Kevin Wilson Baseball, LLC

DEAR COLLEGE FRESHMAN: You’re now at the bottom of the totem pole.

What you did in high school DOES NOT MATTER anymore.

You have to earn it all over again.

You’re headed into college baseball and it’s no longer a game... It’s a business.

22 year olds are built different.

Think different. Act different.

They don’t care about your awards, rankings or state titles...

They are not there to be your friend.

They understand the window for their playing career is rapidly closing as each day passes, so they’re not there to cheer you on just so you can take their job.

The college game is fast.

You will be shocked at just how fast things (and people) move and how quick you will need to be in order to make in-game decisions.

The players are bigger, stronger and faster.

They’re adults now.

They aren’t going to wait for you to catch up.

You will learn to truly understand the importance of:

⚾️ Sleep
⚾️ Nutrition
⚾️ Weight room
⚾️ Routine
⚾️ Time management
⚾️ Grit
⚾️ Being comfortable being uncomfortable

And the biggest one for most incoming freshman....

The realization that there are 2 types of players....

Those who are humble...

And those who are about to be.

So as you head to campus to embark on the next chapter of your playing career and life, remember...

⚾️ Keep God 1st 🙏🏻
⚾️ Stay humble and hungry
⚾️ Enjoy the journey

Love,
KW

It was an honor to be a small part of something so special!

Sometimes you have to lose the battle to win the war.

Not every setback is a sign you’re on the wrong path.

Sometimes the strikeout teaches what the hit never could.

Sometimes the failure exposes what success was hiding.

Sometimes taking a step back is the only way to make a lasting leap forward.

Don’t judge your future by today’s scoreboard.

Play the long game.

The coaches and players who last aren’t the ones who avoid every battle—they’re the ones who learn from each one.

“Hitting is fun again!”

It’s one of my favorite things to hear from a player.

The truth is, most hitters don’t come to me because everything is going well.

They come because the game that once brought them joy has become frustrating, confusing, and mentally exhausting.

They’re thinking too much.

Pressing too hard.

Trying to fix everything at once.

Some have even started questioning whether they’re good enough anymore.

So we don’t just rebuild the swing.

We rebuild the HITTER.

And the PERSON.

We simplify. We create clarity. We remove the noise. We help them trust themselves again. We reconnect them with WHY they loved this game in the first place.

When that happens, something changes.

The barrel starts finding the baseball again.

The confidence returns.

The smile comes back.

And the words I love hearing most are:

“Hitting is fun again.”

Because when a hitter is free, they’re often at their best.

YOUNG PLAYERS: You don’t know how much the little things stand out.

The way you...

⚾️ Wear your uniform
⚾️ Hustle on and off the field
⚾️ Run out every ball
⚾️ Back up bases
⚾️ Look a coach in the eye
⚾️ Respond to failure
⚾️ Swing at strikes & take balls
⚾️ Talk to umpires
⚾️ Treat your mom/dad/family

Just to name a few.

Those who get paid to notice things, don’t miss anything.

Somebody is always watching 👀

📷

Problems don’t ask for permission. They just show up.

In the cage.
In the clubhouse.
At home.
In your head.

The question isn’t whether adversity is coming.

It’s whether you’ve trained yourself to respond instead of react to it.

Composure is a skill. Perspective is a superpower. And toughness is built in the moments nobody applauds.

The best players and coaches aren’t problem-free.

They just don’t let problems dictate their direction.

Spending this past weekend at reminded me of the beautiful relationship between a golfer and his caddy.

The same relationship exists in baseball.

Hitting coaches are like caddies in golf.

They are available to talk about the approach/swing, encourage during times of uncertainty, answer questions with calm and wisdom...

All of this so the player can sift through the clutter and find clarity in the moment.

People will try and poke holes in your career on and off the field.

People are always looking to find something about you in order to add to or subtract from their scorecard.

Too many people waste time and effort trying to convince others how to think, act, play the way they do. They are scared by different. They are scared by originality. They don’t know how to react to someone being genuine. They discard the idea of being authentic because it threatens the very existence of their conformity.

We are constantly told to play a multiplayer competitive game, both in baseball and in life. But what if we were to remove ourselves from the masses and start playing the singular game?

When it seems like everyone else is keeping score and evaluating your every move, just remember that the only scorecard that really matters in life is the one you keep for yourself. Everyone will have their opinions and they are entitled to that. But they are just that – opinions. When you put your head on the pillow at night, be at peace knowing the game of life you’re playing doesn’t fit into everyone’s playbook.

Understand that life and baseball are played from the inside out.

All the real scorecards are internal.

A hitter told me something the other day that really stuck with me:

“I love the analytics… but I don’t want to get analytical.”

That’s a powerful statement.

Hitters are drowning in information but starving for wisdom.

Hitters want information that helps them perform — not information that clutters their mind.

Analytics should provide clarity, not confusion.

They should support the feel of the hitter, not replace it.

The best coaches know how to sift through the clutter and help hitters find clarity.

Because when the game starts, hitters don’t need a spreadsheet…

They need clarity, confidence, and a battle tested plan.