My dad coached at Shasta College, so I grew up on the campus and knew Coach Rupert and all the staff. Coming out of high school, I realized that there were a bunch of things I needed to work on to become the player I wanted to be, and being here with my dad and Coach Rupert made my decision to attend Shasta College super easy.
After Shasta College, I had an offer to go to Point Loma Nazarene University, where I played for three years while I earned my bachelor’s degree. From there, my plan was to get into coaching, which had a lot to do with growing up around my dad and Coach Rupert. I took a job as an assistant coach in a summer league in Macon, Georgia, and about halfway through that summer, my head coach from Point Loma called to tell me about a graduate assistant position at Dallas Baptist University in the athletic department. So, after talking with my parents, I packed up my car and drove to Texas, where I worked and coached for the next two years while earning my master’s degree.
Two weeks before I finished the season, I got a text from Gabe Kapler with the Miami Marlins about some roles that I had been recommended for. He wanted to see if I was interested in getting into professional baseball. So, now I’m working as a Minor League Hitting Coach with the Miami Marlins!
I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is to run your own race and not try to compare yourself to where other people are. You’ve got to do things that will prepare you to be the best version of yourself. Be willing to take risks and don’t be afraid to fail, because you never know where that’s going to lead you next. I think that’s been a big part of my journey.