“We found someone who wants to be your tutor for all your business classes. It seems the two of you have already met.”
“Who might that be?” he asked.
“Margaret Tilghman.”
“I met her when Professor Courtney couldn’t make his class on the first day. I thought she was a teaching assistant.”
“She is, but she doesn’t have a particular class she’s responsible for. Ms. Tilghman works directly for the dean and floats where needed. We sent a request for a tutor specifically for you, and she intercepted it,” Dr. Carter shared.
David was given her number to call and set up his tutoring sessions.
Seamus had won the other walk-on spot as a catcher. During the week, at baseball practice, David had started to hear grumblings that he and Seamus were there to take playing time away from older players. Those players felt they deserved it more.
David had already had some experience with a team where players had become divided because they were afraid younger guys would take their spots. He wanted to nip this in the bud.
Everyone was in the locker room before they went out to practice, waiting for Coach Deneau to give them their marching orders for the day. David saw the coaches leave their office and start for the locker room.
Andres Barrera, last year’s starting first baseman and team captain, got everyone’s attention.
“Come together. The coaches are ready for us.”
David appreciated leadership. He watched as the team formed a semicircle. Then, as the coaches entered the room and Coach Deneau began to take center stage, David took the head coach’s place in front of everyone.
“Before Coach gets us started, I wanted to clear the air a bit,” he said and looked back at the head coach, who made a hand gesture for him to carry on.
“When I was in high school, we had a coaching change like you’ve had here. Suddenly, everything we’d thought was set in stone was up in the air. There were a lot of self-doubts because none of us knew whether or not we fit into the new regime’s plans. The competition was opened at all positions, and upstart underclassmen suddenly were pushing to displace established players,” David said as he looked around.
He could see in many of their eyes that he was hitting close to home. Then there were others who either felt confident or angry. The one glaring at him the most was Jorge Orlando, who played center field, the same position David had played in high school. Jorge had come in his freshman year and won the job. He planned to be a four-year starter and had let that be known.
“What happened was that the team nearly fractured,” David continued. “Many of the guys worked to hold their competition off and lost track of why they were there.”
He paused to let that sink in before he started talking again.
“The tradition and culture of USC are why I’m here. Losing’s not an option. I’m going to work to be an everyday guy. That’s not just a baseball or football term for me; that’s a real-life term. We all have to work and show up every day; we have to give our best every day. I want you to know that I dream big, and winning championships is something that can happen here. I want to be a part of us doing that, and I think that if you stop and think about it, we have the same goal.
“I learned a long time ago that a can-do attitude impresses any coach. I worked hard to make myself flexible enough so that if I was called upon to do something out of my comfort zone, I could step up and fill that role. If that meant they asked me to play a different position, I didn’t give them grief; I put a smile on and did what they requested.
“We all need to accept that our coaches have our best interests in mind. Their goal is to put the best baseball team on the field. If that means I have to ride the bench and only contribute in practice, so be it. If they need me to throw for batting practice, I’m their guy. If they ask me to pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth with the game on the line, I want them to know I will give my all. I’m hoping all of you will, too,” David said.
“And that is why we called him ‘Capitan Cojones,’” Allard Hensley announced to his teammates. “He may only be a freshman, but I would run through a brick wall for him.”
David was suddenly delighted as Allard stepped from the back and pushed through a row of players to embrace him.
David hadn’t met most of the pitchers. They had been coming in during the day for one-on-one coaching during the week. This was the first practice they’d been asked to attend.
Allard had pitched on David’s Under-18 team in the Pan-Am games. Allard had drawn the short straw and been his roommate. The two had become good friends.
“Mind if I say something?” Coach Deneau asked to break up the sudden reunion.
“Yeah, sorry, coach. If I was out of line...” David began.
“No problem, son,” the coach said and then focused on the team. “I was brought in to do several things. Most importantly, I want to remind you that you are student-athletes, with the emphasis on ‘student.’ Most of you will not make a living playing ball, and you need a backup plan.”
That received a bunch of eye rolls. No college athlete wants to think about the real world. They still had dreams of being Hall of Famers and winning World Series games.
“I am also charged with turning you all into men. I take these two jobs very seriously, and while I’m not your father, I will treat you like you’re one of my own. I want us all to become one big family.”
Coach Deneau made sure he had their full attention.
“My final goal is to change the culture here into one of winning. To do that, I need you to buy in right now. We have to work together for us to succeed. All your coaches have your success, and that of the team, as our top priority.
“We will no longer be average. We may stumble along the way, but each time we do, we will learn from it and not repeat those mistakes. I can honestly say that everyone is on equal footing right now. So, if you thought you were a lock for a starting job, understand that you will have to earn it. The fastest way to do that is to get on board and help each other become the best we can be as a team.”
Coach Deneau looked around to see who was buying in and who wasn’t. He hadn’t planned to have this talk with the team today, but he knew it had been coming. The coach was glad, in a way, that David had forced the issue. After hearing Allard’s confirmation of what he and the other coaches were thinking, he said the following.
“Andres and David, take them out and get them warmed up.”
Leaders needed to lead.
After practice, Seamus and David were changing.
“Out with it—the whole bleeding story,” Seamus demanded.
Allard and Andres picked that moment to walk over.
“What’s he on about?” Allard asked.
David gave them an exasperated look.
“I have a first date tonight, and Seamus is acting like he’s some kind of woman, wanting all the details.”
“You shouldn’t become involved with some beour without sharing the details with your mhac first,” Seamus explained, which just confused everyone.
“As I said, he’s acting like a woman,” David teased.
The Irishman said something in Gaelic that didn’t sound flattering.
“I trust David can figure out a first date,” Andres offered.
“How can you be knowing, yeah?” Seamus asked.
“I’ve seen him in action. He’ll be fine,” Allard assured David’s worried Irish friend.
“Anyway, what’s up?” David asked Allard and Andres.
“I heard what you said earlier. We need a team-bonding outing. I want to invite you both to the Baseball House for a get-together tomorrow night,” Andres offered.
“David could bring his girl,” Seamus said.
Allard burst out laughing.
“I would advise against it,” Andres said cryptically.