically. It’s a fun and exciting time right now for young girls who want to have a career in the sports world.
For me personally, my newest champion is my 2-year-old son. Just like my grandmother showed me by example, I want to show him that he’s capable of absolutely anything. I want to show him that he can build a career out of doing something that he loves and that he can be successful in business while also being happy.
What makes Field of Dreams Baseball Camp so special?
I think my experience stands out. I’ve been working in camps since I was 14 years old, and becoming a teacher was an even further education in just how to grow and nurture kids’ development. I love baseball, and I love that the kids love it too, but our camp is about more than just that. As a woman, as a teacher, and as a mom, I feel like there are so many more important parts of this camp than just the skills.
Yes we have programming to teach kids baseball’s technical skills, but it’s my unique background that helps make the camp unique and appealing. We focus on playing a significant role in every child’s upbringing, teaching them the skills that not only help them fit in off the field, but the strength and perseverance, the socialization, and the environment of care and acceptance that set us apart.
Registration spaces are still available but moving fast! Visit us at www.fodbaseballcamp.com to sign up today!