Banana Ball Intern Natalie Daigle Finds a New Career Path

Every Banana Ball game is powered by hundreds of people fans never notice.

Some coordinate volunteers.

Some recruit local staff.

Some solve problems before anyone in the stadium even realizes they exist.

One of those people is Natalie Daigle.

When I met her at a game, it didn’t take long to understand why she’s become such a trusted member of the Banana Ball organization.

Although she’s officially an intern, Daigle is already helping lead operations in host cities—a level of responsibility she says surprised even her.

“They’ve actually allowed me to help lead some cities,” she told me. “Rather than just being an intern … they trusted me enough to be able to lead.”

That trust says a lot about both Daigle and the culture she’s joined.

A different path to Banana Ball

Unlike many of the college-aged interns working around Banana Ball, Daigle arrived after taking a different path.

She graduated with a degree in speech pathology before working in human resources.

Then she made a career change.

“I kind of did a big career switch going into this,” she said.

She hasn’t regretted it for a second.

“I love talking to people and interacting with people. That’s probably my favorite thing. I just love people.”

That passion fits naturally into her role.

Building relationships in every city

Daigle’s department recruits local event staff in every city Banana Ball visits. Before each stop, they’re making phone calls, reconnecting with previous workers and preparing the local team that helps each event run smoothly.

Once they arrive, the focus shifts from recruiting to relationships.

“We just try to build relationships and rapport with them to make them have an awesome time while they’re here,” she said.

That philosophy sounds familiar because it reflects something Banana Ball emphasizes throughout the organization.

The experience matters.

Not only for fans.

For everyone involved.

Learning by leading

One thing that impressed me during our conversation was how much responsibility interns are given.

Daigle described a three-month interview process before being selected.

Once accepted, she said the organization wastes little time putting interns into meaningful roles.

“Our department specifically likes to put us hands-on immediately,” she said.

Instead of simply observing, interns are expected to contribute.

For Daigle, that responsibility has accelerated both her confidence and her professional growth.

“I’ve learned so much about myself in the short six or seven months that I’ve been here.”

She believes the internship isn’t just valuable for college students.

In fact, she may be the perfect example that it’s never too late to take a different path.

“I’m a little bit older than all the other interns,” she said. “I think it’s a great learning experience at any age.”

Looking toward a future in Banana Ball

Looking ahead, Daigle already has a vision for her future.

She hopes to remain part of Banana Ball while moving into a management role—helping develop future staff members while continuing to work game days.

“I still think I’d want to be boots on the ground and helping on site,” she said. “Game days are my favorite day.”

She smiled as she described eventually helping others grow into leadership positions of their own.

That’s when something clicked for me.

The Savannah Bananas don’t simply produce unforgettable experiences for fans.

They also appear to create an environment where young professionals are trusted early, challenged often and encouraged to grow into leaders.

Watching Daigle interact with people around the stadium, it was easy to see why she has earned that trust.

She carried herself with confidence, treated everyone with respect and genuinely seemed to enjoy helping others.

If this internship is the beginning of her Banana Ball journey, I wouldn’t be surprised if fans continue seeing Natalie Daigle around the organization for years to come.

Because while many interns are looking for experience, Daigle looks like someone who’s building a career.

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