What happens when you blend traditional Filipino values, a journey to a new country, and a passion for sports? You get the incredible story of my friend Francis Gonzaga, a father to four student-athletes. Francis' personal narrative is deeply interwoven with sports, from his early days as a Sandlot All-Star in the Philippines to his modern role as the motivating force behind his children's athletic achievements in baseball, football, basketball, and triathlons.
Francis and I get candid about the challenges that come with raising student-athletes, including the constant juggling act between promoting academics and encouraging athletic pursuits. He shares the wisdom he gleaned from his older sister's children who attended college on academic scholarships, exemplifying the power of education. We also talk about the importance of building a strong moral foundation in a world that often prioritizes athletics over character development.
In our engaging conversation, we touch upon the nuances of supporting children through tough times, the invaluable role of positive role models, and what success means to Francis and his family. We emphasize the need for children to make their own mistakes as part of the learning process and the significance of recognizing the individual needs of young athletes. This episode is not only a testament to the transformative role of sports, but also a treasure trove of insights for parents, coaches, and anyone involved in youth athletics. Tune in to hear more about Francis' fascinating journey and his heartfelt advice for nurturing the next generation of student-athletes.
What happens when you blend traditional Filipino values, a journey to a new country, and a passion for sports? You get the incredible story of my friend Francis Gonzaga, a father to four student-athletes. Francis' personal narrative is deeply interwoven with sports, from his early days as a Sandlot All-Star in the Philippines to his modern role as the motivating force behind his children's athletic achievements in baseball, football, basketball, and triathlons.
Francis and I get candid about the challenges that come with raising student-athletes, including the constant juggling act between promoting academics and encouraging athletic pursuits. He shares the wisdom he gleaned from his older sister's children who attended college on academic scholarships, exemplifying the power of education. We also talk about the importance of building a strong moral foundation in a world that often prioritizes athletics over character development.
In our engaging conversation, we touch upon the nuances of supporting children through tough times, the invaluable role of positive role models, and what success means to Francis and his family. We emphasize the need for children to make their own mistakes as part of the learning process and the significance of recognizing the individual needs of young athletes. This episode is not only a testament to the transformative role of sports, but also a treasure trove of insights for parents, coaches, and anyone involved in youth athletics. Tune in to hear more about Francis' fascinating journey and his heartfelt advice for nurturing the next generation of student-athletes.
What up, what up, what up, and welcome to another episode of the Can't Be Broken podcast. I am your host, seamonster, and, as I say all the time, i'm super excited. But I am I'm super excited because I have a good friend of mine and I know I say that all the time, but this guy is different. He's really a good family friend that I'm super excited to interview because he has he's a father, a father of four kids who are amazing student athletes, and I put those two words together because it really is important that they are not just athletes but they are student athletes who thrive in that aspect as well. He's my friend, and some people who follow me on Instagram or whatnot know him as my wingman, and I say that my wingman because he helped me out in an endeavor that I did a couple years ago and he's always there to you know, athletically and physically, get on a bike, on a run, on a swim, on hiking trails and go out and work out with me. So welcome to the show, my good friend, francis Gonzaga.
Speaker 2:Thank you, i appreciate it. I thought you were a. why my wingman?
Speaker 1:I probably some of the times I was. You definitely fucking ride a bike better than me And I've learned a lot actually from you. When we, when we ride That's when I started riding, started riding with you, i was like asking you questions, i'm sure, fucking all the time, and I still ask you questions. So it's just that I had a goal. And then when shit broke down, you were like, hey, dude, take my bike, you know, and that's what a wingman does. He sacrifices himself to go. You go, bro, i'll fucking like, you know, because I had a goal.
Speaker 2:Well, you had the. You're the one with a goal of finishing, so it was important for you to finish, not really me. I was trying to keep you company and trying to keep myself busy during the COVID shutdown.
Speaker 1:And I know I've told you several times, but I really appreciate that, man, and it was without that I wouldn't have made, i wouldn't have done what I did. One and two, if I did it would have taken a lot longer, and that's hard enough. What I did is just it was. It was a blessing to have you And it was so funny because I remember a couple of times that you didn't go, like you. You know you're busy, as we all are, have jobs and do everything and you have four kids and whatnot. That those are the times that I didn't get a flat on my on my bike, and the times that you did go, i got a flat, which was perfect because then you were there and helped me out. Anyways, welcome to the show. I appreciate you, man. I mentioned earlier that you have four kids, your father, four student athletes. Give the listeners a little background of, like you know, did you play Play ball athleticism where you grew up, kind of high school, whatnot, and then we'll jump into your kids and whatnot.
Speaker 2:Cesar, i was what you call a, a Sandlot All-Star, so a lot of this stuff I grew up playing. We're in the streets in the Sandlot. You know I didn't play a lot. I didn't grow up playing a lot of organized ball. We didn't migrate here until I was immigrated to, until I was 10.
Speaker 2:So I was born in the Philippines. My mom and dad picked up just me and my younger brother, came out here I think it was 1980. And imagine and leaving my three older siblings, my two sisters and my older brother who were all in high school at the time. You know, this is the kind of sacrifice my parents made to to come here and give us a better life.
Speaker 1:So so you, so you. You started when you were here at 10, you went to school and English was hard for you, or they spoke it over there in the Philippines a little bit. You picked it up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the English language is spoken in the Philippines.
Speaker 1:It's caught right from the start. Okay. So, I came here, I probably had a thick accent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, But you know for me at that time it sounded like everyone else. Right right right And then. So really, i didn't pick up, let's say, a baseball until I was 11. Okay, and I didn't know what I was doing, but I'll tell you, by the time I was 12, i was, i mean, my first All-Star team. Yeah, and I see kids nowadays, you know, doing the stuff they do at five.
Speaker 1:I'm just amazed because.
Speaker 2:I didn't know the sport until I was 10. It wasn't a popular sport in the Philippines. It was kind of phased out.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know basketball was the thing there, so but it was definitely the sport I loved.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, my, my dad wanted us to play basketball and I was like, uh, you know we're going to be short. Yeah, he was good. He was good in Mexico and not, but for some reason baseball stuck with us. It was. we were really good at hand-eye coordination and whatnot. So, and then where'd you? where was the place you landed at here in the valley?
Speaker 2:So um. I grew up in Rosita.
Speaker 1:We you know for karate kid, karate kid Exactly.
Speaker 2:I knew, i knew all the places there, um and uh, by no you know fault to my parents. um, you know, i was latchkey kid, you know, and I realized that, uh, when I started to learn what sports was like, that was like fifth grade, sixth grade, a lot of it was in the play ball yard And what I knew my strength was with speed. I knew I was. um, all of a sudden I was getting picked first.
