Athletes at any level thrive on a routine full of workouts, team practices and games. The events of 2020 have disrupted all of that. Closures, cancellations, and empty calendars have brought with them disappointment, sadness and uncertainty for everyone. One local baseball academy has found a way to help student-athletes cope with these challenging times while learning skills that will last a lifetime.
Scott Jones began coaching baseball more than 30 years ago when he joined his father to help coach his younger brother's team. He and his brother are now co-owners of Natural Baseball Academy in Olathe. "I learned the coaching piece from Dad," Jones explains, "but what I learned the most was the importance of building relationships with the players and teams."
Those relationships became the catalyst behind the decision to make some changes at the academy this fall.
"We talked with several of the players throughout August about how confused and disappointed they were about being in 'virtual' school again," Jones says.
At that point, they decided to do a couple of things beginning with opening early so players could do their virtual schooling at the facility. Next, they developed and implemented a recovery class they call Mind-Body-Soul Monday.
"We had discussed offering a faith-based group within the academy," Jones says, "This concept came about through a conversation between my wife, Kacey, and another parent.”
Each session consists of three parts: meditation (mind), stretching (body), and spiritual discussion (soul).
"Beginning these meditation practices at a young age could lead these young athletes into healthy future habits," Jones adds, "We attempt to work the discussion in a way that brings about interaction from the players with questions or stories—however we can to get them to open up their minds and thoughts."
Additionally, in September, EXOS performance specialist Trent McMaster joined the Natural Baseball staff as their strength coach. EXOS is a physical therapy and sports performance company that uses four main pillars: Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery to help athletes improve their performance. This partnership allows these services to be offered to athletes in-house.
"Trent's baseball history is certainly a plus," Jones says, "but his ability to relate with the players has impressed us the most. He is impacting our athletes with a positive demeanor and hardworking mindset. Without his buy-in to the project, the Mind-Body-Soul class would not be possible."
The response from both players and parents regarding these new programs has been extremely positive. Participation continues to increase, and Mind-Body-Soul Monday has surpassed expectations.
"We weren't sure how it would be received with the spiritual side added. The idea was to give players an outlet. They’ve seen they’re not alone in this journey, and quite honestly, none of us has all the answers, but we do have faith. Sometimes faith is enough to steer you through the hard times. Players have become more comfortable in expressing what they believe among their peers. We see how athletes from the different high school age groups interact. That fellowship and creating opportunities for connections is the reason we started this program."
While Jones admits COVID played a part in creating this class, it was not the driving force. "We spend a lot of time with these players, and the challenges of growing up haven't changed. The pandemic is something new for everyone, and to let our players know they aren't the only ones confused, doubting, and stressed is good for them to see. Our players have heard from various community leaders and local pastors who have shared their life stories. We are hoping that their shared perspectives on how they have handled stress and adversity will help the boys cope themselves."
These programs are not required, and not all athletes take part, but Jones says they have seen improvement in the ones who do.
“The goal all along was to offer a more complete experience for our athletes,” he says. “The combination of strength training and the recovery class give the players additional tools to apply outside of baseball. Understanding how to slow down their minds will allow them to 'slow down' the game of life as well. Learning a technique such as meditation at an early age can be an advantage in baseball, but more so outside of baseball."
Looking to the future, Natural Baseball plans to implement this program throughout all age groups to give the players an additional avenue to grow as people. Jones says the success of the program could not be possible without the community that surrounds these players—the speakers who give of their time and the donations from parents and businesses for meals. "This isn't something extra we charge for but rather an opportunity in a safe environment for the players to explore who they are or who they want to become—Mind, Body, and Soul.”