New York Mets Spanish Radio Producer Credits Self-reliance Class

When the Major League Baseball season begins in a couple of weeks, Brian Munguia of the Brooklyn New York Stake is going to be busy.

He is the Spanish-language radio producer and engineer for the New York Mets — a dream job that is now a reality.

“There were people along the way that believed in me,” he said.

Munguia grew up as a big baseball fan and had a lot of support in his life — including his mother, who was a Mets fan, and a school teacher, who was a Yankees fan. One of his professors at Brooklyn College introduced him to working in radio.

Besides those influences, he also credits the support of his wife and a self-reliance class from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called Find a Better Job.

“If it wasn’t for that class, I wouldn’t be working for the Mets,” said Munguia, who is a father of two and a member of the Staten Island 3rd Ward (Spanish).

The 12-week course was offered through his stake and led by a facilitator. It combines spiritual principles with practical skills, and as a returned missionary who served in the California Anaheim Mission, Munguia appreciated the importance of the spiritual aspect.

To improve, he said, “you have to put your trust in God.”

In the class, the group learned how to write a better resume and cover letter, how to network, prepare for job interviews and promote themselves to potential employers.

Above all, Munguia said the class taught him how to be bold. He was already working in the sports broadcasting industry, but his fellow group members encouraged him to reach for more.

Through a contact, Munguia visited the Mets broadcast booth at Citi Field. That visit eventually led to a job offer. Now he has been in his current role for three baseball seasons and is starting his fourth.

Each game, Munguia makes sure the New York Mets’ live Spanish-language broadcast is on the air. He helps the play-by-play announcers have the right notes, details and information, and he keeps track of the timing for the on-air product. He also makes sure all the connections are set to each platform that carries the Spanish broadcast.

He has since facilitated a self-reliance course in his stake and encourages other people to consider taking one — such as Starting and Growing My Business, Education for Better Work, Personal Finances, Emotional Resilience and more.

Munguia knows those who want to improve their lives have to step up to the plate and take a swing.

— Elder Bob Hansen and Sister Lorraine Hansen, self-reliance missionaries in the New York New York City Mission, contributed to this article.