Speaker 2:And in all the in all the teams, and I realized it was uh, it's cause I was fast, Yeah, Um, as my brother is and we realized you know, that's something I actually can't teach.
Speaker 1:That's what some of you are born with Yeah, And you know the thing is so. Then you started. Obviously there was nobody to teach you how to play baseball, Like you just picked it up, Like you said, in the sandlot, watched other kids, you learned from them. You picked up a bat, said I got to hit this ball, That's what they're doing. And then that was unorganized baseball. And then finally you got into an organization.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like a league. So my, i asked my bag, my parents, hey, can you sign me up for baseball? I think I ended up playing at mid valley And um, and that's when I saw all the kids were really good And I was like, you know, i want to get good, i want to get good. Remember, hitting my first home run at the I think, the last game of the year, my first year playing, and that's when I go okay, i kind of have an act for this. So, um, following year I took it a little bit more seriously. You know, made all the star team, started making some friends there, and then, uh, and this is a sport, my, my father didn't, you know, he didn't know this, you know, and you know, god bless him. He'd sometimes take hatch with me outside, but you know, they didn't go to all my games, they didn't go to my practice. I would ride my bike with a bat and glove hanging there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the old school, you know, three miles and go to practice and ride back home.
Speaker 2:go to games the same way. Yeah, You know, not like today.
Speaker 1:No, And you know, my dad didn't know baseball either. I mean, he played, he played. It was a good athlete at the end of the day, And that's what we're going to talk about is athleticism and, um, you know, having your kids be athletes first kind of deal, And we'll talk about that. But yeah, it was the same thing. I mean I didn't really have formal instructions. Right now, If you look at everything, there's hitting coaches, There's. It's like a specialized field, which is great. I wish I had it when I was young as well. But you know, I think as an individual you can pick up shit on your own If you really figure it out and have that and some kids actually need it and some kids can pick it up on their own, Like you picked it up on your own. Your dad didn't teach you how to throw baseball or like hit or nothing. As you got into organized baseball, coach was there to kind of train you and show you. You know.
Speaker 2:Here's the problem, or I agree in a way, the all the specialized um extra skills stuff, let's say training stuff, you provide.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Hitting coach throwing coach everything's out there. Yeah, the problem with that has been monetized. So it's really. It's all of a sudden become like you know another thing, another, you know haves and have nots. So the kids that have can afford that can do it. The kids that can't, you're gonna have to deal with it, you know, yeah, and so that's. I think that's kind of a bigger issue.
Speaker 1:So even if I had done that back then, I wouldn't have been able to do it Correct.
Speaker 2:It's like my parents were gonna pay for that or could pay for that. Maybe they would have. But you know there's no way they wouldn't be able to afford that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know what? And saying that you're 100%, i mean people have to make a living right At the end of the day. There are good coaches out there hitting what I do strength and conditioning, pitching, fielding, whatever, you, whatever that have decent prices or are doing it for the correct reasons and make it available for more low income people. And there's people out there that are fucking just I just want to help And there's organizations that do that too, and there's nonprofits and whatnot And there's help out there right For that. And, like I said, some kids like myself and yourself, we just kind of learn to pick it up and figure it out, and I didn't really have a hitting coach or anything or any of that either. I didn't have a fielding coach who just picked it up. And then there's some kids that their parents or they themselves want to and they need that because they well, some of them might not be as athletic And some of them pick up stuff later And so some of them the parents, like I can't help you how to really throw a ball better, like the skill wise, and so it's good to have that to say, hey, look, go to this guy, he's going to teach you because I never played the sport And so it's good for both reasons. But, like you said, when it becomes money just like some of the stuff that's going on and travel ball and too much money, it's like I know I didn't have that And I still got exposed and got a division, one scholarship, and sometimes it's like if you're that good, they can't ignore you. You know what I'm saying. But other than pain, pain, pain to get exposed, that's not a bad thing either. But are you going to play at the same level as a kid? that's really really good Or are you just paying to get there? We'll talk about that later. That's a whole other topic. That's a whole other topic.
Speaker 1:Another podcast, part two Yeah, that's for sure. Well, all right. So you grew up in the valley, kind of picked it up a little bit. But let's get into really what we're hearing.
Speaker 1:The topic of this podcast is really having four kids that you had. They're all athletes, student athletes. One graduated from Shamanad, played soccer, didn't play after that but went to college here locally at CSUN, and your oldest boy went to Notre Dame, is currently at Lewis and Clark playing baseball. And then we have Kai Gonzaga, who's going to be a senior at Notre Dame. And then we have the smallest and the youngest in them. We have the natural guy, levi, who also plays baseball. So you have all baseball.
Speaker 1:Not only did they do baseball, but they played football, flag football when they were younger, basketball, triathletes They do everything. And so I guess the question is, at what age? when you had four kids, and before we get started, i got to say that obviously we're interviewing you, but I know that a lot of the credit is yourself and your wife, obviously, and the help and the tribe around you, absolutely Yeah. But at what age do you think is a good age to start training the kid, to start moving, to start training and whatnot? And what age did you begin to say, hey, we're going to do this.
Speaker 2:Well, they all started differently And, as you probably know this, some kid can start at six and some just don't have their coordination or focus until they're 10. So it just depends on the child. We wanted to make sure that our kids stayed busy. Not just busy, but productive busy.
Speaker 2:So if you're, going to spend time and money and effort into something. We're going to make sure it's something that helps you. So, and I knew growing up that all the trouble I got into was because I had time on my hands Right, and if I didn't have all the time in my hands I probably would have avoided all the problems that I caused my parents Right And, like I said, it's no fault of theirs that I was a latchkey kid because I needed to work.
Speaker 2:And at the end of the day, we grew up in different times. In different times we did And that's a whole different topic. So I knew for a fact that I wanted to make sure that their time was occupied and that they didn't have any time to get into any trouble.
Speaker 2:So when we said, okay, you have to participate in one team activity, It doesn't have to be sports, It could be dance, It could be anything else, As long as it has something to do with being around, a social gathering of people trying to accomplish one thing and one individual just to make yourself better in something. It doesn't have to be sports, It could be cultural, It could be artistic. So for Ashlyn, we try. Okay, what do you want to do? I like baseball. I said why don't we try baseball?
Speaker 2:And she tried baseball and then I learned early on that I used to say, oh, maybe she just didn't like it and she wasn't good at it. Now that I've gone through it with my kid, my older boys or sorry, my boys I realize now that I think she just ended up going to the wrong team with the wrong coach. Back then I couldn't figure it out, but I know now that she ended up on a team where the guy was probably you know, he had two twin boys on the team and they were the best players on the team and he wanted to win. She was seven or eight who was the only girl? She probably was the last one picked in the draft or whatever.
