I grew up playing baseball with the dream just like most of you to play in the big leagues, but life had other plans. I played my collegiate career at Cal state San Bernardino and finished off at Hope international university. I was fortunate enough to get the first win in the schools history along with being a part of the historic World Series team. From there I got some light professional interest with an opportunity to go play in the LMB in Mexico.
What happened next changed everything beginning with a torn triceps muscle followed by a torn labrum 4 months later. I decided to step away from baseball completely for an entire year after graduating and engaging in my senior season. I entered the corporate world bouncing between two jobs.
Exactly one year later I slowly got back into baseball and about 15 months being removed I slowly started forming the idea of AOP. From there things began to roll, I got hired as a varsity pitching coach for only a short 2 months when my now very close friend Andy Smith approached me about coming to Chaffey college. I ended up taking the job not knowing COVID was coming, and I decided to quit my corporate job (thanks to a final Push from my fiancé ) to focus on coaching and AOP, when 3 months in, the season was cancelled. I remember the feeling of fear I had knowing I had quit a steady paying job along with the uncertainty of what was to come. I decided to go all in no matter what and didn’t let failure be an option. I am happy to say it turned out better than I ever imagined. Looking back at it all I am exactly where I am supposed to be, coaching the future and helping them not make the same mistakes I made that led to injuries throughout my career.
Growing up when people would ask me what I would do when baseball ended I would always say, “I will open a place where I can train baseball and help teach the kids what I learned during my playing.“ I guess dreams do come true.