His influence on my style did not always please the high school coaches but it did not take them long to notice that whatever I was doing worked. Yet I also had to work hard at surrendering my pride. I needed to incorporate the coaches' wisdom with that of my father's and blend it all with my own knowledge of the game and my own body.
I've learned that even for athletes, hard work means more than just physical exertion. In fact, the physical work we do pales in comparison to the mental work we perform on and off the field. First with our parents and friends who vie for our attention, who worry about us, and wonder if our dreams are misguiding us and leading us into false hope. Then we contend with unsupportive coaches and teammates. Coaches sometimes project their lost dreams on us. When they see us succeed they cut us down so they don't feel so bad about themselves. Teammates do the same out of jealousy, insecurity, or even healthy competition. We athletes work hard on the psychological and social level but winning games and meeting goals like earning a scholarship make it all worth it.
Hard work on the field also has to be balanced by work off the field. When not pitching I had to eat right, avoid drinking and other destructive habits, and keep up with my studies. Living cleanly did not always help my social life; it was often a struggle to say no in party situations where all my friends were letting loose. They didn't have practice the next day; they didn't have a game that weekend. I am...
I never regret a single missed sip of vodka: at least not nearly as much as I would have missed the opportunity to play baseball in college or to earn my Bachelor's degree. When I entered college I knew that I was expected to be more than just a good pitcher. One of the reasons I wanted the scholarship was because I had great ambitions that extended beyond the baseball diamond. I love my sport but know that especially as a pitcher, my playing days are limited. I needed and wanted something solid to fall back on: a career that would sustain me long after my arm would.
Naturally I gravitated towards careers that combined my love of baseball with my need for a more intellectual pursuit. When I started looking into administrative and coaching positions, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Reflecting on my career as a varsity and college baseball player, I knew that hard work did pay off. So, I started to study harder than I ever had. It was as if all the physical energy I channeled into my pitching arm could be harnessed and redirected to my brain. I wanted to go to college anyway. This was a whole new level of university that I never knew existed: one that combined athletics and academics. I worked harder than I ever have during my undergraduate career. I was determined to play an important role in baseball as a whole: as a pitching coach or however my talents best suited those around me.
