Sundberg-Ferar had their third annual softball game at Dodger Field in Maple Glen Park today. It was a lively time of family fun coupled with a healthy dose of playful rivalry. The game itself had all kinds of great team chemistry going on with husband/wife, father/son, and lifelong friend duos. Family members too young to play watched from behind the fence, and their small but mighty voices could be heard cheering throughout the game. Team Thimm took the win for the second consecutive year, and their passionate and fearless captain, David Thimm (also VP and Design Studio Manager at SF) could be seen afterwards happily duct-taping the trophy to the top of his Tahoe.
The softball game embodies an important principle for the studio and for design in general: Work hard and play hard. Lose your sense of spontaneity and fun, and your work becomes stagnant, but avoid the need to buckle down and crank, and your designs will be unrefined and underdeveloped. The discipline of design must always balance these two.
In its third year running, the softball game has become a summer tradition for SF. Each game is looked forward to at the studio weeks in advance and friendly razzing continues between teams long after it’s over. Leading up to this game, the studio was buzzing with good-natured smack talk about games gone by and bets on who would win this time. The atmosphere was reminiscent of high school when “are you going to the game?!” was the common refrain. Lunch hours were spent gloves-in-hand, passing the ball or visiting the batting cages, and normal work attire was replaced with vibrant active-wear.
SF senior designer, Matt Korich organized this year’s softball game, including leading lunchtime warm-ups, setting up the rosters, and reserving the field. SF office manager, Jessie Craig, knocked it out of the park coordinating Jimmy John’s sandwiches, chips and beer for dinner. The great time had by all was testament to the great job these two did in setting up the event.
This game had the biggest turnout yet with 9 on each team and a dozen spectators. Pitching for Team Thimm was SF President Curt Bailey, and SF Design Engineer, Will Koederitz, was on the mound for Team Korich. Team Thimm hit it hard early in the game and built up a ten-point cushion to lead. Team Korich upped its game in the last two innings, and it looked like Team Thimm might be in trouble. Team Thimm started to lose confidence. They missed a couple ground balls and it looked like Team Korich might pull ahead. Team Thimm’s initial lead kept them on top however. The game finished with a final score of 21:18 for Team Thimm. Fortunately for Team Korich, the next game is coming up on Aug. 30th, and they will have a shot at redemption!
All rivalry aside, Sf is truly one team. Everyone at the game was there to have fun and encourage each other no matter which team was batting. We love the opportunity to hang out together as people as well as designers, and we’re committed to encouraging and challenging each other, whether in designing the next groundbreaking product or in recreational softball. Work hard and play hard – together!