As a high school athlete, all I wanted to focus on was statistics. I wanted to know my earned run average, strikeout to walk ratio, pitches per start, and every other number I could get my hands on. As a pitcher, I thought those numbers measured success and would help me enjoy the game a lot more. For the most part, it did because those numbers were always positive, until I got to college.
The degree of difficulty greatly increased, as I had to compete with my teammates for spots and other teams when I got those opportunities. Those numbers that I valued weren’t looking so hot, and that started to hinder my enjoyment of playing the game. At this point, I had to answer the question: Will I let my statistics measure my happiness within a team? While performing well on the field is a lot of fun, there are other aspects of the team that I truly enjoyed.
The first aspect was just enjoying the smaller parts of practice. For me, it was the throwing program, bullpens, and intersquads. For other players, it may be ground balls, batting practice, or drill work. When I would throw my bullpens or toss with my teammates, I would just try to be loose and not put too much pressure on myself. It was the time I could try different things and work to improve myself. As long as I had the intent to get better, there was no reason to stress. Each practice was around four or five hours of just being at the field with my teammates and playing the game I loved. Once I stepped out of our locker room and walked down the steps to our field, it felt like a breath of fresh air as I blocked out the rest of my day and got to encompass myself in baseball.
That time at the field also allowed me to enjoy the company of over 40 other friends and coaches who all had the same goal. I’d take the time during stretches to ask them how their day was, talk about professional sports, maybe ask some stupid questions, and get ready for practice. Then during practice, we would hype each other up, chirp when we could talk some smack, and give advice or talk about specific aspects of the game that could benefit each other.
With only three or four coaches at practice, having teammates who were willing to help each other made our development a lot smoother. When I was doing my throwing program, my partner and I would give each other tips and cues if something felt off. Then we would get super competitive during our conditioning and start talking trash. I loved having that balance because, in both situations, we were making ourselves better.
Another aspect that I enjoyed was our team lifts because they just had a different vibe than practices. They were shorter, higher intensity and the focus was purely on giving 100 percent of what you had, regardless of how it compared to the rest of the team. Outside of pitching, this was my favorite part of being on the team. I enjoyed providing the energy to push somebody else to be better, and then that intensity was brought right back on me when I pushed myself. I was pushed to be comfortable with things that were uncomfortable, which made me a better ballplayer and teammate. Personally, I took advantage of how the weight room could benefit a team and took extra steps to push others there because I enjoyed it so much. Putting in the extra work in the weight room was just fun for me and I tried to make it fun for others too.
The great thing about all these aspects is they had nothing to do with my statistics or the amount of playing time I was getting. I was just enjoying being around my teammates and getting myself better at the game I loved. If there is one thing I’ve learned from talking to former teammates and coaches who reminisce about their time playing, it’s that five, ten, or twenty years down the road, the stats and accolades don’t matter at all.
When you look back on your playing career, no matter when it ends, the only thing you think about is the memories you created. Yes, the accolades are great, but your teammates will remember you by how you acted and how much you cared about baseball. For me, I think about the hotel trips, the bus rides, the 6 am lifts, hanging out with my teammates in the cafeteria after practice, and everything else. In the end, the impression you leave on your teammates through your work ethic and attitude will last longer than any statistic or accolade. While the statistics are important, it’s the memories that will last a lifetime and truly determine how much fun you had on the diamond.
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