Catching Up With Christians
Catching Up With Christians
Catching Up with Christians: EP 1 - Landon Hutchison, Head Baseball Coach at Lake Erie College
In this episode, host Dan McCarty interviews Landon Hutchison, a college baseball coach, about his coaching journey and the impact of faith on his coaching style. Landon shares his background and how he got into coaching, as well as his goals for the program he currently coaches. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships beyond baseball and creating a supportive team culture. Landon also discusses how his faith has influenced his coaching style and beliefs, and shares his experiences of balancing faith and coaching as a full-time coach. The episode concludes with a discussion on being bold in faith as a coach. In this conversation, Landon Hutchison discusses his experiences with religion, the impact of the ABCA convention, his hobbies outside of coaching, and the role of faith in his life. He shares personal stories of tragedy and how they led him to strengthen his faith. The conversation emphasizes the importance of making a positive impact on others and finding gratitude in every season of life.
Welcome to the first episode of catching up with Christians. I'm your host, dan McCarty, alongside dear friend and guest, landon Hutchinson. How you doing today, landon Long great Dan.
Speaker 2:How are you?
Speaker 1:Wonderful. I appreciate you taking the time to. You know, hop onto the podcast today. It's the first episode, so how do you feel about being the first guest?
Speaker 2:It's fine man, I'll lead. I'll lead it off. We'll start things off with a bang. Hopefully will be the the biggest viewership right off the rip. But if not, you know maybe we can bring me back later and maybe try and get those numbers up.
Speaker 1:I love it, man, that's awesome. So what is your style today? It's gonna be really deep and philosophical, or just kind of casual.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's pretty casual man, but no man, I'm just trying to, you know, learn from you, you learn from me and Hopefully just inspire some people to, you know, get closer to Christ and also to just maybe have some sort of you know stories through, you know, our testimonies and things like that that could possibly, you know, connect with them, and that's really what it's about. And you know, we were talking about the ABCA and we saw each other again and that's what it's about. It's that fraternity you know that you have and I think, yeah, the same thing goes with with a podcast like this. You know Jesus is, you know, great for all of us and I really think it helps. You know ties a lot of things.
Speaker 1:So, absolutely, absolutely. You weren't mind kind of diving in who is landing, how to, what do you do and and how have you gotten to where you are?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so a lot of people call me coach Hutch, but that wasn't. You know where I started. So I'm born in Columbus, ohio. I'm a Buckeyes fan. It's pretty much like you know what you got to be when you're born in. Born in that area, but was born in 1992, so 31 years old. Graduated from Liberty Union, which is a small school. I was like I've made this joke a million times, but it's 100% true like take your tractor to work day. It's extremely small town, like two or three stop lights in it and Graduated in 2011.
Speaker 2:Played three sports during that time played baseball, basketball and golf. Was a really good athlete and golf. I actually had some, you know, pretty legit offers during that time. But I had a much deeper connection To baseball. It's, you know, been my passion. It's given me everything and where I am now today. And then I also showed hogs and sheep at the fair and horses and things like that. So there's a lot of ties and things that I use those kind of kind of times to help with my coaching today too. And then, you know, there's some other things that you know taught me. But then it up, get an opportunity to play at the University of Rio Grande, which is in Rio Grande, ohio, southern Ohio. Nei school Play for coach Brad one lot for four years and coached there for two years prior. After that post, got my master's degree and coaching leadership. Then, after coaching, I decided to Not become a teacher.
Speaker 2:That was what I went to school for, so that was another thing that you know prayed a lot about and you know was it something that I wanted to do every single day and you know I am teaching still technically I'm just teaching but that was a big change and big decision in my life and ended up moving out to Indianapolis and Probably a month after I took this job with pastime tournaments, I Got an opportunity to be the fishy coach at the University of Indianapolis out there as a part-time coach and and Coach here for four years, had a lot of success there and ended up getting this opportunity to be the head coach here at Lake Erie and that's where I've been ever since.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, man. I love your coaching journey. We we before we dive into that. So I just want to kind of get into how we know each other. I mean, I can break that down a little bit, but I want to hear your perspective of kind of how you know you feel like we've connected on that level.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I mean, obviously you know my boy, dave Steele. We were roommates in college and man, he just kept talking about you. That man, he got me more Dan, like he's, he's legit, like knows this stuff. You know, great catching guy but just unbelievable person. You know a lot of things, you've been through and and stuff like that and it puts a lot of things in perspective for some people. But the one thing that you know really stood out to me, man, was, honestly, when we started following each other on Twitter and we finally actually got, you know, a chance to meet each other. It was just like your connection through Christ and that made me want to meet you even more. You know, honestly, and it really has, you know, inspired. You have specifically inspired a lot of people and that's why I'm really happy that We've built a relationship you know through Dave. But he's a character. I mean he actually was calling me probably 15 minutes ago, right before we started this podcast, so I kind of hit ignore on him. So I'll call him back after this thing.
Speaker 1:But sweet coach Dale will be a future guest here where it's supposed to be one of the next few days as well, so tune in for that people. But yeah, I mean, I feel I feel the same way about you. I think one of the biggest things right is in our, in our career right with coaching and things. It's it's People. I really get inspired by people who are really open and, outwardly, you know, are showing their faith. But through their career and I know coach steel, our mutual friend, was a person like that himself, like One of the first times, you know, we started talking.
Speaker 1:He's like hey, man, you should come to church with me and, and faith is really important to me, and being able to see someone who Was a really good coach but also be someone who is really just bold for Jesus, it's something really inspiring. Because personally I'm young but I've seen a handful of coaches in games and you don't always see that, and so when I saw that connection between coach steel, I was like man, this is a guy I want to be around for a long time. And he started talking about you know this guy, coach, I'm like man, this dude kind of seems pretty cool. You know, um, you know and and we're all relatively younger in the coaching space, right, and you know that was the thing.
Speaker 1:Another thing too, it's you when, depending on who you coach with, it's hard to connect with some of the older people on more of a personal level. Obviously, career-wise you can you got to do your jobs You're gonna connect on the baseball side of things. But when it comes to real life situations, you know it's a lot easier to connect someone who's in their late 20s, early 30s as a 21 year old, than a 50, 60, 70 year old. You know person. So that was something really that you know inspired me and it got me excited when coach feel was like hey, man, I got some people for you to connect with. So I remember one of our first couple times beating was on the recruiting trail. You know we get to.
Speaker 1:I had my raising canes, as always in a red bull and you know, it was one of the first first times you really got to just connect and really get to know each other more.