Speaker 1:Now I think about it right.
Speaker 2:And so there wasn't a lot of time spent with her. At the time I was working a lot. It's not like I could sit there and show her how to swing a bat, or you know.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, that was just the time in her life.
Speaker 2:And Gail wasn't going to be able to do it, although Gail played sports, she was a tennis player at Shamanide. So but one thing, and she, she hated it at the time, she wanted to quit. But at the time, even today, if they started something, they had to finish it. They couldn't quit in the middle of it. So you know, we bucked up and she finished.
Speaker 1:So one sport went, one Individual sport and then one team sport was your kind of rule.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, in our house, Yeah all of them, yeah. And some of them just did more, yeah. so then she fell into soccer and Because she had a couple of friends that did it, and then she started at AYSO, yeah and then we realized oh, she's pretty good at it, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then she landed this team that these two fathers were putting together And it was at the time of travel team and said hey, you know, we're gonna, we're gathering some kids together and she got drawn into that and then she realized, oh, i am pretty good at this, and How can I get better? and they said you know, she needs to develop more footwork faster. And I thought you know what? my brother was Coaching some track in West Valley Eagles, mm-hmm. I brought her to track and then I realized From track she did pretty good. She was even today The. The people she was training with and raced against, they all went to track for college, like big track schools, and From there she ended up coming back to soccer and then then she joined club and then she became. She really excelled at that point.
Speaker 2:Yeah you know, all the way through high school, you know make in a varsity for soccer varsity in track and she until, unfortunately, injury happened, right her junior year, kind of never recovered. But I think a bigger part of it was she was kind of over it right. I think she would have had a chance to probably play at the next level for soccer certainly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, you know, i just heard a podcast and they were talking about what you don't do every day. Kind of get you become that right, so, like, if she's injured and she's not playing every day, you kind of start falling into another trend then and, like you said, she never came back. That's what she was doing every day, like playing and doing this, and sometimes even myself I'm going through it right now, to be honest like I've been injured with my Planner fasciitis. That's led into calf strains, it's led into this and I'm just like, okay, so it leads to, i wouldn't say depression fuck that word but I leads to Almost drive and self accountability, of like, because you're not able to do something, you have to pull back and restrain. For me, it's like I'm not using an excuse, i just I'm in a bad funk And so I think she may be at that point. She got into a bad funk and then just never came back. Who knows, right.
Speaker 2:I think her interest in voice Oh yeah we have that, so that's so that's the kind of the focus starts to disappear as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or maybe take over, correct, yeah well, teenagers, i mean, you know, boys, girls, whatever, you know, it is what it is and so it happens to all of us at times. You know, sometimes even in college. For people I don't want to play anymore. You know you get a girlfriend and see you later. You know, happens to shit when you're in pro boss, sometimes to different stages to put just depending on on your age.
Speaker 2:So so, with sorry to take you off track, that's okay, so with. Brandon. Then we started and he wanted to play baseball. You know at the time We had season tickets to the Dodgers so he saw a lot of baseball as a young kid. So by the time he was four he had a glove I want to play, took him out to sign him up at Northridge Lily and And unfortunately they didn't take anybody at four at the time. So that's how I wound up in North Valley baseball up there in Granada Hills.
Speaker 2:Yeah we'll take him, and so he was exposed to it early and He played there a couple years and I realized oh he's pretty good, like you know.
Speaker 2:You know I'm pretty real with my kids. I kind of know you're. You know. You know most parents are kind of jaded and say, yeah, my kids the best one. I knew he wasn't the best but he also wasn't the worst and I knew where I kind of drew an average. I said all right and now. But I also wasn't looking at, oh, he's gonna play. You know, past this, He was looking at that.
Speaker 2:So I go, have fun, you know. And then, so that's how he got into baseball. Okay, and by the time he was six, that's when Roger Came up to me. It's kind of pulled me aside from the parking lot, you know, as intimidating as Roger looks, you know yeah, Roger, you know I burly big mustache, He's still a guy.
Speaker 1:So yeah, you can just imagine The nicest guy sweetheart. But hey, he can get down though.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you say, hey, would your son be interested in I'm putting together a travel team? We should some be interested in his own? I said, never heard of it. I was like, okay, i guess I'll go home and ask him. Yeah, so I, hey, would you like to work out with these guys? and I go there. And he's been playing a couple years at that point, hmm, and he was always, you know, pretty decent. And I get there and I see these four or five kids practicing And I said and, or taking grounders, and I said, wow, you know, they were so good. Yeah, i was looking at them, wow, they're really good. You know, a couple of my know one of them's playing at Cal right now. Yeah, i mean, these are.
Speaker 1:The group I think that you guys coached and kind of were together is a good group of kids that play college ball still, yes, and And you were talking about that earlier you know kind of being in a team, sport and learning, and then you know The team and the cohesiveness brings the individual person into a better person and growing together and obviously they, they're all doing well, yeah, okay, so so then go ahead.
Speaker 2:So then they're on this team and so he goes and tries out for it, and And he works there and all of a sudden he's not the best one, he's not even in their average. He might have been on the lower part of that spectrum, but you know, and so he's all discouraged. At first I said, hey, you know, and at that time he didn't know how to persevere yet. Right, and so the next day this is probably take us to a different topic but next practice he goes. I don't even know if Roger knows this, but I said He said, dude, we want to keep going. He said he's on, i want to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't want to go.
Speaker 2:I don't want to go. And I and I knew why. Yeah, because it was hard. Yeah, right, the kids were were better than him. They were definitely a step above him And I said, okay, that's, i mean, that's fine, because they haven't started, so I'll let you quit it, meaning like you tried it, right, it's not like we've invested anytime in it. But guess what you have to do? I don't. I don't tell the coach. You go tell That I'm sorry, thanks. You're gonna thank him for your his time and you say, but it's not for me, so I'll be in the, i'll be in the parking lot and he was how he was.
Speaker 2:Seven. Okay, he was six and why did you?
Speaker 1:why did you say you go tell him at six years? Why aren't you like I'll go tell him for my kid? I mean, he's six years old. Why, why, why Did you think That he should do that?
Speaker 2:I just thought it was a good learning, it was a good lesson at that moment. Okay so you know, he's got to learn that If he's gonna quit, he's gonna do it himself. Good, okay, it makes it look and it's just one step harder to do. Yeah, and I'll take you to another quitting lesson with Brandon. That the same exact thing okay, i think this is why I'm going off tangent again.
Speaker 1:It's okay. No, and I think this is my tagging here, brother, we talking the.
