Started From The Bottom

Sorry for the cheesy rap line, but let's be honest-- in my case, there have never been truer words.

I played just about every sport growing up (basketball, football, soccer, and of course baseball). While growing up I was usually the shortest and smallest guy on the team. I never let this get me down and just loved to play the game, so I would practice with my dad and friends any chance I could get. What I didn't have in size I made up for in work ethic. This carried me through youth sports and into middle school. Once I got to middle school I switched my attention 100% to baseball. While in middle school, I was usually the "dependable backup", but not the "game changer". My freshman year of high school I made the baseball team, played mainly outfield, but still wasn't anything special. My sophomore year of high school a hit a growth spurt (up to average height) and got a good opportunity at a new high school to earn a spot as a consistent starter. My work was finally starting to pay off, and I had good success as an outfielder and pitcher. 

While I was a starter as a sophomore at my high school it wasn't necessarily because I was good enough, it was because we were a new school and an extremely young team. I gained some great experience and thought I would just enjoy playing in high school and work my hardest because it would probably be the last 3 years I played ball. I never thought I would be good enough to play college baseball. Luckily, my hard work started paying off my junior year and a few schools started to notice. During my senior year I decided to sign with Middle Tennessee State University. 

My freshman year at MTSU was a roller coaster-- a few ups and many downs. I had no idea what to expect when playing D-1 baseball and was definitely not ready physically. I went into MTSU at 6'1, 165 pounds. I thought I knew what I was doing nutritionally and in the weight room, but quickly figured out I had it all wrong. I finished my first season at MTSU pitching 7.1 innings and had a 12+ ERA. I had to find out how to improve physically (and quick!) or I wouldn't be playing D-1 baseball for too much longer. My first summer I started talking to teammates and reading books on how to improve physically to compete at the D-1 level. That summer I gained 30 lbs. and 5 MPH on my fastball resulting in an extremely successful summer season. I finally had the physical part figured out, and it definitely showed on the field. 

My sophomore year was night and day compared to my freshman year. I opened up as the Friday night starter (number one pitcher). I had a decently successful year with around a 4.5 ERA and gained some attention from professional scouts. What I learned that year though was I had gotten control of the physical aspect but my mental game was lagging behind. So I bought some books on the mental game of baseball. I knew I would have to master the mental game because the physical could only take me so far. The next year I was shown what I could really do on the baseball field.

My junior year was easily the best year of baseball I have put together, both mentally and physically. I ended the year with an 11-1 record and right at a 3.00 ERA. I was named 2nd Team All-American along with many other awards. I had shown myself that the work on both my mental and physical game had paid off. It was then, for the first time that I knew I could play professionally. 

I ended up getting drafted after my senior year (a rough year, which will be detailed in a later blog post). I have had a pretty successful professional career so far, making it up to AA this past season. I have a long ways to go still and am consistently looking for ways to improve myself as a baseball player, athlete, and a follower of Christ. 

I hope through this website I can help athletes of all ages improve their athletic abilities and learn to improve themselves through my experiences. I started out as a small kid that was never going to make it to the next level, yet continued to defy all odds. Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't accomplish your dreams. I am living proof that with enough hard work and knowledge, you can!

So, what can you expect from Athletes Territory?

Athletes Territory will be a place where athletes of all ages and levels can come to get tips and advice from a professional athlete who has started, literally from the bottom, and has achieved more than expected through hard work and determination. 

1. First and foremost you will see blog posts and articles done in a professional manner. I expect to gain an audience that is serious about becoming the best athletes they can be, and in doing so I will give them professional advice and tips. Many of these tips will be ones that I have learned through experience and from others. 

2. You will see posts that range from workout advice, sports specific advice (drills, mental game, etc.), nutritional advice, to staying healthy throughout your season.

3. Not only will you get advice on how to be a better athlete but also how to be a better teammate. In order to be the best athlete we can be, we must realize the importance of being the best teammate and man/woman we can be too. 

4. I also plan on doing some giveaways. So if you like winning (which we all do) and you like free stuff then follow us on twitter @AthlTerritory and keep your eyes open for competitions and giveaways!