Speaker 1:And, like I said, I just love that you're bold. I'm taking this thing out of my ear each wall in any way, but you're just bold about being like yeah, I'm a Christian, I'm a baseball coach, I'm trying to do the best for my guys, my team, and you know, I know that Christ gives me the strength and courage to do that. And so, yeah, it's been, I want to say, about two and a half years since I've known you and you know you're. You're at a Lake Erie college and I'd like for you to dive in a little bit about what that journey's been like and kind of what you Took over and what. What are some of the goals that you have and vision for the program, because I know personally, I've tracked you since you've been there and I'm really excited it's not more excited than you guys are from an outside perspective of Because I just know how great coaching staff that you have, that you built there and the guys that are hungry to turn that thing around.
Speaker 2:So order some things maybe you're looking to achieve in the next few seasons, as well as what kind of inspired you to take over program that maybe you know needed to be completely rebuilt yeah, so you know a lot of it, man, honestly, probably just comes and stems from, I guess, just who I am and I'm not someone that's gonna back down from a challenge by any means. You know there was many people that said that probably not a good decision to try and take a position like this. You know, at a small school and and, but I'm a small town kid, you know, like it's just, that's just going on. I guess I'm not a kid anymore, but you know, at heart I still am, and my wife would definitely Agree with that. I probably should grow up a little bit more on some things, with some jokes that I, you know, crack on her and stuff like that. But but regardless, I found it as an opportunity to, you know, really turn a program into something that it honestly hasn't been lacking. It's always been here. There's been tons of talent in this area forever, and it was very difficult to recruit this area when I was at UND, actually, and and and RIO as well, on the coaching circuit. It's, it's weird. There's just a lot of really good schools that are playing for state championships within probably an hour and a half of here, and so as soon as I got here, I was like, all right, well, we have a smaller roster, let's, let's win this area. So just start looking for, you know, kids reaching out to programs, travel programs, high schools, things like that, and Just wanted to connect and just see you know what they were looking for. And then, you know, with COVID, with the portal and things like that too, it made things a lot more more difficult for you know some high school kids to Maybe get some of the exposure which they were looking for. Same time, you know, it wasn't. It wasn't, you know, too hard to say yes to this opportunity, because you know I've always wanted to be, you know, head coach. I think this is something that I've been meant to do, and when I was in like fourth or fifth grade, I mean, I wrote down that what I wanted to do for the rest of my life was teaching. So this is just who I am. It's in my roof. You know I have that passion to help guys out and I I really do genuinely care about every single guy that I've ever coached, that I've, you know, possibly impacted and things like that, because you know, later on down the road, you just never know what, what something could happen, and you know real good example.
Speaker 2:There was a you know player that you know is that my you know previous institution at UND, who was a position player and His name was as mr Holdsworth. He, he literally was a position player and he played very little. And I'm a pitching guy like and with our practice schedule. It was really weird because it was I was hired as a pitching guy, I was in the bullpen, constantine, and that's basically who I interacted with, and his older brother, macy he was.
Speaker 2:He was a guy that was, you know, a really good ball player, ended up being a the all-time doubles leader or close to it. I think he got all American votes and stuff like that. But I didn't even know who Macy was until we start playing games because I didn't work with those guys right. Yeah, I just know that he had some, you know his brother had some you know serious things going on, you know health-wise and. But we had talked about our relationship with honey. I like to hunt fish and so did he, and you know that was kind of his way of you know releasing some of the you know Maybe mental angst that he had. And then a few years later I get an invitation to a wedding you know.
Speaker 2:And it's like those things like mean a lot. And you know Macy he, you know he extended an invitation to his wedding too. And, like you know, there's only one team that gets a host of trophy at the end of the year, right?
Speaker 1:and.
Speaker 2:You know, those things are extremely special. I was very fortunate enough to be able to you know when, when myself as a player and coach for one, and we're in that to do that right. But the same time, those things that you do that help check those other boxes.
Speaker 2:It's really what honestly means more, and that's what I'm trying to do here and that's awesome. The culture has shifted significantly and, you know, one thing that we've done ever since I've been here is I'm pretty sure it was on an episode of hard knocks and it might have been the Browns, actually, kind of ironically, yeah, but they were talking about their why, why you're here, why you do what you do every single day, and the first year that we did it, you know, guys were kind of opening up about some stuff and then you know, I opened up about me and it's like 45 minutes to an hour and there. So I get pretty personal about it. I want them to know pretty much everything deep, dark secrets, some things that never many people know about me, and but I want them to know those things because I've been through some stuff too and I want you to understand that there's other avenues, wish that you can look for and you know, and Christ is one of those things.
Speaker 2:Right, it's actually morphed into, like this year, like guys have gotten really deep within their lives. But we actually started a Bible study once a week on campus that is led by one of my graduate assistants and it's been awesome, man, I mean, there's kids from wrestling, there's kids from basketball, and it just continue has continuously grown since this year started and we started it probably two or three weeks before the break started and Ever since then, like guys been, you know, we have like a group me and they're just posting things and you know, christmas obviously was great and and stuff like that. So it's just morphed into those kind of things. So those are the things I'm extremely excited about, for, like you're, you know, like I do think that we're gonna have a pretty good year this year, you know, but so does every coach, you know, right, exactly, feel very confident about it. But I honestly do think that we're gonna have, you know, some really big things happening this year, and, you know, off the field too.
Speaker 1:So that's incredible and you know, I think you touched upon a few things there that I really love. I think one of the biggest things is there's a misconception, personally, that I feel that some people get a bad rep for when coaches are really big on the outside of the baseball, off the field, interactions, all these things like I remember in like some Environments where you know I'll just nag on the old school for a little bit, you're just kind of it's all about winning, it's all about, you know, getting more reps. You know you should be practicing seven days a week, all these different things, right, and we're all that's great. But the fascinating part that you touched up on there is all of us coaches want to win. You're not in this industry if you're not competitive, okay. You're most, 99% of coaches, right, you're here to win anyway. That just comes with the title, that comes with being in sports. So I think that that should be a given. And then would you agree with that where You're already doing it, because you guys want to help the team win a championship and those such a thing. So it is okay to alter some of your energy towards, you know, like you said, bible studies and, yeah, connecting to players on a different level.
Speaker 1:I I can't tell you how many times I've had players come up to me. It's like, coach, well, you're asking me about like other stuff other than baseball. I'm like, yeah, because that's the relationship I want to build with you guys. It's just, if you just come up to them and be like man, why aren't you performing? Or how, how's the fast ball today? Or how is he saying that they're gonna be like, okay, cool, it's transactional relationship, right, but like you mentioned With connecting with those players and you got a wedding invite, you connected, you know, because you guys had a passion for things outside of baseball. So my personal advice to other coaches and people that are listening is like, remember that 99% of the guys on your team love baseball and are there to compete and help win a championship. There's more to it and, being a leader and coach and a teacher, you want to connect to the people on another level than just the baseball side of things. Would you agree?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's well, we're not in here lose. I mean that's yeah the thing that the thing that we everyone always says is winning, cares everything. Which is it's a hundred percent true.