Speaker 2:I think that's why it's simpler. There's a lot of importance in How your kids shape up, depending on Who you have them around. I've been very fortunate, for sure, to find the people around my kids and that includes you, you know. Thank you.
Speaker 1:It's you.
Speaker 2:Broder, you know guys like that and I think if it's one thing I've we've done well, my wife and I's we've We've certainly Kept the right Influences around them. Yeah, a lot you know, and that's that's why it takes a village, right, right. And so So I told my, i'm gonna stay in the car go, and my intention is, when he comes back then I'll go talk to him, right, okay, and He never came back. You're like well hey, where'd he go?
Speaker 2:And then I kind of peaked over and he was back on the field and then had a better day so the so the.
Speaker 1:I guess his fear of Telling the coach that I'm not coming for these reasons was greater than, i guess, the fear of Continuing to go with this team, that he knows he's not there yet. Like you, know what. I'm saying like there was two fears. Yes, the fear of like I don't want to do this anymore because it sucks and I don't like it And I'm not good to the fear of like shit.
Speaker 2:I gotta tell this coach No, I'd rather they face that fear kind of deal Okay, cool And so, and that's the end of it and he played for that team till he went to high school.
Speaker 1:He got better, obviously, throughout the on that team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was, i think, playing off the bench, you know, you know batting last and You know playing in the outfield, i think, and whatever not there's anything wrong with it playing out, but you know, you know how it is in those days. All the way, I think their last tournament Brandon was their shortstop and Badly it off on nice Yeah so he worked his way through those kids From here to here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i think two things that we talked about earlier was that One of them that you said perfectly was Who you surround yourself and and around and your kids around become pretty much where they are.
Speaker 1:I mean, that always told me you are who you hang around with kind of deal. And the other thing is that So that's very important, that you make sure that you hang around the people where you want your kids to go and you yourself Hang around the people, like-minded people, of wisdom, of where you want to be and have morals and values. And the other thing was that You put them in sports to keep them off the street because too much time on their hands, and so that's exactly what my dad did as well, which was put us in. Organized sports kept us busy, because we grew up in North Hollywood, which was a gang infested area with a couple gangs that were there and See even some of the kids that came with my dad that would give them rides because the kids parents weren't home. They ended up turning to gangs, you know, but I think that was one of the reasons my dad said go to Notre Dame, you know, go to Notre Dame and surround yourself with them.
Speaker 2:I had an opportunity. Yeah, no, it was available to you at the time. Yeah if that's if they're seeing more of the negative that's around them, that's they're gonna gravitate to it. Yeah, you got to take that away.
Speaker 1:And then and then obviously you have the, the younger one, coming up, which is kind, and probably that was a lot easier at one point because he's watching his brother, yes, play, and then Levi is watching the brothers playing, kind of go. So it's like, hey, they're just looking up to the brothers and what they're doing.
Speaker 2:They all have different motivations. So Brandon's kind of just been the kind of guy that He challenges himself and just says, okay, well, and, believe it or not, he wasn't the way he is today. You know, when he first started in sports He didn't really get his coordination told he was eight, nine. He was late, you know today's standards, late and And. And that's really when I started to kind of focus on training with him And then Kai kind of just sunk into it and because he and that kid loves to work, he loved to work when he was two, three, you know, he just sat there and imitated everything and And he always just excelled. He was, he was one of those kids that was always the smallest kid but with the biggest punch, you know, and he's still that way.
Speaker 1:He's still that way.
Speaker 1:He's still that way. He's still that way for sure. 100, yeah, no, i mean, you know, i think one of the the tough questions and we're talking about, you know, being a parent with kids that our student athletes, but There's a fine line, but how did you deal with it in regards to what age is a good age to start Having them move in the gym, exercise and whatnot? right, okay. And then when they don't want to do it, like how did you, what did you do to say, hey, like cuz, nobody likes to work out.
Speaker 2:You know, i mean, i do, but so I, i All of them fell into it. We all fell into it. So what happened was During the offseason, or I Was fortunate enough to have at one point Gail stay home with the kids. So I think when Ashland was like six You know Brandon was born Cosworth She was home. And she stayed home and she had a lot of time with them.
Speaker 2:And I would, but the the negative, and that was I was always away working. So she's she spent a lot of time in the early years with Brandon on these mommy and me classes while Ashland was in school, mm-hmm, and she'd go to the Y And so she kept them active right from the start. You know she'd do all the activities there. She went into swimming, she went to swimming right away. So there's a point to this, i promise.
Speaker 2:By the time he was four or five, the instructor there said you know, he's actually, you know I swam in the Olympics, i was an Olympic alternate and she, she was the head of the aquatics department. So he's, he's actually, and said he's actually pretty special with swimming. It's all really because, yeah, you know he's, you know He's got, you know, like the arms and he picks it up fast and he's, you know, excelled in it. I said, oh, you can tell that this young and she said yeah. So I said, okay, they have a swim team at OLL and I think we entered him as a Tk or kindergarten and it's nothing, nothing major. You swim 25 yards and but there's meats, they're formal meats and you show up and you swim for the school and he did that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Did really well just doing. You know butterflies, you know everything. But prior to that I'm gonna go back to the quitting thing again Because of the workouts. He didn't want to go back to the second workout.
Speaker 2:For swimming, mm-hmm, so get, he goes. I guess what you have to do is I have to go tell him yes. So he went, and he actually told the coach. I don't want to do this, okay, and I'm, as I sit there in the parking lot Watching from the pool, i see the coach, the entire hour and a half practice, sat on the So diving board with Brandon. The whole time, the whole time just talked to him, came off, came back the next day. He wanted to go to swimming and that's what I mean, but it's by. It's important to have the right coaches around that believe in him And what the coach said you know, I don't know until today.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 2:He's I didn't want him to quit that same year, so he went to compete, ended up Getting the MVP for the swim team Yeah, this is a kindergarten. Then he started swimming a little bit more competitively but and he was doing baseball stuff with Roger Yeah, then he. He competed at these local events and did up going. He swam in the junior Olympics. I don't even know if you know this. He swam in junior Olympics at seven or eight and competed against like 10 year olds and so when he was working out he's working out with these Studs, you know guys he worked out with them, ended up swimming in high school.
Speaker 2:Yeah and you know, and beyond one of them, i think, swimming for San Diego now, yeah, i.
