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Women of Distinction

amantha Gilmore knew development I get to witness is
as a young girl what her not only on the field but in their
Scareer goal would be. lives outside of baseball. Some
An exceptional athlete, who are getting married and starting
played four years of softball on families.”
her college team, Samantha “You know, we saw a lot
had aspirations of being part of pros and cons to the 2020
of a professional team, not in season and all that the players
softball, and not as a player. Sa- experienced. In many ways, we
mantha wanted to be a Sports saw them grow and develop
Psychologist for a professional and learn about themselves in
baseball team. new ways, and ways that we
To some, this may have would've never experienced
seemed like an impossible goal, had we not had to deal with a
but not for Samantha. After pandemic. The Players faced
graduating from St. Edward’s new challenges and adversities
University in Austin, Texas, she that they had never experi-
went on to obtain her Master's enced in their lives. And they
in Sports Psychology at Florida had to figure out ways to over-
State University. come them, and many of them
During her last semester, did. Not playing games affected
Samantha set out to obtain an Samantha them. So, getting back out on
internship, and through a few the field in 2021, there has been
school connections she got the some relearning, some getting
opportunity to interview for the Gilmore back into the swing of things,
position of her dreams. About In some ways, it has been an
a month before graduation the almost enjoyable challenge.
New York Mets made an offer, By Judith A. Habert We learned, we grew, we faced
she jumped on a plane and adversity, and grew some more,
left her hometown of Red Oak Photos courtesy of Samantha Gilmore and we're happy to see the light
Texas to start her dream job in at the end of the tunnel.”
the Big Apple. that their thought process plays season, Samantha is the Mental Certainly, players struggle
Samantha’s first assignment in being a better overall athlete Performance Coordinator more mentally if they are in
was working with the Mets and baseball player.” working with the Mets Triple-A a slump or they can’t under-
Rookie Ball team, the Kingsport Samantha (or Sam as the affiliate, The Syracuse Mets, and stand why they may not be in
Mets, in Tennessee. After her players call her) is truly a part of also manages the inner-work- the starting lineup, so I asked
internship came to an end, the the team. She travels with them ings of the Minor League Men- Samantha what she found
New York Mets offered her a to each game and is out there tal Performance Department. In the biggest challenge was for
permanent full-time position on the field with them during a normal season without covid her players. “I think each year
with them as a “Mental Per- each workout, on game days restrictions, as the coordinator, my answer would probably
formance Coach” It was at this she can be found in the dugout Samantha would spend much be different. And it's based on
point that they moved her up with the players. If a Mets player of her time traveling across the the level of the player, or the
to the high A team in Port St. has a specific problem, Saman- Mets five affiliates supporting age range that I'm working
Lucie, Florida. tha will be there to help him her mental performance staff with. I think what I found most
I asked Samantha what through it. More than just an members and connecting with important is that we have to
her job entailed. “Within our ear to listen, Samantha actively all the organization’s players. understand that this game
organization, we're almost assists players in calming any “Watching the progression of baseball is a part of our
considered another part of the performance anxiety and devel- of these players is so exciting to life. It's not our whole life and
coaching staff. Our goal in this oping focus on the field. me. I started with many of these understanding that perspec-
organization, specifically, is The 2020 season was a guys being drafted into the tive makes things a bit easier. I
player development through challenge for the team, with organization and I'm watching often try to make them under-
performance enhancement the season shortened due to them as they grow and develop stand that the weight of what
using mental skills. We educate covid and no fans in the stands. through the system. For the happens in each game should
players to understand how During this period, Samantha most part, I have been growing not be their entire concentra-
mental performance may affect found herself working with and developing with them. This tion. Often if a player doesn’t
their game. By doing so, it players throughout the orga- is a year when I'm seeing my perform well in a game, they
allows the players to be aware nization and spent most of her players advance to the much may be used to mourning their
of their thought processes, spe- time with the more seasoned higher levels, as well as playing performance for a day or two.
cifically teaching them the role players. Now in her fourth in the major leagues. The What we try to do is explain

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