Dec. 15, 2016
We recently caught up with Danielle Bloom (known in her Gopher softball days as Dannie Skrove). Bloom is a passionate Gopher softball alum who started working for Gopher Sports Properties this year. She told us what has been going on with her and left some advice for the current Gopher softball team!
Gopher Sports: First off what have you been up to lately?
Danielle Bloom: I have been in my new role as Director of Suites for Gopher Sports Properties for four months now. I am excited for spring to come as I am going to be coaching softball at Elk River High School for my third season.
GS: What does it mean to be working in Gopher athletics now as an employee for Gopher Sports Properties?
DB: I am four months in now to my new job and I am loving it. I never thought I would have the opportunity to come back to the U of M and work on the other side of athletics. It is a blessing to work with such a great group of people and to truly enjoy what I am doing. What I do now helps the athletic department and I am proud to be able to give back to a program that gave me so much!
GS: Last time we caught up with you was right after running your second marathon. Have you done any more running lately?
DB: That was a year ago now, time flies! I enjoyed watching the finish of the TC Marathon this year and cheering on the alumni that ran it again. I am not going to lie, watching gave me the itch to want to run another. We will see. I run for fun now, but I might have one more marathon in me. I would love to compete in a sprint triathlon so I think that might be next.
GS: You have stayed active in your support of Gopher softball. What does this program mean to you?
DB: Gopher Softball is a huge part of my life and it always will be! I have had said this before, but it was a dream of mine since I was 12 to play for the Gophers, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do so. I made lifelong friendships with my teammates and coaches and our group still gets together and spends quite a bit of time together. It has been so much fun going through all the phases of life with a great group of girls after graduation. Everyone gives my husband Kyle and I a hard time because we had so many weddings/showers/baby showers this past year, but that is just because I have a second family that we get to be a part of and share in each other's memories.
GS: What is the most valuable lesson you gained from your experience on the Gopher softball team?
DB: This is not a fair question because there are too many lessons to make one the "most" valuable. It goes hand in hand with what the program means to me. Gopher Softball is coached by arguably one of the best coaching staffs in the country who take pride in what they do. They truly love the program. I learned so much from them even though I only had them for two of my four years. They instill hard work and determination each day in everything we do and lead by example. They expect you to give 100% no matter what your 100% looks like that day. This attitude is what I try to do in my professional career and personal life. Those who know me know I go 1000 miles a minute and put my heart into everything I do.
GS: What is your favorite memory from your time at the University of Minnesota?
DB: I don't have one favorite memory because there are way too many to choose from! Every time alumni that I played with get together we bring up a memory or two and we can laugh for hours. I have memories of playing down to the specific details of where the game took place, who was where on the field and what happened when the ball was pitched. Also too memories off the field of fun times we had as teammates and roommates that will be with me forever.
GS: What is one piece of advice you would give to the current Gopher softball players?
DB: I would tell them be grateful for the opportunity that they have and to love the grind. Nowhere else in their lives will they have this many people pulling towards one common goal and supporting them the way their teammates and coaching staff does. Enjoy each day because time files, and the memories and friendships you will make will last forever!