Speaker 1:but anyway, you know, i think one of the biggest lessons from both of those incidents is that He wanted to quit. You know, two times right there, and one of them you know The fear of the other Possibility fucking said, well, i'm not gonna tell this guy, so I'm gonna continue. And the other one, the good coach, who, whatever he said, motivational discipline, talked to him, whatever needed to be said, kept them going. And the reality of it is is that He continued to go, no matter what you did, and because of that he thrived and he excelled and he's, i'm sure, learned from that as well. And and so You know, i guess, that the what I take away from this is that We all feel like quitting at times, whatever that might be a job, a relationship, a sport, school, life and We have to find what works for us and what's on the other side and keep going, no matter what, because there is light, there is better With the other decision rather than quitting, and I think I think that's right, because look, if he would have stopped, then what he would have been junior Olympic racing with them.
Speaker 1:He's a good swimmer, obviously, transition into baseball, but those two lessons have helped them in baseball and other aspects. Not only that, but possibly in school, when he's wanted to quit other shit and do other things.
Speaker 2:You know so well, that's where yeah, sorry I went off, but He's one place 13, 13 or 14, yeah. But what I did realize, though, as he did, that he got stronger and everything else. And that's when I started to realize, okay, he's like he's getting stronger on all parts of his body without doing any weights any, because, you know, at that point I'm going well, i don't know when to start him with with the strength training. I did know I was always very big on Speed training, so I, because I did that with Ashland Mm-hmm, i started him young on it.
Speaker 2:I think he was like seven and I started doing that because I knew for sure that, well, you can't teach it and all you can do is kind of help it, right, and I realized he's fast and Then it just so end up that all my kids end up being fast. My brother and I both ran track.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, my brother got obviously took it further than I did, but Everything. So, anyway, that's. That's when I realized With Kai, i started him around the same time I did Brandon, so he started a lot earlier, you know. So he was enhanced with Speed agility. I started working with him on the on the field. I had all the Even before you, yeah, yeah. So the only one I really had more on a schedule was Levi, because at that point I I knew yeah, i knew he wasn't, he wasn't too young. Yeah, you know. And Levi was so young. Yeah, you know I leave, i was just.
Speaker 2:He's lucky, he was he was born with athleticism and I didn't have to wait for it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, no man, that's amazing. So They're their athletes. obviously, they play baseball and at a high level as well, in good schools, but School is super important. It's what takes them to the next level. So what do you tell your kids in regards to how do you balance like School, or what have you told them has it come easy in your family? What do you tell them in regards to school and being a student athlete?
Speaker 2:Well, it's just just in that order. They're students first.
Speaker 2:They can't do anything else Unless they have the grades correct. I knew from this, or I Learned from my sister. I have an older sister that had five kids. Okay, four of them went to really good universities. All and all of them went to school on academic scholarships And they're you know, they're all growing up now. They're all graduated college. Some are married. But I knew back then and we modeled it after. After that again, i guess, wow It. We were so amazed at how she, how far those kids went. I mean, i'm talking. She had one son who was a very athletic kid, went to Leola, played three sports there in varsity basketball, football and track. Could have gone and played probably, you know, at the next level, but ended up getting his best right academically at San Diego And so he went to San Diego for free. You know this kid's killing it now, yeah. But that's when I realized that there's just way more money to be, way more opportunity I should say money Opportunities with your academics that there are with your sports.
Speaker 2:So we've always just that's just more important, right? And so, right from the very start, right from the get go, we, we taught him the importance of school. Yeah, and that's a lot of a lot of that scale. Yeah, a lot of that is scale, yeah and Because Gail went to UCLA.
Speaker 2:Why, yeah, undergrad and law school and law school, you know. So That's definitely a high priority in our house. Yeah, you know she checks all the homework. She did all that and At some point we don't, we don't even check, we don't even because we know it's getting done. Yeah, sure.
Speaker 1:We've already created the foundation, the base. That's right, it's, it came easy.
Speaker 2:You know It comes easier to one over the other, for instance, like it wasn't that easy for Ashland, yeah, very easy for Brandon. Not that easy for Levi Kai. He works for, yeah, you know. So they're all different. They're all different. Yeah, you have to treat him that way. And you know I we've taught them that and you know this that life is a front-loaded and it's it's only thing that's Meaning, and they know this. The the harder you work now, the easier life gets right. So the better your grades are now, the better your job will be, the better your life. Yeah, if you don't get good grades, yeah, if you don't get good grades, you'll have a harder time in school. You have a hard time in job, and so it gets, life gets harder.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the more you relax now. Yeah, it's hard. What's a foundation now? Yeah, easier, it's a foundation. You're building good morals, good values, good people doing the work now and you're building like a strong home, brick by brick, until you're like.
Speaker 2:Yeah perfect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now that's 100%. What do you tell a person I mean, some people have two kids, some people have one, you have four, right, all in sports, school athletes, different levels, but at one point all bunched up and travel ball and all that stuff A parent, that's, you know has that going on in their life. What's the best advice you can give them in regards to dealing with that and how to get through with that, and the best advice you can give.
Speaker 2:Well one, just be there. You have to be there. I realize that now, and whether it's both of us, we split up a lot and that happens. I mean, you're just gonna do that. Some people and some parents won't have that option, unfortunately, because they're working, but they just have to find a way to be there. Otherwise I'll give you a great example. When Brandon was struggling, trying to get a starting position, let's say And you know, kyle was playing, liva was playing I always made sure that either Gale or I were at the games. He wasn't playing it. And once he got a starting position and he was always playing, then I didn't care about. I love to see him, but then if there was a conflict, i didn't feel so bad about not being there because I knew he was playing, but it was important for me to know that he knew we were there, whether he was on the field.
Speaker 1:And why is that?
Speaker 2:In fact, it was even more important for me to know that, because he needs to know that we're there. I don't care if you're on the field or if you're on the bench. We're proud of you either way. Either way, we're proud of you because I know how hard it is. But it was just more important for me to make sure that one of us was there when he was not playing, when I knew he was struggling, when he was fighting for a start.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, it's easier not to be there for him. I know parents and I'm not knocking anybody down, i get it. I know parents that they're there at every game, and the minute their kid's not playing, all of a sudden you don't see them. We kind of took an opposite approach to that, and so Gail and I are always splitting up.
Speaker 2:And we've just learned to do that. And the kids are good too, man. While they compete against each other and they talk shit to each other especially Kai and Brandon they're also each other's biggest fans. I realized I still remember when Brandon and Kai lost in the CIF finals last year Or it was Levi that was crying in the stands, And that's when I knew that's the stuff that feels good. That's the stuff that feels good. So, to get back to it, they just have to know that you're there, And it doesn't have to always be physically. But, like I said, there's a lot of parents that aren't lucky enough to be able to do that. But you definitely have to find time, whether it's out there or when you get back home together, You talk about the hard times they had that day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i think you were crying too, probably in the stands.
Speaker 2:Everybody was crying shit.
Speaker 1:It's a big game.
