Paul Seiler: USA Baseball 30 Year Veteran. We Chat with the Executive Director & CEO
DURHAM, NC- USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler is a great example of a professional who shows commitment to the organization that raised them. USA Baseball is the national governing body for baseball in the United States and is a member of both the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (UBSC). This year, USA Baseball is celebrating its 40th year of existence and for Seiler, he has been with the organization for 30 of them. “I was sort of in the right place at the right time,” said Seiler.
“I got out of college with a biology degree thinking I was going to work in pharmaceutical sales. By chance, I had met the then Executive Director of USA Baseball in 1986 and by 1988 he called me up and said they were in need of an administrator. After some interviews and talking about it, I was hired in the fall of 1988.”
Seiler’s first job with the organization was as a special project manager where he worked on a variety of things both internally and externally. “I did everything from working on team programs and the golden spikes award, to getting people’s cars washed,” said Seiler. When Seiler started with the organization, they had a sponsorship, which helped pay him for his work. After a year of Seiler being with USA Baseball, that sponsorship got dropped, but because of the impact he made, he was able to hang on to his job and continue to progress.
“I could have been here for a year and been done when that sponsorship dropped,” said Seiler. “Thankfully in that year’s time I created enough value in myself that they said we need to keep this guy around.”
In any role for any organization, it is important to put your all into it because you never know what can happen both positively and negatively. The sports industry at times can be very disposable with its employment so it is important to work hard. “You have to be committed, be counted on and create value for yourself as a member of the team,” said Seiler.
In additional to a special project manager, Seiler has held many other roles including being the program director for the 18U National Team, Collegiate National Team and Professional Team. Seiler became the executive director after the conclusion of the 2000 summer Olympic games in Sydney, Australia where he helped direct the gold medal winning team, which was managed by former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
“As the executive director, I may not be directly responsible for certain programs or teams, but I am responsible for managing people which is the hardest part of the job,” said Seiler. “Another big responsibility of my job is I serve on the executive committee for the WBSC which means literally being connected globally as the face of this governing body.”
In recent years, USA Baseball has become more and more connected with Major League Baseball and has formed a partnership with them. On this years opening day rosters there were 159 USA Baseball alums on teams across the league. This goes to show that the programming USA Baseball provides and the players they select from the amateur stage in these athletes young careers is being done correctly.
“What it says is that we are doing our job well on a pre-professional national team level,” said Seiler. “We are getting the right players, our scouting is doing a good job and we have our own pipeline for development. Ideally one day we will be able to say a player was a 12U player, 15U, 18U and may go on to win a gold medal at a World Baseball Classic.”
USA Baseball is a very unique organization and instrumental into the globalization of the sport of baseball. It doesn’t just provide exposure for its athletes in this country but allows them to play against the best players from all across the world helping develop their personal brand as athletes as well.
“We strive to be complete and with our national teams to positively represent our country internationally,” said Seiler. “The other pillar of our organization that has had a recent injection of intellect, commitment and creativity towards the health of our sport is with our sport development team. Even if you are not an elite level athlete that is going to wear USA on the front of your jersey, there is someway you can benefit through the relationship or involvement with USA Baseball.”
As far as the continued growth of USA Baseball, Seiler also spoke on the future plans of the organization going forward and also areas where they hope to be involved. “We hope to break ground this fall with a capital project that we are about to undertake which is to build our offices, fulfillment center and high performance training center at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina”, said Seiler. “We are also looking to qualify for the Olympics in 2020 in Tokyo as well as helping with baseball being involved at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and 2028 in Los Angeles.”
There is something to be said about an organization that can keep someone around for 30 years and Seiler has enjoyed every step along the way. “I really enjoy the people and the players and the people you meet in sport are unique and some of the best people in the world,” said Seiler. “Many of the athletes I have been around I have gotten enjoyment out of seeing their success and it is a cool part of the job.”
Leading a sports organization and showing prowess within that organization is no easy task and Seiler had some words of wisdom for those looking into a future career in sports. “It is about being committed to details and detailed oriented,” said Seiler. “The better you’re prepared and the more attention you pay to detail then the better the experience is going to be with the people you’re engaged with.”
“I have also always believed that one of the most important traits of leadership is humility and there should be no job above or below any of us,” said Seiler.
Seiler will start to be in the thick of things going forward as the baseball season starts to ramp up and be sure to follow everything that is going on with USA Baseball at usabaseball.com and @usabaseball on Instagram.
