2011 MLB Training and Designated Driver Award Winners

11/18/2011
TEAM Coalition Announces
2011 Alcohol Management Training and
Designated Driver “All Stars”
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jill Pepper, TEAM Coalition, jill@teamcoalition.org (703) 647-7431
Philadelphia, Pa. (11/18/2011) – TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) proudly recognized this year’s training certification and designated-driver program award winners at the 2011 MLB Industry meetings on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.TEAM Coalition is a unique alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. Click for a complete list of TEAM Coalition members.

“We’re especially proud of the breadth of the winners of our training certification awards this season,” said Jill Pepper, TEAM executive director. “To have twelve MLB Clubs earn the Prestigious Achievement award by certifying 100% of the total operations staff is truly remarkable. It is a testament to MLB’s commitment to employee training and its positive impact on fan behavior.”

In 2010, more than 40,000 employees from over 100 facilities became certified in the training. The 13,000 Major League Baseball operations employees (ushers, ticket takers, and guest services representatives) and the employees of concessionaire companies at MLB ballparks represented 30% of that total.

2011 TEAM Training Award Winners

(l to r) Carl Rice, Chicago Cubs; Carrie Bligh, Kansas City Royals; Patrick Forsland, Minnesota Twins; Sylvester Servance, Seattle Mariners; Jerry Crabb, Cleveland Indians; Kerry Rowland, Cincinnati Reds; Danielle Cornwell, Texas Rangers; Brian Skipinski, Detroit Tigers; Greg Hopwood, Chicago White Sox; Ken Kawachi, San Diego Padres; Steve Burke, Colorado Rockies
Prestigious Achievement
These award winners have made TEAM training a fundamental part of employee training. 100% of their entire employee roster are certified in TEAM training. On an annual basis, they maintain that commitment to TEAM training by certifying all new employees and recertifying those whose 3-year certification term has expired.

  • Chicago Cubs, 407 employees certified
  • Chicago White Sox, 252 employees certified
  • Cincinnati Reds, 271 employees certified
  • Cleveland Indians, 356 employees certified
  • Colorado Rockies, 118 employees certified
  • Kansas City Royals, 108 employees certified
  • Minnesota Twins, 337 employees certified
  • Pittsburgh Pirates, 129 employees certified
  • San Diego Padres, 125 employees certified
  • Seattle Mariners, 154 employees certified
  • Texas Rangers, 448 employees certified
Championship Performance
These award winners certified 100% of their game day staff.

  • Boston Red Sox, 156 employees certified
  • Detroit Tigers, 400 employees certified
  • Milwaukee Brewers, 408 employees certified
Nearly 450,000 MLB fans pledged to be designated drivers during the 2011 MLB season. The Designated Drivers for the Season from the St. Louis Cardinals, Crystal Skaggs, and the Texas Rangers, Ann Hester, attended World Series Games 1 and 3, respectively, as the grand prize winners of the Responsibility Has Its Rewardssweepstakes for designated drivers.At the MLB Industry meetings, the Designated Driver for the Season for the New York Yankees, Jay Weissbrot, was selected as the first prize winner of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes. Jay and a guest will attend the 2012 MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO home of the Kansas City Royals.

Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig said, “Alcohol management training is vital to making our ball parks a safe, fan-friendly place for our great fans, and I congratulate these seven MLB clubs for being recognized by the TEAM Coalition.”

2011 Designated Driver Award Winners

(l to r) Matt Lehmann, Milwaukee Brewers; Marty Price, Houston Astros; Joe Abernathy, St. Louis Cardinals; Tinie Roberson, San Francisco Giants; Brian Skipinski, Detroit Tigers; Steve Either, Florida Marlins
Top Five Clubs with Most Fans Pledging to be Designated Drivers

  • Milwaukee Brewers, 57,811 designated drivers
  • St. Louis Cardinals, 56,445 designated drivers
  • Detroit Tigers, 31,613 designated drivers
  • Houston Astros, 24,101 designated drivers
  • San Francisco Giants, 21,060 designated drivers
Most Improved

  • Florida Marlins: 127% increase from 2010 number of designated drivers
Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies Designated Driver Challenge Winners
The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies competed in the first ever Designated Driver Challenge during the 2010 season. While both Clubs enjoyed an increase in participation of more than 30%, it was the Diamondbacks who reigned victorious with over 19,000 designated drivers. Congratulations to both Clubs and thank you to all their responsible fans!

Russ Amaral and Greg Green from the Arizona Diamondbacks