Speaker 2:You can have cancerous mind on kids and mindsets and things like that, Intendancies when you're winning and it doesn't show its face but then when you start losing that's when it shows its face and that's a, you know, a testimony to you know a lot of coaches out there because you know again, no one's in anything to you know to want to lose in life and generally. Right. So you got to have some solid, you know, anchors in your life that, no matter what your ups and downs, you have something to go back to, and Jesus, you know.
Speaker 1:It's fascinating that you said to is I had recently took a position at Indiana University, purdue University, columbus. It's a NAI school in Indiana. I'm doing your remote player development stuff for them, a lot of like, you know, catching, throwing progressions, a lot of different things like that, which is great. But I was just talking to our head coach and something fascinating you know you're talking about. Well, there's only one champ or champion, right given right and and all division two. There's gonna be one. There's gonna be competition because it's gonna be one World Series winner. And you know we're talking. My coach and I use, like you could go 56 in like a Maybe to the NAI World Series, the last mess of three and you losing game three. What are you a loser? Yeah, right, like you have that great of a year by the end day. You're still in people's minds. You lost. So it's like what other ways can you measure success?
Speaker 1:What other ways can you measure it being worth your time and that can people grow and and that's why I love about what you're talking about you mentioned a lot of other ways to measure your success as a program, as well as Measure your relationships with your players other than just you know on field success, which is pretty inspiring.
Speaker 2:Yeah, chancey was the one that kid one of those kids that was inviting me to the yes, the lighting and stuff, and but my big thing, man, is like Even when I go out recruiting now, like when I go out to Andy, like I go see my former players and I go see Bates, yeah, I go see witty, I go see A warner, I go see you know a lot of these guys MOOC, like all these guys that, like I, helped impact their life.
Speaker 2:But whenever I'm in town they like see me on snapchat, like that. You're in town with the heck man. Why aren't you coming out here to?
Speaker 1:come see me and like well.
Speaker 2:I might be able to. It is probably not gonna be told nine o'clock, cuz I'm gonna be at this field from you know. Whatever, but you always try and make time and like even if it's a phone call like those. Those little things matter and you know, sometimes it's you know it just as much as you know not only reaching out to people, but it's picking up the phone too and.
Speaker 2:You know, in reading people's faces, like that's why I thought COVID really screwed up people's minds, man was because you had masks on. And when you had a mask on, like you don't know, like you can't tell if I'm mad or happy or anything, obviously you can see, absolutely, you know, like in a smile, like you know having a laugh, like those things just kind of got lost a little bit and these things don't help either. You know, like these cell phones, yeah, yeah, you know that guys like that's why we make people talk about their, why it's like we physically make them talk in front of our guys because they're so used to just texting and it really needs to be a part of like their daily you know routines as well, just to help with their, with their mindset.
Speaker 1:So, absolutely so we'll shift into the faith aspect here. How would you say you're so? You are Christian and you know we can get into your journey in your faith here in a minute. But how would you say your, your, your faith has Impacting maybe your coaching style or your reason of coaching, or maybe altered some of your beliefs over time. I know personally like the closer I got with God over years, the more my mindset shifted in different styles coaching styles and my thoughts and the things that I valued from a player tended to alter a little bit versus when I was a little more early on in my faith journey.
Speaker 2:So how would?
Speaker 1:you say personally what it's affected your coaching style or coaching.
Speaker 2:I would say that when I first started coaching and stuff like that and as I continued to get closer with Christ, it honestly has allowed me to read the room a little bit more. I would jump to conclusions so much more earlier in my career, and a lot of times people act out because of something going on and you don't know what that is. So you probably need to hear. There's always two sides of the story. They always say that, right, and at the beginning of my career I would always be like he doesn't care, or this guy just he doesn't get it, or he's not a team guy or whatever that it is. And if a lot of things start stacking up and it starts showing that that is actually true, okay, well then that's who that person is.
Speaker 2:But more times than not, there's something going on behind the scenes that we just don't quite know about and we need to know about that person a little bit more. Have a door open. They come in there's guys that come in once a week, right, and we just talk it's about anything, it can be literally whatever about what it needs to be. But some of the things that I've done, too is I've suggested books for people. Some of them are religious. You know Facebook some definitely not religious Facebooks Like Greenlight is definitely not a religious Facebook by Matthew McConaughey man.
Speaker 2:that book is so powerful because there's just so many things that he went through and he goes into such detail about it and he just talks about taking moments that what you feel like is probably the lowest point in your life, or a red light moment and then it actually turns out being a green light moment because you learn so much from that and that's like you know what we talked about, like so the places that I attend and go to church or have went to church and stuff like that and you know, I was talking about Mount Carmel and Batavia, which is literally the opposite side of Ohio but I felt like every time I went to go listen to DD speak, it was literally what I needed and it's just, it's not a coincidence when it keeps happening.
Speaker 2:You know it's meant to be right, absolutely so. Those little messages are something. And, you know, before every single game, you know, I bow my head and I pray and I say, you know, say hello to some of my you know former family members. You know that are up there and you know, ask them how they're doing. You know, maybe crack a joke here or there and just have a nice whole song and you know, let them know to like watch out for our guys and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:And you know all those things are extremely important. And we do have a lot of you know guys on the team that are, you know, christian. We have some you know that are not, and that's cool, that's your decision and all those things. But I just want them to know that I'm there for them and if they ever need anyone to talk to, that it's not just me, you know, just them too.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, you know, I personally. I want to know your perspective on this. This is me opening up. I personally felt sometimes it's always hard being a full-time college coach and still keeping your faith. First, you know me being a recruiting coordinator, right, I remember one summer, two summers ago, I went to 132 games, okay, and a summer and I don't know if that's a lot. There are a lot of people I don't know that was a lot for me, okay.
Speaker 2:That's a lot.
Speaker 1:That is a lot that was a lot of games Like I grinded that summer and I had a great, great time. But you know, really trying to pray every day and spend and I would pray every day I always have but spending time with God, right, having that intimate time of just trying to grow in your faith, that was something that was really tough for me in the full-time coaching world, because I think there's a lot of people who don't realize and maybe you want to touch up on how you continue to put your faith first or, if there's times, maybe you feel like you have grown in that area as well. But I know personally it was difficult, and not only that. I just feel like it's a people don't understand, like this is not a typical nine to five, so you're not practicing twice a week and rolling out the lineup card on a double header one weekend just to get things going Like. No, this is 10, 11 months out of the year. You're going a million miles per hour, right?
