Full Sail Stories

When Sports Marketing & Media grad Joe Zollo first applied for a role with the Savannah Bananas in May of 2023, things didn’t go as planned.

“I still have that in my inbox, May 31st, 2023, the rejection email. And I responded to that email saying, ‘Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm going to work my ass off to get back to your organization.’ So I already set that mindset in 2023,” Joe recalls.

In the months that followed, Joe continued to build his experience as the Director of Entertainment for the Bismarck Larks in North Dakota, where he developed theme nights, scripted in-game entertainment, and honed his show-calling skills. That work not only helped to hone his creative instincts, it prepared him for the kind of high-energy baseball the Bananas are known for.

About two years later, the Bananas reached out with a new opportunity, and this time – Joe landed it. The grad secured a full-time role as Show Coordinator with the viral team known for its blend of sports and entertainment.

As Show Coordinator, Joe’s responsibilities span across all four of the team’s entertainment divisions – the Savannah Bananas, the Texas Tailgaters, the Party Animals, and the Firefighters. His work changes daily, but the common thread is creativity.

“On a day-to-day in the office, we're thinking of promos, on-field games, over-the-top moments, which is the stuff you see on social media. So the walk-ups that they're singing to, the run celebrations, a lot of the stuff like that. So that's what we're constantly thinking of.”

Beyond creative brainstorming, Joe’s role includes scripting and calling shows, managing pre-game flow, and even bringing his lifelong passion for dance into the mix.

“In about 30 minutes, I'll start choreographing two dances for our two steppers and our players to dance to this week," he says as he's preparing for a game. "So I have been one of the main people to help with the Party Animals and the Tailgaters when it comes to choreography for dances or helping them learn dances.”

While Full Sail gave Joe the industry foundation he needed, his background in dance started much earlier. “I trained in hip-hop and breakdancing from ages five to 11. I did one year of hip-hop under America's Best Dance Crew runner ups, Phunk Phenomenon when I was 14, and then the rest is self-taught, popping and locking, breaking, animation, things like that.”

Though no class could prepare him for teaching professional athletes TikTok-worthy dance routines, Joe points to his time at Full Sail as formative for his professional career.

“No actual content in my classes could have prepared me for this specific job. But everything you learn from what you need to do in those classes from a professional standpoint and how to act as a professional and just how to be in a whole entire setting from networking, everything like that, it prepared me so well.”

He explains that the soft skills he learned at Full Sail like teamwork, preparation, communication translate directly to his role. “What I learned in, say, that events planning class of like, you’ve got to be prepared, make sure everybody's on the same page. It's the intangibles of those classes that have helped me a lot more, especially in my current role,” adds the grad.

Even while traveling across the country, he stays connected to Full Sail by returning for Hall of Fame Week, mentoring students, and speaking with classes whenever he can. “I love doing it. I would do it any chance I could. And especially for Full Sail, that is a big thing for me.”

Landing a job with the Bananas has been a longtime dream for Joe, but he doesn’t see it as just a stepping stone.

“It's so funny. Everybody has said, ‘Oh, you'll be there for two years and go onto the next job.’ I'm like, ‘I don't know about that one, guys. I think this one's here to stay for a little bit.’ I mean, when you wake up and this is the office every day,” says Joe happily as he motions to the field where he’s waiting to start his day.

With the Bananas’ nationwide tours expanding and new teams being added to the roster, Joe sees his future aligned with the organization’s explosive growth.

“What's next is staying here for a very long time because this organization has done a fantastic job. It's not easy to work here ... [there's] a lot going on, you have a lot to work with, and you constantly have to be creating and thinking of ideas, but it's a fun environment and you get to travel the country.”