Page 5 - Fully Equipped Playbook

HUMILITY
The first thing college coaches or pro scouts ask is "What kind of person is he? Is he a good teammate?” Unless you're an absolute out of this world talent, if the answer to that question is no, your scholarship or draft rank could be in jeopardy.
Time for full disclosure. I wasn’t always a perfect teammate. There were times I struggled, especially when I was younger and immature. I would show my frustrations to the entire team and be selfish at times. My turning point came while at The University of Virginia. Our team was crushing, but I was in my own feelings. I got out one at bat, slammed my helmet in the dugout and walked into the locker room to cool off. That didn't sit well with my coach, who followed me and basically ripped me a new one. I was so caught up in my own frustrations that I couldn't see the bigger picture, that we were winning. After the game I reflected on the choices I made and who I needed to be as a teammate moving forward. I went to my coach’s office, apologized for how I acted, promised it wouldn't happen again and we both moved on. Lesson learned. It took a lot of hard work, but I can proudly say that as I progressed in my career, those moments of outward frustration happened less often.
So how did the transformation happen? I had to look
long and hard in the mirror and decide exactly the kind
of person and teammate I wanted to be. It started with
celebrating team wins, even when I felt like I
underperformed. It's amazing how something so simple
could change my outlook on baseball and on life. I also
made a point to not let myself get so frustrated when I
would get out. I was letting one bad at bat or one
mistake ruin my day. It even sometimes carried over
defensively. It's just not worth it. I had to learn to let
things go, and focus on the NEXT opportunity. That
helped me mature more than anything because in this game there is so much failure, if you can't handle it you wont make it.
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