Speaker 2:So living on raising gains, energy drinks and coffee, caffeine right Like that's a good message.
Speaker 1:You encapsulated it right there, but how in your life have you been able to maybe balance your faith and keep it at the forefront through being a full-time college baseball coach?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that was actually something that I was trying to really figure out when I was at UND, because it's been easier now that I just have one full-time job. But when I was at UND I was working baseball tournaments and then coaching at the same time, so I had to recruit and I got to make sure that the rain's happening and make sure this parents have. Like it was a lot right. So at that point it was really hard, like I hadn't been to church in a long time and it was kind of wearing on me and I didn't know what, why and things like that. And it wasn't. I didn't know if it was church or if it was just like stress or what.
Speaker 2:But it's like you need that release right and something that maybe other people that is listening to this extremely easy just download the Bible app Every morning.
Speaker 2:It gives you a testimony.
Speaker 2:It's a sentence, it's a paragraph, whatever it is and it can connect with you and if it's something that you feel that maybe connects with your team, for the coaches out there too, share that message and then maybe have someone speak on it right before you start practice and how it may be tied into something previous or whatnot, but that at least helps at least get my start of the day.
Speaker 2:I'll have my coffee and read the passage for the day, whatever it is, and then I'll maybe read into the chapter, actually open up the Bible, and read into it and highlight it and maybe do some self-reflection on it and then do my own individual prayer. I try and read the. It's the I'm second version of the 365 days, which those are great too, because not only you're reading certain passages of the Bible, but then there's always, like little statements at the end that you're supposed to help live your day by, and those are a couple ways that has really helped me connect and I have been really trying to dive deeper into that and I've actually been doing a lot more individual self-reflection myself. Like I feel like that I was not the weight that I wanted to be at.
Speaker 2:So I've changed my diet and I'm starting to exercise a little bit more, because I was exercising later to zero, because you're talking about your time commitment, like I'm trying to make sure that I commit as much time to my guys as possible and maybe sacrifice my own health for them, to be completely honest, and it's time for me to be a little bit more selfish about myself and make sure that I am in good health, because I do have a boy on the way and those things are really big for me, so that's awesome.
Speaker 1:No, I mean first of all congrats, that's really exciting and have you all decided on a name yet, or is it still kind of yeah?
Speaker 2:we have yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's awesome man, I was looking forward to it and you know you better be spoiling it. You know what I mean His room's literally on the other side of this wall and it's packed with clothes that people put on it and stuff like that and he's a levy right, well, yeah we're gonna tape his right arm behind his back. Yeah, exactly Um.
Speaker 2:But no man. What was really cool about that moment, too, is like we did the reveal, like the gender reveal, and when I first told the guys like I was nervous, I mean like I was extremely nervous because we're at. You know the due date's April 17th, that's in the middle of the season.
Speaker 2:But I mean, I mean, dandy, we've prayed, my wife and I have prayed hard for this opportunity and you know, it really, really is great that we're able to, you know, have a child, because we've been trying for years and it's been awesome. But in general, like when we told him, like their excitement was, like it was real you know like let's go and they were cracking some jerks and stuff like that too, but that's amazing. But then, like when we did the reveal, we were like looking the opposite way and then we turned around and they were all wearing blue shirts and it was just that part was cool, that's so cool.
Speaker 2:That's so cool, you know so they all, like you know, said congrats and you know my wife was balling her eyes out and stuff like that. But it's like that's why you get into coaching. You know, like Absolutely I try to be there for them and they were there for me and you know I told him I was like listen, I was like I might be in Cincinnati or we might be in Cincinnati playing, and if I get the phone call like I gotta go Peace.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm sorry. You know Mike's got it. You know Coach Emerson's got it, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he does. He already told us like I got you. I'm like oh, you do for sure.
Speaker 1:I know he's ready. He's ready, he's locked in.
Speaker 1:Love it, that's so amazing, but I think that's a testament to the culture that you guys have created right and you have shown the value beyond baseball and I think that is so amazing to see because you know when you're really guys I mean everybody, young adults are, so you're still being formed right and you're 18 to 22, 23 years old and when you're around people that are showing you love and being appreciative and you know practicing gratitude and a lot of things that I know that your culture, like your, you know practices. That really shows you know the guys of your values and what you want to instill in them. And because you've instilled those values, that's how you got the reaction right, like you were able to. You know it just shows what you've done in the last couple of years, that they care about you more than just you know hope, which wins and losses today, and that's pretty awesome and that's going to be amazing.
Speaker 1:I know you got a great support system and that is such an exciting part of life. And, like you said, you got to take the hand behind the back and it's going to be a lefty. It's already got the pitching genes. You pitched already.
Speaker 2:So now it's going to be a lefty.
Speaker 1:You know, that's right, that's great.
Speaker 2:As long as you're hitting the left handed, that's cool. But honestly too, like doesn't, even, like I don't care if you play baseball, man, like I just want you know, I just wanted you know you know, a little bit of a win, yeah, just run around, dole whatever you know, like that's it, that's all you could ever ask for. So Absolutely.
Speaker 1:You know, I want to like just dive a little deeper in the coaching space. Right, because the coaching is a fascinating field and as a Christian, you know we're called to be bold. Right, be how do I word it? You know? Just be unashamed, right, like one of my favorite Bible verses Romans 1.16, talks about being unashamed of the gospel. Right, and to me, being unashamed is not, you know, not being timid to tell people that you're a Christian and live out those ways. But on the counter side of this, I could probably get some backlash for this. But you also want to keep your job right, and what I mean by that is there's a lot of institutions in a lot of places where you have to be kind of careful what you say. But what I always tell people to that is that people aren't being timid about their faith by wanting to keep their job. You could still people show. You could still show people who Jesus is by the way you act, by the way that you pray before a game or whatever, or you're reading your Bible verses.
Speaker 1:I had personally this is just a story for me Last year. I had a journey. I wanted to read the Bible every single day last year and I did it. I read 365 days in a row, which was really a big thing for me. But I remember I was coaching in the Coastal Plains League and you know games would be so late. You know we're cleaning out the locker room, all that traveling and at like 1150, I'd have to pull out my phone and at first guys would be like bro, that's whack, like what are you doing? Like you can do that later, like the people don't really know what time it is when you do this.
