I’m a huge sports fan and for a short while, I had the pleasure of being a prospect baseball coach for young men looking to advance both their athletic and academic futures. In sports, as in business, we hear a lot of conversation about character and being coachable, ‘’locker room guys” and leaders. Sometimes it just sounds like white noise and coach speak…but I assure you it’s very real. When you harness great talent to great character special things happen. I recently saw the second of our former players (Lucas Sims being the first) make it to the major leagues; the only surprise to me was how long it to took for people to recognize what we have long known about Christin Stewart.

I couldn’t help but harken back to the moment that exemplified Christin the most to me. We were in a state championship game getting our brains beat in, down something like 12-2, and at risk of being mercy-ruled early. I recall a moment where we had to score at least one run to keep the game from being called due to the mercy rule. We gathered our players together told them not to throw away a single at bat, which would be easy to do at that point, as frustration and disappointment often leads to a lack of discipline. We emphasized that every single pitch still mattered and if we execute like crazy we could claw our way back into the game. Being down ten runs presents a ton of challenges so it was a true test against a very significant opponent.

As destiny would have it, we began chipping away at that lead! Eventually, in the final inning, we found ourselves with guys on first and second, no outs, down two runs with the aforementioned Christin Stewart at the plate. The opposing coach calls for timeout as he goes and speaks to his pitcher, and I take this time to go speak with Christin about the situation. I say, “Hey man, this is a bunt situation all the way. We need to move the runners over into scoring position and the guys behind you will bring ‘em home.” Essentially, I’m asking Christin to sacrifice his shot at glory and to put his trust in his teammates to finish the job. Now, it should be noted, Christin is the all-time leading home run hitter in Georgia High School baseball history so you might expect some level of hubris or rebuttal from this instruction, perhaps a “Coach let me hit, I got this!” Afterall, who could blame him? He may have been the single best hitter for his age on the planet at the time!

But no, he simply said to me without remorse or hesitation, “Anything you ask Coach!”

Well now, that just leaves the door wide open doesn’t it? So, I say, “In that case Christin, why don’t you stroke a double into the gap for us right here and bring those guys home!” We both share a smile and a laugh. A couple of pitches later he pinged a two-run double off the right field wall to tie the game. We went on to win that game and that state title.

What everybody else saw was what Christin did, but I knew what was what he was willing to do. It occurs to me as I write this that I thought I was the teacher in that moment, that I was the one full of wisdom and guidance up there to make a decision that would put our team in the very best position to win. But it wasn’t me doing the teaching. If I’m honest, as a player I would have insisted on swinging away, getting my shot, proving my worth, but that’s not what winning in team sports or in business is about. It’s about your team, your culture, it’s about trust. Something that took me years to figure out this young man already knew at the ripe old age of sixteen. Hats off to his parents!

I don’t remember the sanctioning body, where the tournament was held, or even the year it took place. What I remember was that when you do significant things with people of high character and great determination, you win. You can beat the odds; our chances to win that game were probably less than one percent. It was a massive and total team effort not just one person or one event. It was like-minded players and coaches amplified by a culture of togetherness that allowed for a belief that anything was possible and we played until the final out and won.

We’re bombarded with dialogue in sports and business how important leadership, culture, and values are and after hearing it enough it can begin to sound like just empty lexicon void of actual meaning. Trust me when I tell you, these traits and beliefs are revealed in our times of greatest need. It’s these values that separate the great from the ordinary. So, seek out great culture, seek out great leadership, create it for your teams or for your business and along the way be sure to ask yourself…are you holding up your end of the bargain like Christin?

Yours in hospitality,

Dave N.

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2019/3/13/18256219/detroit-tigers-christin-stewart-2019-player-preview