Do you dog it?

January 29, 2013

Do you dog it?

Are there days that you just don’t want to work hard? Are there days that you just go through the motions to get through the day? To be successful, to reach a goal, to get to the point of ultimate satisfaction… you just cant do it. Hard work, dedication, drive… no excuses… that’s what it takes to elevate yourself beyond your goals.

This holds true with anything in life. When I was a kid, I can remember going to softball practice for the in-town youth team. When I started out I was  this skinny lanky kid with glasses and a glove that the ball barely fit into that I couldn’t even squeeze. I had no business being on the field, but I really wanted to learn how to play and be as good as my brother was at baseball. I can remember picking daisies in the outfield (because when you are 8 years old the ball rarely reaches the outfield unless it goes through the infielders legs) and being really sad that I didn’t get to be the catcher like was on his team. After the games I would ask my dad if he would play catch with me in the yard, because I wanted to learn how to be a catcher like Josh. He told me “you have to learn to play every position, you are most valuable when you are more versatile,” and to the back yard we went.  If he wasn’t able to play, Josh played… almost every night. They taught me how to throw, and throw hard; how to swing the bat and make contact with the ball; how to catch a pop fly and a line drive; how to use my strength, size and speed as an advantage; how to be ready for EVERYTHING and most importantly, how to not be afraid of the ball.

The next season, I went back to the same team a totally different kid. I could hit, throw, catch, pitch and slide. The coach had no idea what happened. They could literally pop me into any position on the field and I was going to be able to play. I knew where to throw the ball if I caught it and where to hit the ball if I saw a hole in the outfield. Unlucky for me… the coach had a kid on the team, with lots of friends… so I wasn’t really a “favorite” but I know deep down that she knew I was a good player and I was there for the team regardless if these kids liked me or not. I didn’t care. I just wanted to play., I loved to play and I wanted to be the best I could be. I found myself behind the plate catching almost every game that season… and many seasons after that. I would occasionally cover first base or pitcher, but I enjoyed the view from behind the plate so much (and never complained about the heat) so I was picked a lot. I was the happiest kid in 90 degree heat with full gear on.

Why? How? Because I had a goal. I believed in myself. I had the support and encouragement from my brother, Dad and Mom (regardless if the coach liked me).  I didn’t just go to softball and stand in the outfield and wait for the coach to throw me into second base hoping I knew what to do when I got there. I wasn’t satisfied swinging at thin air closing my eyes hoping one of these times I will make contact with the damn ball. I had to push myself to learn outside of what I could be taught in the hour that I was at practice. I had to invest my own time, as for help, practice my ass off to become better at what I wanted to do. When I was at a game, it didn’t matter if it was 90 degrees, I wanted to put that gear on and be one of the players that made the team function like clockwork. No excuses. It wasn’t enough to just exist as a member of the team, I had to BE there. I had to want it.

Pretty deep for in-town youth softball I know… but it’s a true story. I played in town from the age of 8 until I was 16, I wound up not trying out for the high school team, not sure why. I chose to do spring track instead. I was ready for a new adventure and new goals. I was never even close to being as good of a track athlete as I was a softball player, BUT I did bring myself, my mind, body and fight, to every single practice. You will never get better if you don’t try.

Anywho… moral of the story. Don’t dog it. Set goals, work hard… it will pay off. No excuses.

WARMUP:

3 Rounds

- Bear Crawl Length of Gym

- 5 Pushups

- 10 Wall Balls

- 10 Grasshopper

- 5 Duckwalk w/PVC

2 Minute Pigeon Stretch ea Leg

WOD: "Stacked"

12 Minute AMRAP

- 10 Front Squat (95)

- 20 Double Unders

*Rest 4 Minutes*

5 Min Row for Distance

(9 + 25 Rx, 1257m)

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