Speaker 2:That was a learning moment for Brandon too. That year Kai was at first base. He was the tying runner. Or maybe Brandon was the tying runner, he was the last out.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:And so that year, i think.
Speaker 1:I cried at home because I was watching it.
Speaker 2:That was literally. He came from Wenhai, which was walking off against the number one team in the country. And a few weeks later being the last out.
Speaker 1:That's his last out for high school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was his last out, for high school.
Speaker 1:I don't remember my last out. Oh shit, I don't remember yesterday.
Speaker 2:But I think it makes you a stronger athlete?
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure. Do you tell your kids anything on a consistent basis, Something like some advice or mantra or something that you've told them since the beginning?
Speaker 2:I always tell them there's no shortcuts And they know that, Like I said, the harder you work now and anything, whether it's school, sports or whatever it'll show later, I tell them that they're really never alone. They're going to go through these hard times. There's not one single advice I give them. It just depends on what the moment warrants.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Yeah. did you instill in them daily routines, habits, and what would that look like And did you think it was important and why?
Speaker 2:So this kind of goes back to your saying how to keep them motivated, or, if they're not, it's hard to keep kids motivated. You can't teach them the passion. It's either there or it's not. One thing I did learn is that if you put it in a schedule meaning like if I'm driving home and I realize man Kai hasn't worked on two weeks, he's got to get on I can't pick him up from school and go and get in the car. Hey, buddy, i just realized you haven't worked out. You're going to work out today. That's not going to fly, so sometimes it's just the delivery. Hey, you want to make sure that I put this program together for you, and I would do that. I'd have all these programs like Monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, this, that and this, and I go. Why don't you try this next week and see what happens? And at least they have a week to prepare themselves for it. And then then they look at it as a goal because it's written down.
Speaker 1:He created a routine for them.
Speaker 2:A program, like you said, and then especially during COVID, i said this is You're going to know exactly who was working at the end of this.
Speaker 1:I remember you and I had that conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, And they did I go. You're going to show up. This will end This one. Maybe in two months, maybe in two years, When you come back, you're going to know exactly who's working and who wasn't.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i just said it today on my IG page and it was be consistently good. Consistency is the key And instead of occasionally great And how do you become great is by being consistently good, like getting up and doing the right thing, working out, getting good grades, doing the right thing, eating the right things consistently. That's going to build you into a great person. But if you just show up like you said hey, you're going to work out today, okay, maybe he's great that day, but then what? Then what? You don't create good habits. You're not creating anything good, just occasionally great.
Speaker 2:That has to be a plan. It has to be It works out easier for them When they see it on paper, on the board, and they say, okay, I'm going to do that. Yeah, And it's actually there's a date on it, I'm going to do this, this and this. Then it teaches them how to also plan for it 100.
Speaker 1:What do you? what do you tell your kids when they go through some hard times, Adversities, a loss, a big loss or nothing about the game, something else that they might be going through? You know, like, like, what's your best advice to them? Do you get involved? Do you not tell them anything? Let them go through it? What do you do?
Speaker 2:Well, first of all, i never address it right now, not right from the start. I just, for instance, a bad game. I see parents right away and they're saying then why don't you swing at that third strike? You get in the car and you say, hey, you hungry, you want to get something to eat, and it's. I never discuss it And I've learned that what will happen is when they're ready to talk about it they'll come to you And then so that night, almost always they'll go gosh. I don't know why he did that. Maybe try this, that and the other thing, and then they'll bring it up to you. So it pains me when I see parents just on their kid, right on the spot. Of course he was trying to throw strikes, of course he was trying to hit that pitch, of course he was trying to swing at a strike. It just didn't happen Right. But they're sitting there and you know the kid already knows he failed that day.
Speaker 2:You don't need to keep asking him why. So a lot of times I just do that I let it go. I never. I'll wait a day, i'll wait two days And most of the time, before I'm even done waiting, they've already come to me for it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's so different because I remember when my daughter played volleyball, after the game she'd come up and asked me But I'm like, hey, you did great, great job. Hey, next time you guys got it, and I just kind of leave it at that like a big general thing. And then she'd go like, dad, what do you think, how did I do? Now, here I go, babes. Good, you know what, make sure you're getting a little bit better set up here. So, until she it's like she wanted feedback. That's right, dad, what did you see, because I saw this or whatever Like, how can I improve? Like cool, here I go. You know, don't ask you for it, yeah, they'll ask you for sure. Yeah, oh, that's great advice right there. What does success look like either to you, or what a success for your kids look like to you? Like, what do you see success individually, personally, for you, and then as a family and your kids? what does that look like to you? Their happiness, i mean first and foremost.
Speaker 2:I gotta make sure they're happy. Yeah, but what is happiness?
Speaker 1:Like meaning, i guess. What is that Like? is it being a family and supportive and all that? Is that happiness?
Speaker 2:or is it, like you know, going to the best schools?
Speaker 1:You know like are they being like your support?
Speaker 2:I think the being the best version of themselves.
Speaker 2:I think is the happiness, right, Yeah, That they're maintaining their relationships, meaning, you know, don't forget about your old friends. That helped, you know, make sure you're still going out and making new friends. You know, Being a baseball player or whatever it is at the time, doesn't define you, That's. You know you're not a baseball player. You're Kai or Ben, you're Liva, you're Ashlyn, And then a part of you is this, right, So version of their happiness is, you know, making sure they're balanced, you know, obviously healthy.
Speaker 2:And then they as parents, right, Yeah, All you're trying to do is raise your kids to be someone that's going to contribute to society in a positive manner, at least for me. And you know, raising them not to be assholes Yeah, Right, Just being. You know, thinking of others. You know not being, you know, materialistic. You know we try to raise our kids that money isn't everything. You know that. You know that the money is just a means to survive, right? Or to, you know, to put food on the table, But it's not everything, Right? You know, no one's ever sat there at their death bed I don't, at least I don't think so And said, gosh, I wish I made more money.
Speaker 2:You know I just just you know, make sure you do something that makes you happy. Don't waste any time doing things that doesn't make you happy. Right, yeah? So I think their understanding of that is my idea of success, i guess.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100.
Speaker 2:My idea of success.
Speaker 1:That's 100. 100%, i was lucky. I think it was Lisa Dalton who introduced you to me here. It was Lisa.
Speaker 2:Who's Jorge?
Speaker 1:Jorge who, quintero, oh, quintero, one of them too. Oh, is that Jorge? I know him as George. But Jorge who? Yeah, one of the two.