Speaker 1:But I knew, for me personally, like that was what it was about. It was about this journey and by the end of it guys were like, man, you're dedicated to this thing, let me figure it all out, let me do the deep dive and who Jesus is and what this faith is. Because if you're so committed to that, like I want to see what this is all about right. So although I wasn't shoving Jesus down their throes, I still was able to just live by my actions and show that. You know that's how I personally would show my guys. You know that I was a Christian and those types of things, and if they had conversations we would talk about that. But for you, is that a? Do you have a wrestle with that as far as like being a coach and being maybe afraid that you might be too outward about your faith, or is your institution kind of? You know what I'm saying about that?
Speaker 2:I do, for sure, and I haven't really ever felt pressured in any way at the institution that I'm at currently, you know which has been great. Have I had some, maybe self like you know? Should I, you know, should I wear my clothes? Should I, you know, should?
Speaker 2:it be underneath my shirt, like you know, should it be out? Like, but, yeah, honestly, like it, you know it really doesn't matter. Like it I don't care what religion that you and that you choose to follow. Like you know we all are, you know doing things that we feel that's best, you know, for us. And you know I definitely don't shove my religion, you know, in people's faces and it's it's just like you know, honestly, like whatever, if you, you know, if you're, you know straight, or you know things like that too, like you know that's that's your preference, you know, like that's just who, who you are, and if that's great, but like I don't, I don't want you shoving that in my face either. That kind of thing, right, like it's more of a respect thing, you know, and it's just like hold the door open for someone. It's just like it's just what you do, right, like if that's that's how you're, you know you were brought up and things like that. Like those are just things that you know kind of just go with you. So, no, I've never felt pressured in those, in those situations.
Speaker 2:Um, I do feel like that people do feel uncomfortable, for sure, like you know, sharing their religion and stuff like that, but I do feel like it's it's honestly became much more open and you know I'm a Buckeye fan and and stuff like that, but like watching CJ Stroud and and Marvin Harrison talk about their faith is actually and and that's what you know, cj said I think this was in an interview like a week ago, and one of the people you know asked you know, why do you always wear a shirt that has you know something with faith based on it, or you know a passage or anything?
Speaker 2:He said this is my platform and I want to, you know, share what he's done for me and this is the time, but I feel like this best to do it and every time that he's interviewed, he's always, you know, says you know my lord savior, jesus Christ. You know, I want to thank him first and it's not because he's trying to make a front, it's because he's he's honest about it and he knows that, like he like he would not have any of the talent that he didn't have without him.
Speaker 1:So that's great, um, so let's dive in a little bit. So we just uh you know we're just saw each other. What was that last week, or the week before, a week ago now? Uh, at a abca, which abca is american baseball club association they hold a big convention every year. I believe there's over 8 000 coaches there this year, um, which is really amazing. But talk a little bit about your experience at the convention and and obviously it was great catching up with you we were able to talk about this opportunity. Now, right, you know to schedule this and um, but talk about how impactful abca has been on maybe you and your career, and and why you look forward to going every year yeah, I mean it's just a massive networking event.
Speaker 2:But the main thing that I found is, I mean, a lot of things are kind of being I don't want to say like regurgitated in certain ways or whatever, but what it does do is it re-sharpens you and it gets you re-energized. Man, I mean you just like you go to some of these speakers and it's like man, like it's just it's just said just a little bit different and it just connects to you a little more. It gets to excuse me, a little bit of a deeper, deeper vibe. But, um, at the same time, like it's just really cool just getting to meet all these different coaches and it just it does keep growing.
Speaker 2:I mean, every year it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and I mean I actually think there was like 11 000 people there at one point because, I think that was the number that I heard, and I would not be shocked, because there I think it was like the second day, I mean you couldn't move and no center.
Speaker 1:I mean, I brought the wrong wheelchair. I was getting pushed around. I should have brought the big one up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, now it's um, it's been great and it's the first one I ever went to. Actually was. It was crazy like I got the job in Indianapolis and it was actually in.
Speaker 2:India. So that was cool, like um, it being there and, uh, I learned a ton. I mean, it was like I had FOMO, though, man, I was just fear missing out on everything, like I couldn't miss a speaker. I was like, man, how am I gonna go to this? Whatever, and they do a good job of having the videos afterwards so you can like be watching them and um, and learn about those things. But it's all about the networking and what I mean is, like, you know, obviously, meeting you. You know, I literally went back into the convention center to try and find you not even kidding.
Speaker 1:I was like I know it's about the clothes.
Speaker 2:I got to go back and I got to see my boy Dan. Like I got to say, why do I? Because I was about to fly out and um, but it's just like there's certain people that you want to see every single year. You know, catch up with them, see how things are going. You know you want to see them in person.
Speaker 2:It's nice talking on the phone with you and stuff like that but yeah you know, you just always learn and see guys right, um, and little things like that. But it's just, you just learn so much from different guys and um. I mean.
Speaker 2:I met like six or seven brand new coaches and you know it's gonna come possibly with like recruiting, but, um, you just hear or see different like ways that they approach their um and maybe their practice planning or um, how they, you know, develop certain things or what things that they're typical flaws. But one thing I do know is everyone goes through the same things. Everyone thinks that their team is they can't fill the pfp everyone thing. You know it's just it's. They always complain about the same stuff. Right, like we have the dumbest kids, blow, blow, we have the smart yeah, we don't have a good hitting approach, or guys are you know?
Speaker 2:yeah, absolutely it's all the same everywhere.
Speaker 1:But it's just that's baseball man, our game's hard and I love how you mentioned something, though you know and this is a pretty bold take and I've talked to the people about this a couple times and some people agree, some people don't but I love how you said a lot of it.
Speaker 1:Now it's like a lot of people they're regurgitating, you know, some of the same information. I believe that a lot of coaches we're all talking about the same thing. We just use different lingo or, you know, see it a minor adjustment way, but I try to as a coach that's why I love these speakers is, yeah, we might understand, like the concept, we might agree and we might have our own style of doing it. That's in a day. Our goal as coaches is trying to figure out a way to pick up maybe a one example that we could use the one of our players so they can understand what we're trying to say, or so I agree with you that a lot of that information is it's retold, but at the end of the day, if one person's style of telling you something or their speech can help you just reach one kid, that to me is worth it, right.
Speaker 2:I think that's more about like you have so many different kids that learn so many different ways.
