Long before the first pitch is thrown or the gates swing open, volunteers are already in place at spring training ballparks across the West Valley, greeting fans, answering questions and setting the tone for the day.
At Goodyear Ballpark, Surprise Stadium and the Peoria Sports Complex, volunteers form the backbone of game-day operations during Cactus League season. Many commit long days on their feet, navigating stairways and sun exposure while working as greeters, ushers and guest services ambassadors.
For many, the work is demanding, but deeply rewarding.
At Goodyear Ballpark, longtime volunteers Judy Tarkowski and JoAnn Terry are instantly recognizable to fans who return year after year. Known affectionately as the “Minnesota Twins” around the ballpark, the sisters have volunteered in nearly every role imaginable, but their favorite position is greeting fans at the gates.
“You stand there, welcome people in, answer questions and keep them entertained if there’s a line,” Tarkowski said. “By the time they walk through, they’re already having a good day.”
As the game settles in, their role shifts from logistics to connection.
“After the second or third inning, when most of the crowd is in, we get to relieve the ushers and really talk to people and learn where they’re from or who they’re rooting for,” Terry said. “By the end of nine innings, you’re not just volunteers and fans anymore, you feel like family.”
That sense of familiarity is one of the hallmarks of Goodyear Ballpark, where season ticket holders often sit in the same seats each spring and greet volunteers by name.
“When someone runs up and hugs you and says, ‘You’re back,’ and you remember them too. That’s when you know you’re part of something special,” Tarkowski said.
Baseball has been part of Tarkowski and Terry’s lives since childhood, growing up in a household where Twins games played constantly and the sport shaped family memories. The sisters say volunteering has become a continuation of a lifelong connection to the game, and to each other. It has also allowed them to witness the transformation of Goodyear itself.
“When we first started, people would ask where to eat, and there wasn’t much to tell them,” Terry said. “Now look around, there are restaurants, new marketplaces, a rec center all built around this place, and our love for baseball and the community. You can feel the pride.”
That pride, volunteers say, is shared across spring training sites.
In Surprise, Sundancers volunteer Virginia Swisher has spent more than a decade helping ensure fans begin their visit on the right note.
A retired newcomer to Arizona in 2008, Swisher took the first opportunity she had to attend a spring training game, drawn by the chance to experience baseball in its most relaxed and fan-friendly form.
She joined the organization after striking up a conversation with volunteers in yellow shirts during her first spring training game.
“The passion they had for what they did was compelling,” Swisher said. “They enjoyed interacting with guests, had fun doing it, and got to watch America’s pastime the way it was meant to be, fun and family friendly.”
Now the co-captain of the Will Call team at Surprise Stadium, Swisher helps coordinate schedules, train new volunteers and adapt to changes in ticketing and technology. Her goal, she said, is simple: no guest leaves without their issue resolved.
“We get to set the tone for each guest’s visit,” she said. “So we try to make that first contact as positive as possible.”
In Peoria, red-shirt volunteers like Rusty Eccleston play a similar role, acting as guides and problem-solvers throughout the complex.
Eccleston grew up playing baseball and has followed the game for most of his life, developing a lasting appreciation for its rhythms and traditions. He said spring training represents the purest version of baseball, a fresh start each year, marked by optimism, community and a close connection between fans and the game.
Eccleston is a Mariners fan who first stumbled upon the Peoria Sports Complex in 2000, Eccleston now spends his mornings working the practice fields, answering questions and helping direct fans.
“We’re extra eyes and extra help,” Eccleston said. “It’s really about keeping things running smoothly.”
With roughly 400 volunteers supporting operations in Peoria each season, Eccleston describes spring training as an annual reunion, one built around service as much as sport.
“People show up because they want to be here,” he said. “That’s what makes it feel like a family.”
Volunteer leaders say the value of spring training volunteers extends far beyond staffing needs. At the Peoria Sports Complex, Executive Director Rebecca Wright said volunteers form the connective tissue that turns a ballpark into a community gathering place.
“Volunteers are special because they love what they do,” Wright said. “They want to be part of their community, give back, create community, foster community and support their neighbors. It’s all about connection.”
That same sense of connection is evident at Surprise Stadium, where Stadium & Event Operations Coordinator Marcus Wojtkowicz said the Surprise Sundancers are essential to the success of spring training operations.
“Simply put, spring training wouldn’t be the same without the heart, energy and dedication of our Surprise Sundancers,” Wojtkowicz said.
Whether welcoming first-time visitors, reconnecting with longtime fans or mentoring new recruits, volunteers at every ballpark say their presence adds a human connection that defines the spring training experience.
“Volunteering makes you feel needed, wanted and appreciated,” Tarkowski said. “Every spring feels like coming home.”
As fans file through the gates this season, many may not notice the hours of preparation behind the scenes. But for the volunteers that work, their love of the game and the relationships those things create are the reasons to return each year.
James Goldmeer Reporter | Goodyear & Litchfield Park
Meet James James Goldmeer joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2024, starting their career as a reporter in Goodyear and Litchfield Park.
Community: James grew up in the West Valley, calling Avondale home and going to school in Glendale and Peoria. Returning to the community after university, James plans to get involved in everything arts and culture, and civil rights.
Education: Northern Arizona University a bachelor's degree in Journalism, a certificate in Professional Communications, with a minor in English.
Random Fact: James spent half a year as an intern for the Arizona House of Representatives communication team, working with legislators to inform the public through press releases and social media.
Hobbies: James collects postcards and old books, reads memoirs and attends local jazz shows.
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