Speaker 1:I remember you were kind of hesitant, i think the story that I heard was not hesitant, but like who is this guy? What is he going to teach my kids, and not in a bad way, but, hey, i've done the training with them, they're good athletes, whatnot. And then you brought them out on my I think I said, look, dude, bring, come on out, i'll give you a free session to the fucking which I do that a lot anyways, to evaluate, see if it's a good fit and whatnot. And then we evaluated it. I talked to you and your kids immediately were great, great athletes, like just the way they move. There was some small things, i think we talked about And then, and then you said, all right, cool, let's see this guy and you allow them to trust him with me And and and we've had this relationship between you and I and your kids that, let me see, brandon was, Before high school Before high school Right right around freshman year.
Speaker 2:I think Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I appreciate that for sure. And then so that's just a backstory on on how we met and kind of how it all transcended. I remember you kind of like you were just looking at me like a hawk, Like what was this fucking guy? Well, who is this short grommet, or thinking? Like I said, you're the one thing I actually think you probably said look at this guy looking all good athletic. No, i'm just kidding, that's exactly what I said.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right.
Speaker 1:That's what she said.
Speaker 2:So you know, I knew right away the positive impact you had on them. Yeah, Thank you. And at the end of the day, you're going to know more about their physical capabilities than I am.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's not what I do.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:All that, you know what I could. It's just like baseball, right, i only can coach them till they're about 12. After that I can't. Yeah, you know, there's things I won't know. You know, like today, if you you know, brandon and Kai know way more than I do about every little detail of right of their swing and how to throw something. Absolutely You know Kai or Levi is getting there.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, so you know. Unfortunately, my, my coaching days are behind me at this point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, they all get behind us for sure. I think you said it right. Like my daughter, you know, i didn't. I play baseball And so when she started playing volleyball my wife obviously taught her some stuff and she played Division one volleyball But I couldn't tell anything about the skill Like this is how you serve or not.
Speaker 1:You know, i could just give her more of like how to work hard and fixing her posture or her athletic ability or certain things that that have to do with that and how to get stronger and stay fit and make sure she has endurance and she's running and jumping well, but the skill about volleyball I didn't even know. I didn't even know some of the positions You know. So I was like, yeah, i can't tell you any of that, just listen to your coach on that and people that know. And then we took her to some people that were teaching her how to serve and how to bump And I learned all that just on the go, watching them play. But I think you said it correctly. I think you know there was. There comes a point where our kids just become more knowledgeable on the skill part that we don't have on certain things you know.
Speaker 2:One thing I did do, like when I was coach, i coached Kai. I didn't really I didn't really have to coach Brandon because he was under pretty good coaching, so, but with Kai, i had him in a set of his friends for a good part of from six to 12. And one thing I did start doing with them when, i think when there were maybe eight, was doing training outside of baseball. Right, you know, start doing all the strength and conditioning, endurance and all this stuff. And my theory is always like if we can get stronger here, we'll get stronger here. We'll have. You know, well, if we get, if we do this, we'll get more focused here, we won't get us tired and we'll get more done on the field, right, and so I started doing that. In fact, there were a lot of naysayers from parents at the time.
Speaker 1:Why are we doing this?
Speaker 2:It has nothing to do with baseball. I'm gonna try to tell you well, i'm just trying to include the work out I do with my kids. It will be yours, you know, but I promise you this won't be a waste of time. And then it got more popular over time. But back then they were going well, why are you gonna? we're gonna go to practice baseball practice and you didn't even touch a baseball of our bat. Oh yeah, we're gonna. We're gonna work on getting stronger elsewhere, maybe on our legs, which will translate into bigger hits, because your strength from your bat comes from your lower half Yeah yeah And so, but it's hard to.
Speaker 1:So you're the original ultimate athlete.
Speaker 2:I was not the original No, but I did know the importance of this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I did know the importance of this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my dad at a young age when we were young same thing, like I told you, i think we talked that he didn't really played a little bit of ball, but he wasn't gonna teach me how to turn a double player, you know, do something like that Crow Hopper, but he always made sure we were moving. We did a lot of plyometric workouts, we did a lot of like multi-directional movements, right, so we were engaging without even know what we were doing, and so my dad was a P teacher graduating.
Speaker 1:P yeah, And so he just. But it was old school, it was different, you know. And long story short is that you were incorporating that and you were trying to change the mindset of these parents, or like they're not even touching a baseball, and that's the hardest part, that's the hardest part for me to do, and but you knew how important athleticism building strength, being mobile, would keep you injury-free and it would enhance their power or their strength or their you know what-.
Speaker 2:This makes you a better ball player.
Speaker 1:Better ball player? yeah, And that was actually one of my questions that I had, which was do you think that you got a little lucky because they were already skilled that way, Or do you think some of that training and then being consistent with it made them athletic?
Speaker 2:So, you know, you guys gotta know your kid, Like for instance you know, Ashlyn You gotta evaluate You gotta evaluate.
Speaker 2:We'll start with Ashlyn. Ashlyn wasn't like a born athlete. She had to work for it. She liked soccer and what helped her in soccer was track. You got a cross train and then the other one gets better, right. Brandon, like I said, he didn't hit his athleticism until a little later in a lot of his peers. So everything Brandon has now he worked for. He had to work for his speed, He had to work for his arm. He had to work for everything. So there was no easy day for him. Kai was actually very athletic right from the start, but he's small.
Speaker 1:Tiny guy.
Speaker 2:We've never made that an issue, that's never been a thing. So all he did was he said, just outwork everybody. And so with your athleticism, and you outwork everybody, that'll be your advantage. So I kind of just helped him find, hey, brandon, with how productive you could be and you're a little smarter than the people around you, so you know what it's gonna take. That's gonna give you the advantage You cannot work them as well. Levi kind of has both, you know, but the problem is sometimes he tends to take the foot off the pedal.
Speaker 1:To rely on that.
Speaker 2:And I have to. oh yeah, i mean, and you know, levi was one of those too. His individual sport was Taekwondo. He was a black belt within two years. I mean, it was so fast And he was sitting there at the. what do you call those? What do you call those?
Speaker 1:The meat.
Speaker 2:No, no, the. Then they go when they fight. What do you call those?
Speaker 1:The matches.
Speaker 2:Sorry, sparring, sparring, yeah, and they spar. He was exceeding the kids his age.
Speaker 1:Oh, we're playing the match game here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he started to do. he started to fight like three kids at a time Holy shit, and that's what. and he was doing it, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, levi, definitely, and you know what This is. What I love about my, what I do with strength and conditioning, is I get to get every person. That's why I say, yeah, group training's a little different. Let me take a look with your kid first, because I have to make sure that they're on the same page, that they're equal or whatnot, because everybody's different.