Speaker 2:Now you just don't know quite how to connect with that person and then you're at that speaker and then all of a sudden it's like I need this, I gotta send this thing to this person because that guy has been needing this. And then they're like coach, yes, you're right, right. And that's where that FOMO kicks in, because you're like man, like he's right there, you know, if he just do this little thing. But like I say this and doesn't work. And then you hear someone it's basically the exact same thing. There's just a little bit of a different script or a different C or Q or whatever. And when it works it's great. And that's why, too, like you know, I'm a pitching guy, but I still, you know, work with the hitters as well, and I want my hitting guy to talk at least with the pitchers too. Right, like yep, because they're certain things that he sees as a hitters perspective and vice versa. There's certain things I see on pitching's perspective yep, that I'm going to attack and or like that I'm visually seeing a body language or whatever. That it is, um, and we're just like we're really hitting positive self-talk a lot and like it's. I don't like using word positive because, um, I like more neutral thoughts, but at the same time, like, if you can just change the verbiage of what you're trying to say, it can mean all the difference.
Speaker 2:So purple today, when we were inter squatting one of my pitchers, he landed and he said I'm flying open. Verbate him what he said. As soon as he finished his out, or whatever that it was, he came out of the cage and I brought him over and I said listen, this is what you said. Okay, you said I'm flying open. Does that sound positive or negative? And he's like I mean it sounds, you know, kind of negative. I was like well, are you competitor? He's like yeah, and I said well, if you're a competitor, then tell yourself to stay close. Like come on, man, stay close, you're better than that. Like how much different does that sound?
Speaker 2:than oh man like stop flying open kind of a thing, yeah it's you're. You're literally reverse psychologying your own self yeah, right, yeah, and, and he's like man like okay, that makes sense, and he had a better second inning. I mean he had a really good first thing he went three up, three down, three k's.
Speaker 2:So like it's hard to beat that. But it was like even when he was having that much success, he was still nitpicking because he flew open one time like, yeah, you know, rather than just like, man, you're better than that, let's go like stay close. So that was just something that we picked. I picked up, you know, from Zach Sorensen. Okay, is a mental coach for the Atlanta Braves, is hit. One of our former players, who's an assistant for me, is that hit. That's his uncle, so he talks to him all the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's Mitch, and Mitch has been awesome, awesome for us that's amazing really just breaks down the value or kind of how invaluable you know that. You know ABCA is right, like how, or you know how amazing it is as a convention and the amount of people it brings together. I really love that. It's kind of like a thing, kind of like faith. It's like, come as you are, there's not really a pretentious like uh, maybe pretentious is not the right word, but it's not whether you're a travel wall coach or a coach in the big leagues. There's In acceptance, right, there's a.
Speaker 1:There's a people where 99% of the people are fine with you coming up to them and just talking the game you know, and then personally I try to be very Open and approachable. You know I've had people from you know, you know a travel ball organizations and facilities coming up with me and talking, catching, you know, and I try to be, you know, an outlet for these people to. You know, drops of knowledge. But the one thing I love about it is there isn't that, like Timid, you know, like I can't go talk to that person because that person with the braver oh, I can't go talk to that person. Get person coaches that you know Mississippi State or whatever right it's. It's kind of like a thing just be a good person and if you're not transactional, they'll be cool with talking to you and giving you the sauce and right and yeah, this, this baby.
Speaker 1:Laugh you on buddies with Zandbark sale and he's a catching guy and he goes. Him and I were talking at dinner one night. You like you know it's so amazing about this. I was like he's like just talking about the baseball community, how cool we are just having presentations about Talking about different styles and philosophies and different things. He's like there's no Offensive coordinator conference, you know, in football you know, like where they're sharing playbooks and stuff, right?
Speaker 1:But, you'll have people you know. Obviously they're hiding some things, but at the end either majority of it's like information that they really use, you know, and that they live by, and I think that is Really cool about the baseball community in general is that openness and the being approachable and willing and this to share the thoughts, and Because I know I spoke to so many people and people from different organizations and and just you know to learn is Really awesome. So ABC is a great event. Shout out to them. It's been.
Speaker 1:I've been going for about seven years, which has been really great. I went when I was younger with my dad. My dad's always had a boost so he'd be working the booth and I go to all the youth clinics and stuff growing up. But it's a great event and I look forward to next year, obviously to see the coaching buddies. But as well as just learning, you can just never stop learning and yeah, so that's that's pretty cool about ABC. A and then you know I was just kind of getting on a little more of a personal level D. What are some of your hobbies outside of coaching? The baseball is there, you know. I know you mentioned a little like hunting, fishing, but are you a video game guy? You like to go run on the treadmill like. What are some of your hobbies outside of coaching the baseball?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I definitely play some video games, like for sure, but for the most part, like I like to. It sounds like crazy, but I just honestly do things that don't really revolve around baseball, like, yeah, going on walks, finding ways to just clear your head. You know, I know that right now, like it's it's a little cold up here and Cleveland, but like we live right close to the lake I mean, we're three streets away from it and when you just drive in the summertime and you just see the lake, just seeing the water man, it just like it just clears your head, you know, and stuff like that. Like doing some, like self meditation and stuff like that has been really big for me, definitely been starting to read more. And I'm not a reader, like I've never been a fan of, just like reading books, but I've really started dedicating, you know, time to that and it's helped me a ton.
Speaker 2:It takes me a really long time to read, because when I read something, I read over it like two or three times because I really want to understand it. So that's why, like, I really like audio books, because audio books, like I hear it, I can read it too as it's, as it's going, and then I can play it back and hear it again. It's like man, that was, that was big. Like you know, those kind of things have have really been, had been good. Love watching sports Like I'm going to pretty much any sporting event that you can think of. Like my wife hates when we go to baseball, games like him will be games like we'll go to Cleveland and yeah. So I'll be like calling out what's gonna happen.
Speaker 2:I'm like right, he's gonna steal and then literally he's yeah, one, two slider, here it comes, and then slider in, the bird swings over the top of it, you know.
Speaker 1:No, it's like I've done that like on a date before too. I took a girl to the game one time, like she just like how do you know that? Or like you just stop like and watch the game. I'm like no, you know it, you know it, you know and other hobbies I guess would be calling Dave.
Speaker 2:I mean, steel and I we talked to each other all the time and you know former, former friends trying to meet with them. But I've really tried to do a much better job too, because I talk about a lot how important family is. But ever since you know that, you know Taylor and I have you know, found out that we're having a kid.
