By Jonathan Massey –
As I sat down to write this week’s blog, it occurred to me that most high school baseball players (at least here in Texas) just had their high school season end, or it will end in the coming weeks. The same can be said for the college season as it winds down over the next month. This means there is going to be a handful of high school seniors who have a burning passion to play at the next level without any prospective schools, as well as a handful of college seniors just praying that their name gets called in the draft so they can put the jersey on at least one more time. So, while I originally wrote this piece a few years ago, it seems even more fitting today.
It was May 2011, and I had just gotten home from my sophomore year in college. I was excited to get back to work at the Ranch.
My first week back, there were a total of four of us working out with Coach Wolforth—Cody Springer, me, and two other pitchers (whose names I cannot recall). During the first couple of throwing sessions, the ball was jumping out of my hand. I was anxious to get on the radar gun, and I can remember thinking this would be the week. This was going to be the week that I finally broke through the 90mph barrier. Finally, on Wednesday of that week, Coach Wolforth let us radar. That day, I was 86-88.4mph on a turn-n-burn—by far the best day I had ever had! Even though I didn’t break 90mph, I left that day thinking it was just a matter of time before I did.
It would be another 34 months (March 2014) before I finally eclipsed the 90mph barrier. Most would be infuriated that the journey to 90 took so long, but when I look back on it, I thank God that I had to travel that road.
“God’s Delays Are Not Always God’s Denials”
Over those 34 months, I learned many life-changing lessons I otherwise would not have.
We all get frustrated; it is an inevitable part of life. However, how we deal with that frustration will determine who we are as a person. I quickly learned that sulking over the fact that I wasn’t already a 90-mph guy wasn’t going to help me get there any quicker. I became completely obsessed with finding a solution, and when I focused on the solution rather than the problem, I felt the frustration disappear.
I learned who was truly on my team. There are many people who you believe should be on your team or who say they are but really aren’t. I can’t tell you how many people told me I would never hit 90mph or that I was wasting my time training for two years on my own… Often by people I thought were in my corner. Knowing who is on your team is crucial because when *it* hits the fan—and it will—people who support you will drive you to keep going, and people who don’t will drive you to give up. I would have never hit 90mph without my team behind me.
In life, we will often find ourselves not quite as far along on our journey as we would like, but we are always exactly where God needs us to be. Those 34 months helped shape me into the man I am today, and I will be forever grateful for that.
So, for those of you who are unsure of what baseball has in store for you next, I’ll leave you with a piece of advice my dad gave me:
“Everything will work itself out in the end. If it hasn’t, it’s because it isn’t the end yet.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Important TBR Updates
- Interested in our “Summer Intensive Development Program”? Spots are filling up quickly, make plans to secure your spot now! Join us for 2-11 weeks this summer. For more information on this one of a kind Summer Training experience and for a registration form, CLICK HERE.
- Our Summer Elite Pitchers Bootcamp dates are available on our website. We will have seven bootcamps between Memorial Day and Labor Day. For more information on these 3-Day events or to register, CLICK HERE.
- Would you like to experience both the EPBC and Summer Program? We’ve got you covered. Attend one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamps and Add-On one week of our Summer Program immediately after for a total stay of seven days. Call for the details (936) 588-6762 and special savings.
- Have you been considering attending one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp but haven’t yet pulled the trigger? To help, we have a detailed mailing package entitled “What Makes This Boot Camp Different”. If you’d like to receive this package and start making plans for the summer, email Jill@TexasBaseballRanch.com and request a copy.
-
NEW VIDEO on our YouTube Channel: “8 Best Leadership Books for Baseball Players”. Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_kVsXP2HfA and share your opinion in the comments!