Speaker 1:And so Levi has a little bit of both, like you said, and could take the gas, his foot off the pedal, a little bit off the gas, because I wanna say he's more talented, but he's definitely has a little bit of both. That he's like you know I'm good to go, and that could be dangerous. It could be dangerous, you know, oh for sure. And Kai has, like always been the workhorse, you know, just like, let's fucking work for it. I need to in order for my height, in order to show this, i need to show this, and he flourishes in that And most coaches love that, because he, you know so-and-so and he's just gotta get that one coach to kind of continue to catch that either.
Speaker 1:He's not the six foot, something right. And Brandon's got like this body that he looks naturally gifted as well, and but he's worked for it as well, like you said, and they all have, and I think that's the point is that, look, parents, at the end of the day, create athletes, put them in different sports, know your kid, you know understand, be real, you know evaluate and try to get the best out of them to be the best human beings that they can. And if they need help in this way, in becoming better athletes because there's people that can hit a baseball far at a young age and they just have good hand acronization. They're bigger kids but they move like shit, and so let's get them to move better, because if they don't, they're gonna get injured as well. Like there's some stuff that's going on there, there's some deficiency.
Speaker 2:It's not just that.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:What happens is these kids, especially at 12 or 13, 12, 13, 14, you know, some of them go through puberty a lot faster and a lot sooner than the other guy.
Speaker 2:And all of a sudden, this 12, 13 year old has like all of a sudden got it's like a puberty, is like a shot of steroids That's kind of how you could think about it, right, true? All of a sudden you get. You know, that's when it becomes unfair. He gets like an extra four, five inches taller, faster, stronger and all that stuff. And I always you know my kid's being late bloomers as I am and you know I said, look, it's, the older you are when you get there, the better. Right, the older you are, the better. So I said, don't worry, it'll happen. You just gotta wait until then, just keep trying to keep up with that guy who's already there. So by the time you get your boost, you'll get that much more further, or a little farther than that kid. Yeah Right.
Speaker 1:So you're not trying to win in peak at fucking age 12 or 15. That's the thing. You know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:A lot of problems with these parents. They think you know how many times do you see that? You see this huge kid and you're kind of watching him and he's sitting there swinging a. You know every everything's a home run When you're looking at going. Well, those are gonna be fly balls.
Speaker 1:Sooner or later In a year.
Speaker 2:Those are gonna be fly balls in a year.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And then you know you got to do it Unless that kid works hard, Unless that kid, And then he continues to grow, like you know. get stronger, get more athletic, more mobile.
Speaker 2:And when you mean by grow, you don't mean grow physically, you mean grow in their development. 100. Yep.
Speaker 1:Growing and development of many different factors that take that person to be special, and which is a lot of it is mindset. Look, baseball is a game of failure. Softball, that's a game of failure, it's not just a sport. Yeah, sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 2:Really you have and I see this too a lot of these kids. They need to be taught a lot of humility too, and that's one of the things that I got to make sure that my kids they humble You know. So, growing up, i always there's gonna be someone stronger, there's gonna be someone faster, there's gonna be someone better, and they always know that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And some kids go out there and they think they're the shit right, And what they don't realize is that, well, like I was telling you, you want to grow up, you want your kids to grow up, not being an asshole, Yeah. So what's the point of your kid being the best at what they do If nobody, if he's a jerk, or he's a jerk And you know what would be the point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, that's part of it.
Speaker 1:I know a kid right now is the best kid and his dad's a piece of shit. I won't mention any names, but anyways, nobody know what we know close by so I don't want to bet either. Like somebody had trained or some bullshit nuts, nothing like that. I don't even know this person that well, but I see it And fortunately that kid, he's in the bigs now. Fortunately that kid probably went the other way, had a different perspective and is a sweetheart and it's a good kid and whatnot. Young adult now.
Speaker 2:That's good Yeah super good. All you want to do is raise a good human being.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Forget all athleticism aside, all that stuff That ends, because for anybody, even if you go in the, some of them it ends at youth level, some of them it ends at high school, some of them it ends at college. But even if they make it to the pros, the next level, that'll end Most of them at, let's say, 30.
Speaker 1:Yeah, then what happens Then the rest of your life? Yeah, you're gonna be an asshole for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2:It's gonna end, it's gonna end, so you gotta prepare them for after.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100. What do you want to leave our listeners here? Best advice, experience anything. You want to touch up on that? I didn't get to touch up on here that you can give the best advice for anything, whether it be baseball, sports, training, anything.
Speaker 2:Really. I mean, I'm not one to give advice, I'm not on the pro at this?
Speaker 1:No, but through your experience, yeah.
Speaker 2:Hey, parents, don't push your kids, don't push them over the limit and just be there for them. They don't need a, they don't need we were talking about this the other day. They don't need a friend. They don't need another friend. They've got their friend. They need a parent. They need a parent and there's plenty of time when they're older for you guys to be friends. So you gotta draw a line there. Teach them to be good humans. I mean, that's really everything after that is easy. It comes easy. They're gonna love you for it in the end, that's for sure. But yeah, i mean, be there for them, be there, yeah.
Speaker 1:Be there for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's super important. I appreciate your time, brother. Thank you very much for talking, coming here, very, very, very resourceful, very good advice in so many different ways And I love how you just didn't keep it to yourself. You said, hey look, i'm just talking about my kids and whatnot and I'll give the best advice based on my experiences. but everybody does it differently And that's awesome that you. You know you're as humble as they come as well, and I appreciate that. I love your family. I love you know we'll give shout outs to Ashlyn, to Brandon, to Kai, to Levi, to Gail, roger and that family. I love them as well. Oh, everybody trained George at Jorge, the Katerials family, lisa, dalton people that I just kind of-.
Speaker 1:Lisa's awesome, yeah, people that you know it's been a family for me, like it just grows, like you refer somebody and somebody and then it just grows and then they refer to somebody. So I'm super blessed for that that you continue to. I mean, i just saw your kids all three of them besides the other one, but one of them today, three of them, like on Monday they came together. Levi Fridays I see him, and so I see them more than I see you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, I know.
Speaker 1:But I appreciate that They're amazing human beings. That's all you know. I always talk about that first. I'm like they're amazing people.
Speaker 2:You wouldn't get the referrals you get if you weren't good at what you do.
Speaker 1:Thank you, I appreciate that brother, thank you. I'll give you money later for that. There you go. Anyways, i appreciate you. thank you very much Well this was fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was cool man, I had a blast. This was just like a conversation we have when we go riding. I appreciate that and hope you guys took a little bit of something that he said here that can benefit you and what you're going through in your family and if you have some student athletes and things, maybe we didn't think about you know going man, maybe I was a little bit too hard, maybe I shouldn't ask him or her how the game went right after or whatnot. Just some great advice and then just be better And remember you can't be broken. And now College of Technology.