Speaker 2:I've really been trying to dedicate more time, you know, to her and I feel it's extremely important because, you know, as you go through life, like you only get to live one life right. So let's make sure that we're spending time with, with those who you know Help us and and friendly and stuff like that. So during like the holidays and stuff it's. It's, you know, about family time and like this year was kind of weird, like we we brought, bought my nieces Like actually like games, like card games and stuff. Oh, that's cool. I'm excited with them, like they're just old enough now where they kind of understand it. But my sister like thanked us because of how, how much we connected over just playing games. I was playing with my nieces and stuff too, and they were like kind of talking crap a little bit, which is kind of funny because, yeah, some of them don't talk and then all of a sudden they're like you know, lynn, and I was really trying to beat you, you know just you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, and I was trying to beat you too. I'm not gonna let you win, like that's not who I am so things like that.
Speaker 2:But I'll always be in sports for sure, but, like, those little things have definitely started to. You know, really, you know rise up more for sure. But no, I love some, you know, self self reflection time, but I guess another hobby would be recruiting, like I'm constantly on the phone, so those things, that's.
Speaker 1:That's one of my favorite things and the one that I missed, man, because I just I viewed it as competition. You know You're selling your, that's right. I was trying to get the next guy and and I love the recruiting aspect and and the relationships you generally build yeah, you know real relationships with these people and their families and you know it would be.
Speaker 1:This is a people might tease me about this, but I Would have a tough time. Sometimes you bring in a guy you figure out well there and when they're not end up like what you think they were, or they don't become like a dude for you, or they just not. You know, everybody's a piece of the puzzle, boy. If they weren't the puzzle that they thought they were gonna be and maybe you thought too like that, maybe a little sad at some point, because I'm like man, like that stinks because they're a human being and and that was a tough thing for me being the recruiting coordinator Honestly it was like man, you're really helping or really hoping that that kid is. What do you want to achieve? Because, one, it'll help you, but two, more importantly, you genuinely care about that individual in that family. So but overall, I love recruiting and and I love the relationships that you build on that end.
Speaker 1:And then you know, one thing that kind of Came to my mind too when you mentioned some of your hobbies and some things that I tried to do too is just kind of Mindlessly do some things right when you're always go, go, go. One thing, that why I do enjoy video games. It's just like you're kind of just sitting there and bedging, like if you're working all day and you're whatever You're, just it's mindless, you know which. I think that obviously you got to challenge your mind sometimes, but when you have a high stress job, like coaching can be and when I mean stress I don't mean necessarily, like you know you, there's a gun to your head but it is a stressful job right at points in time.
Speaker 2:So I Would always try to find things that you can just kind of mindlessly do and and yeah, no, I mean Mike and I will be playing, will be playing fortnight or we'll get. I didn't buy the new call duty but yeah, I was like one of the go-tos, but I was always a big halo guy and people, okay, hey, look more. And that's no kind of depressing to me but, Now we'll play fortnight and it's just, it's just fun, just like talking crap towards each other, like dude, like why?
Speaker 2:do you keep getting down steals.
Speaker 1:One of those guys for sure, and I can't wait to show this because he knows that he's one of those guys.
Speaker 2:It gets knocked down all the time.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, we played four a couple times. I haven't played a lot recently. I've been playing a lot of rocket League lately. That's been like there you go, okay, um, it's pretty fun, yeah, but obviously there's a lot of things I got going on. I haven't been gaming as much as you know I I used to, and that's the part of growing up, right and yeah. So the last two things I love to follow up with this, just kind of, if you wouldn't mind, kind of sharing your testimony or your journey and faith and kind of how you got to where you are and your faith. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, you know, some people like us, like we talked about briefly beginning you, some people it's a dramatic story, you know, and then some people is just a walk of life and God came to them in a different way. So you want to mine kind of dive into that and how you became where you are in your faith.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, um, when I was actually in college I believe I was I was coaching at this time. Yeah, I had a, actually two friends, but one friend I believe it was in October it was either September or October.
Speaker 2:I know they're real close to each other within a month each other that his father passed away when we were in high school and it was really hard on him and every year during that time, like he got really depressed and he was same as Ryan and he went to Otterbein and he, you know, was a, played golf and I played golf too and he was. He was young and he was an FFA just like I was. And you know, I'll tell a little story to kind of you know prefaces. But we were at the National FFA convention in Indianapolis, because that's where it is every single year and they have a thing called the Buckeye bash and the Buckeye bash is literally all the chapters in Ohio Go to this Marriott hotel and it's just like a giant party. You get to mingle with people from all across the state and things like that.
Speaker 2:And I had a girlfriend at the time and I told her I said, listen, like I'm gonna help my boy out, ryan, I'm gonna introduce him to you know someone, some girls or whatever. I'm gonna teach him how to talk to girls, because he was extremely shy, he was always embarrassed, those kind of things, right. And she's like, okay, whatever, great. And I'm just like I don't know if you've watched how much your mother, but it's like have you met Ryan? Like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is before I even knew how much your mother was a thing. That's basically what I did and he ended up, you know, talking with this girl and they end up dancing there.
Speaker 2:I'm fun, and he didn't know how to dance and I was you know, showing them like hey this, what you do, whatever, and ended up opening up a lot more and Just like we had a great time, you know, song, so forth. Well, you know it was. I think it was like four or five years after his father passed, he decided to take his own life and you know that was hard and During the funeral there were so many different people that talked about that story and it was like I can't believe that me just being myself honestly and just trying to like get him to mingle with different people and dance or whatever, was just like Helped, impacts his life as much as possible, and that word impact has been really big for me. Can we talk about that? And then another print in mind a month later, you know, committed suicide as well and he was in my grade, his name was Sam, and he had some severe depression and just decided that, you know, life was, you know, not for him anymore and that's why we talked about our lives and that's some of the things that I express.
Speaker 2:But you know, during that time, you know I definitely got significantly closer, you know, to God and I started, you know, praying more and, you know, started really connecting things and, you know, really understanding, like what is most important and life is extremely important. You just never know what's gonna happen and you never know who you know could be impacted. You know during those times of what's going on and you know nothing is too crazy in life where you feel like they have to take care of life. So make sure you're reaching out to people. You know actually Reading people's, you know faces and if there is something that seems off like, don't just blow it off. You know those kind of things. So that was probably the biggest, biggest moment in my life to where that I felt like I really needed to get closer. You know to Jesus and you know it's.
Speaker 1:It's honestly, then, who has made who I am now sometimes tragic moments like get ahold of us right and like and and Just kind of remind us that we can't do it on our own, you know, and that you know we need to submit and give it to God and and I I apologize that you had to go through those things and and If anybody out there is struggling with mental health or everything's like that, and we please reach out to professionals, but you reach out to to me or anybody, you know that Life is worth it and you know just there's resources out there that will provide for what you need and and people love and care about you.
Speaker 1:And You're right, and I think one of the coolest things that you mentioned about that is something that I tell people all the time is that even if it's something super small and in your mind ain't significant, you don't know how significant that is for someone else.
