In high school, I started pitching sophomore year. I was lucky enough to have a great coach, who showed me the Mental Side of baseball. Things like focusing on what I can control and always moving on to the next pitch, no matter what happened the pitch before. As I worked, it wasn't until my junior year that I saw the mound on varsity. I had a decent year going 5-2 with the mental game at the forefront which would bring me to my senior year. Up to this point, I had no college offer or for that matter, not a thought of playing at the next level. With senior year, I went 10-1, with a .91 ERA, and at the end, a Big 26 selection. Even after this season, playing college baseball was nowhere in sight. It wasn't until a sudden call from a coach at Nyack College in July after my senior year to throw a bullpen. Quickly after the bullpen, I was offered a scholarship and did not hesitate to accept. 

College was just what baseball is about, a lot of ups and downs, wins and losses, wanting to quit and never wanting baseball to stop. My freshman year I became something I have never been, not only a reliever, but a closer. From only starting my whole life, to being able to be ready to throw at any moment. Once again, I believed in my coach and wanted to do whatever I could to help our team win. I took being a closer head on and let my mental game take over. For the next 5 years (COVID gave me a year back) I was the closer at both colleges I attended, with some starts here and there. I was able to become multiple national leader in many categories along with holding some records at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. 

During all of this, I am always up front about a couple of things. I am nothing close to an overpowering pitcher and definitely not a pitcher who would rely on velocity to get me through. Honestly, I topped out at 83, only 3 times in my career, and sat 77-79 miles per hour. What gained me success over my baseball career is the mental game, mastering my mechanics, trusting myself, and being able to consistently throw strikes. 

I was able to succeed without throwing hard and because of that, I want to teach young pitchers that velocity does not make a pitcher. Can what I teach within these lessons help you gain some velocity? Of course, correcting mechanics and consistently repeating these mechanics can and will make you throw harder, but that is not my goal. You have to fix what is between your ears before you can succeed on the mound.