An internship in the nation’s capital turned into a dream job for Lucas Montgomery. The 2019 Roxboro Community School (RCS) graduate recently became assistant field manager for the Washington Nationals baseball team.
After graduating from RCS, Luke studied turfgrass management at Guilford Tech Community College. He learned about an opportunity to intern with the Nationals through a Sports Field Management Association job board, and applied because the internship was designed to teach him more about maintaining a field.
He said his new job as the Nationals’ assistant field manager will “consist of many of the same jobs” he has been doing as an intern, but will entail “more responsibility and more will be expected” of him.
Luke said he started working on a golf course when he was 16 and “first learned that turf management was an actual thing.” He said he worked on the golf course for over three years. “Then a high school friend . . . said they needed help at the Durham Bulls part-time. While at the minor league baseball team stadium, he "fell in love with working on sports fields then,” he continued. “I just love baseball so much that when I realized I could still make a career around it, I couldn’t resist.”
He played baseball and soccer at RCS. When asked how the school had influenced him, Luke said, “First, I want to thank Coach (Pete) Tuck for being one of the greatest baseball coaches in history and playing such a huge part in my love for baseball since he started coaching me when I was seven. I’m thankful for assistant coaches Dwayne Clayton, Ron Hodgin [and] Brian Pleasant, and each person I got the pleasure to play ball with through my high school career.”
Luke added, “I want to thank Ron Hodgin for letting me continue to work on the field and with the team after I graduated.”
His favorite memories of RCS, he continued, “would have to be the whole 2019 baseball season and going to all the basketball games with my friends.”
He thanked former RCS science teacher Mike Czysz, current science teacher Ashley Bailey, former biotech teacher Gina Lunsford, and current electives teacher Phillip Gillis for making class interesting and fun.
When asked to offer advice to current high school students, Luke said, “If there is something you want to do and you’re really passionate about it, make it happen. The only person that can stop you, is you. Stay humble, don’t acknowledge anyone who speaks down on you, and never stop pushing until you’re satisfied.”
Luke concluded, “Thank you to my parents and everyone else who supported and helped me along the way. I never would have imagined when I was a kid that I would be where I am now.”