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How I Got My Division I Baseball Scholarship (Thread):
As a small child, l I was a naturally gifted athlete
But by the time middle school came around, I wasn't exactly an athletic specimen
I was socially awkward and late going through puberty
As a small child, l I was a naturally gifted athlete
But by the time middle school came around, I wasn't exactly an athletic specimen
I was socially awkward and late going through puberty
Needless to say, your boy wasn't getting too many dates
Like many teenagers, I was itching to stand out for some reason, ANY reason
Recalling my elementary school athletic glory, I decided sports presented such an opportunity
Except I wasn't very good
Like many teenagers, I was itching to stand out for some reason, ANY reason
Recalling my elementary school athletic glory, I decided sports presented such an opportunity
Except I wasn't very good
My last game in 8th grade, I made 5 errors. Mental midget
"Do not hit the ball to me" I plead to the baseball gods, to no avail
But it didn't matter. I wasn't getting the respect I wanted socially and I saw sports as the best vehicle I had to get it
"Do not hit the ball to me" I plead to the baseball gods, to no avail
But it didn't matter. I wasn't getting the respect I wanted socially and I saw sports as the best vehicle I had to get it
Freshman year of HS, I really wanted to play football with my friends but my dad would not let me
So baseball it would be
I showed up to the first fall scrimmage
The Varsity coach asked what position I played
"Shortstop"
"Okay, we'll put you in centerfield"
F me
So baseball it would be
I showed up to the first fall scrimmage
The Varsity coach asked what position I played
"Shortstop"
"Okay, we'll put you in centerfield"
F me
Rather than sulk about it like my teammate in right field, I made 2 diving catches in the first inning
One on the first pitch of the game and the second to end the inning, a la Jim Edmonds shown below
I averaged one diving catch every 2-3 years before that game
One on the first pitch of the game and the second to end the inning, a la Jim Edmonds shown below
I averaged one diving catch every 2-3 years before that game
That inning got me on the Varsity coach's radar
But there were levels to this game
I didn't know it at the time, but college coaches didn't communicate much with Varsity coaches. They spoke to travel select ball coaches almost exclusively...
But there were levels to this game
I didn't know it at the time, but college coaches didn't communicate much with Varsity coaches. They spoke to travel select ball coaches almost exclusively...
And even though I got called up to my varsity team as a freshman, my travel ball coach thought I sucked and nearly cut me
Who could blame him? I was 5' 9" 155 lbs and slow
My teammates were > 6' > 175 lbs and fast
Monsters
With bicep veins
And beards
At 15 years old
Who could blame him? I was 5' 9" 155 lbs and slow
My teammates were > 6' > 175 lbs and fast
Monsters
With bicep veins
And beards
At 15 years old
After ending my freshman summer on the bench, I did what any dateless motivated kid would do
I lived in the weight room
I spent hours after school every day running and lifting weights
Overtrained to the max
BUT
I got better
I lived in the weight room
I spent hours after school every day running and lifting weights
Overtrained to the max
BUT
I got better
My arm got stronger and I cut my 60 yard dash time by .4 seconds
Enough to win the respect of the travel ball coach whose favor I sought deeply
This coach was like a local king
All the rich parents sucked up to him, hoping it would help their kid
Laughed at all his bad jokes
Enough to win the respect of the travel ball coach whose favor I sought deeply
This coach was like a local king
All the rich parents sucked up to him, hoping it would help their kid
Laughed at all his bad jokes
But he liked me because I became a PROSPECT
So much that he asked me to work with a younger kid in the organization he said reminded me of him
Because we both sucked as 15 years old shortstops, but worked hard
I didn't think much of the younger kid. That kid became @bcraw35
So much that he asked me to work with a younger kid in the organization he said reminded me of him
Because we both sucked as 15 years old shortstops, but worked hard
I didn't think much of the younger kid. That kid became @bcraw35
I continued to play well in spurts, and my Junior year of HS, skipped out on finals to play in an Oklahoma tournament
I didn't hit well all year, but that week I had the best tournament of my life
11 hits in 17 at bats. Hit every ball hard in front of many SEC & ACC coaches
I didn't hit well all year, but that week I had the best tournament of my life
11 hits in 17 at bats. Hit every ball hard in front of many SEC & ACC coaches
And that summer, I hit 100 pts higher than in my HS season, against better competition
I played so well that the Stanford coach came to recruit me at my house
Stanford was my dream school
Except they had their pick of the litter
I was just a local kid with good grades
I played so well that the Stanford coach came to recruit me at my house
Stanford was my dream school
Except they had their pick of the litter
I was just a local kid with good grades
Vanderbilt too had been following me all summer
The same Vanderbilt that hadn't made the NCAA postseason in 20 years
I loved the coaches when they recruited me & loved the atmosphere on my recruiting trip
But they were still my "safety" school
I still had my eyes on Stanford
The same Vanderbilt that hadn't made the NCAA postseason in 20 years
I loved the coaches when they recruited me & loved the atmosphere on my recruiting trip
But they were still my "safety" school
I still had my eyes on Stanford
Which was unfortunate because the Stanford coach didn't even remember the weekend he said my recruiting trip would be
It was clear I was a roster filler in his mind and he only ponied up a 5% scholarship offer
So I committed to Vanderbilt because they wanted me more
It was clear I was a roster filler in his mind and he only ponied up a 5% scholarship offer
So I committed to Vanderbilt because they wanted me more
Never did I expect the team I committed to would become the @VandyBoys
Every coach became a Coach of the Year at the NCAA or MLB level
Before @DavidPrice24 @MikeMinor36 & Pedro Alvarez were making MLB All Star Teams, they were just dudes we messed around with in the locker room
Every coach became a Coach of the Year at the NCAA or MLB level
Before @DavidPrice24 @MikeMinor36 & Pedro Alvarez were making MLB All Star Teams, they were just dudes we messed around with in the locker room
And they still are
We were the hardest working team in the nation
We spent 17 weeks as the #1 team in the country in 2007
& won an SEC Championship
& I finished 7th on the all time hits list
With a group of guys who will be my best friends for life
We were the hardest working team in the nation
We spent 17 weeks as the #1 team in the country in 2007
& won an SEC Championship
& I finished 7th on the all time hits list
With a group of guys who will be my best friends for life
My baseball journey never took me to the destination I wanted it to
But in many ways it took me further
The perspective you see, the mental frameworks that got me hired at the hedge fund, @Google, & @OKCoin were all shaped in the 4 year grind that was my college
career
But in many ways it took me further
The perspective you see, the mental frameworks that got me hired at the hedge fund, @Google, & @OKCoin were all shaped in the 4 year grind that was my college
career
