My athletic journey was anything but a smooth and easy process. From lacking not only in the physical requirements to play sports early on, but also the mindset and mental strength it would take to overcome and persevere as I attempted to carve my path into college athletics.

Going to a small Christian High School, sports were not stressed as hard as some of the surrounding schools the area. I never really had an understanding of what the mentality of the next level meant or required. Usually finishing last in conditioning or close to it, I always hated pushing new physical limits or anything related to breaking through a new mental barrier. 

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​After being asked to play catcher in high school as a freshman for the JV team, I quickly found something I was decent at which was the defensive aspect of being a catcher. This enlightened me to attempt my journey into college sports as a baseball player.

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Little did I know that I was about to walk through a door that was opening my life to a world that would push me to question myself, what I was doing, who I was, my love for baseball and if I should quit all together.

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I experienced a hardship I was not prepared for and probably made almost every mistake on paper an athlete could make. For this reason, I have been able to take the pain I have experienced from failure and use it to help others’ by turning it into their successes. 

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I ended up playing at three different levels of college baseball: Division 2, Division 1 Junior College and Division 3. By the time I had reached my last stop at Frostburg State University in western Maryland, the scars that had been built up from all the previous years of athletics had created a motivated attitude inside me that was all in. With the help of a well-rounded and hardworking team and a determined coaching staff, I finished my senior year as the starting catcher helping the team set a new school win record of 43-9. This led us to win our conference tournament, our regional tournament and creating school history by earning its first trip to the NCAA Division 3 World Series. ​

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Although we did not win it all, we finished ranked 2nd in the country, I was voted 1st Team All-Regional Tournament, Regional Tournament MVP, had a career high batting average of .330 with 7 home runs and tied a school record for home runs in a game with 3 back to back to back (Shared with Jim Riggleman, former player in MLB and current coach). 

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My most cherished achievement was being voted Team MVP by my teammates. This represented to me that I had a positive impact on the guys around me which forced me to look back and understand it is not about one person but instead helping others through their journey and process.

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My understanding of overcoming struggles and how to use failure came from playing a sport. I understand this is not the case for everyone. We all don't come from the same background or experience the same things early on in life and we all may be going after different dreams and passions. At the end of the day, we are all athletes, and the same systems and processes can be applied to other areas in life to achieve success.

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I have been led to believe that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)

If you want to be great and grow as an athlete, you must learn how to suffer and endure failure. I help develop the character and individual behind the athlete so that no matter what, they understand that through their journey, they are building something far more valuable than physical or mental strength and abilities, they are developing who they are as a person.

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