Speaker 1:And I volunteer at my local church and one of the things I do is I sit by the door and I say hey, welcome in. And at first I was kind of like yeah, okay, like what is me saying hello to someone? But the amount of people that have like come to tears by me just being like hey, have a blessed Sunday. You know I'll see you next week and you know some people will be like, hey, I don't have anybody to talk to, I'm lonely, I'm a widow or whatever, and but me, just, you know, giving them a smile and saying a few words, you don't know how impactful that is for that person, right? I think that's the. You know, one of the key factors of that story that you mentioned, right, is that that was an impactful moment for that guy and probably brought him a lot of joy for a long time.
Speaker 2:That's why I was confidently brought up Lying ways to impact other people's lives by something as simple as when you go through the grocery line, ask them how you doing. Hey, how you doing today, I'm blessed. How are you? You know my grandma. Every time she answers the phone it's hey, I'm blessed. How are you, you know, and I believe that. But something you can do too, when someone asks you how you're doing, how you doing today, good, good is average, right, so good is not a word that I use. It's not in my vocabulary.
Speaker 2:If I say good guys know that's something wrong, right? I'm going great, man. How are you? You know, have a smile on your face and things like that, like those things can go a long way, and hearing the response can tell you a lot too. I'm going all right. Why? Why are you doing all right, like just all right? You know, like it's 75 degrees out, man, what are you talking about?
Speaker 2:You're right, you're playing baseball, you know, like you know what happened. So those little things can definitely, you know, help too and us as males, like we're afraid to express and that's why it's like, I think, three out of five excuse me suicides, I think are males and it's a significant stat, so people need to understand that. I don't know if that's the exact stat, so don't quote me on all, but I know it's a significant grade.
Speaker 1:I don't know the exact number, but you're right, I've heard that as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's just you know, make sure that you reach out to people and understanding, like who they are, and get to know them.
Speaker 1:Like it's One of the things that I you know I'm gonna wrap up here in just a few minutes but one thing that I've really been trying to work on this year is share this with the public. Is that really trying to practice your attitude? And I think you know when you're talking about that picture flying open and how he just shifted his mindset a little bit and you know, by rewording that phrase, altered right, that reverse psychology in that moment. You know where I have this saying that I'm reminding myself this year I don't know if I came up with it, I think maybe I have or I heard it somewhere, but maybe I did. But it's your current season as a past prayer and it sounds simple, but if you really think about it it's pretty deep.
Speaker 1:And the reason I like to say that is because, even if it's the smallest little thing, you can find something in your current season of life, like let's just use, for example right, I'm gonna, if you don't mind, but you're about to have a son. Right, you're about to have a kid, and I'm sure you've prayed about that for a while, and right, and you could be going through one of the hardest times of your life right now. But you could look at that one little thing you know like which is not little, but that's a big thing but that one part of your life going I'm about to have a son and this is so amazing and, although these other areas of my life might be down, like this is so great, right, and I really try to remind a lot of people that look like you could be struggling a lot of different areas. But let's say you're praying for you, wanna I don't know the marshmallows that get restocked at Smith's, okay, I don't know. Like, whatever the case may be, right, you're praying for that. And then next time you go to Smith's and it's happening like, remind yourself like that was a past prayer, right, and be appreciative of that season. And so that's kind of something that I've really been working on personally is just remind yourself like that current season you're in.
Speaker 1:You can find one thing in your current season that you're in in life that has been something in the past prayer. So that's something for you and people out there listening to kind of remind yourself whenever you're going through something that might be difficult or just life in general, to try to lift your spirits and be more positive when you're looking at your life, but, yeah, that's what I wanted to share. I really wanna appreciate, like you know, I really appreciate you taking the time to hop on here today. It's really amazing and you inspire me as a coach, as a person, and just being bold and leading the troop of guys. So, you know, I know your visions as a head coach are awesome and I know that there's gonna be some great big things ahead over at Lake Erie. But are there any final words you wanna wrap up for the people today?
Speaker 2:No man, I just wanna reiterate, like if something's going on, make sure you reach out.
Speaker 2:You know, again, nothing is, you know, too crazy. You know, literally just start taking like the little things cause a lot of times when we make New Year's resolutions and stuff like that, you're so massive, right, just make it little things, make it something small, because again, we talked about at the beginning like we wanna win, right. So if you do something small and you just do that, great, all right. Let's say with Cardio, you're talking about running on the treadmill. I haven't run on the treadmill in forever. I could go out and I could run probably a six and a half minute mile maybe a six minute mile.
Speaker 2:I'd probably have a heart attack afterwards, but I know I could do it because for me, running is so mental it's like pushing past that limit, right? So put yourself on the treadmill and put it on a certain speed and just run for five minutes. Okay, Do that every single day for an entire week and then next week bump it up 15 seconds, Just 15 seconds, by the end of the year. Right? You just keep building and building and building. Right, you just you don't know how long you can go for, right, and just push yourself a little bit, but not too much, to where it's like you can't do it, and then that will help. Maybe you know you fulfill those dreams or those things that you want to make, those goals that you have. And, again, like, you know, the reason why they're on this podcast too, and why we're here, is because of God. And you know, please, reach out to others and, you know, find that faith and things that matter most to you. And, you know, don't be ashamed to say that. You know you're a Christian.
Speaker 1:If you want to mine, I'm gonna wrap this up with prayer, just kind of a you know thing that sprung on to me and I will. Sorry for my bedhead people, my hair is horrible too brother.
Speaker 1:It's all good but, dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for allowing us to give this platform, whatever you decide to do with it.
Speaker 1:Lord, we just want to give it all to you and just let people know that, regardless of what they're struggling with, lord, that you just will be there and give them the strength, courage and peace to keep going.
Speaker 1:And, lord, I want to thank you for my friendship with Coach Hutch and the wonderful things that he does for his community over at Lake Erie. Lord, and I just pray that you just continue to guide him and his wife through this awesome season of their lives and pray that that baby boy comes nice and healthy and is a lefty, you know. But, lord, I just pray that you just continue to keep us all safe. I pray that you just have big things ahead for Lake Erie to hear baseball, wise and Lord, anybody that's listening, that is wrestling with something or needs someone to talk to, or whatever that case may be. Well, I just pray that you just whip that burden off them and let them know that they can come as they are and that you can just remove any change that they have in their lives, that you'll just provide that peace and as in Jesus' name we pray. Amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Thanks for taking time.
Speaker 1:Landon, We'll talk soon.
Speaker 2:Thanks your down man.
Speaker 1:All right, please See ya.