Day 14 of training has just completed. I left the field today with horrible stomach pains and two strained groins. I almost passed out on the field, but I sweated, farted, and willed my way through the humid Central Florida training day. I can without a doubt say it was the hardest day physically for me thus far. What got me through this tough day was the speech given to us by our first year instructors and retired Major League Umpire Larry Barnett. If not for their tales in the classroom, I would not have been able to conjure up the inner strength to finish out the day without heading to the bleachers early.

After we got back from lunch, we entered the classroom to find 7 of the first year instructors up on stage. They all introduced themselves, telling us where they came from and for which leagues they umpire. They went on to answer questions about their experiences at the Academy, as well as working in Professional Baseball. I took a little bit from each of them to compile my post on what I feel should be motivation for anyone in any field to pursue their dream. Each and every one of these men sacrificed greatly to pursue their dream. They were in turn rewarded handsomely with the honor of entering the sacred fraternity of professional umpiring.

If I ever doubted whether or not I made the right choice coming down to Florida for five weeks, this Q & A session immediately dispelled all uncertainty. The guys spoke first of the bond they share with each other. They told us about how their partners and Academy classmates are and will be close friends until the day they pass on. They call each other “brothers” with the same amount of love and empathy a person would refer to a blood relative with. One instructor told us stories about how tough life is on the road, how they needed each other during the rough patches. Missing family gatherings, spouses, friends from home, holidays are all a part of the package. If you don’t like it, you better start surfing Craigslist for a new job. I sat there questioning to myself how to deal with the perils of the road and answered it without having to ask the instructors. The factor that keeps them going is the same thing that kept me going through tough times in college and beyond, brotherhood. I have my core group of buddies for whom I would take a bullet. That’s just the kind of guy I am and always will be. I miss my friends from San Diego and New York City like crazy. What keeps me going is the new group of guys that I am becoming closer with by the day. These guys are not only good friends, but like-minded people that proudly share with me an insatiable love for the greatest game known to man. From the 18 year old kid fresh out of Washington State, to the old man from Virginia, I am proud to call each and every one of these people my brother. We keep each other grounded during times of joy and raise each other up during times of sorrow. I would do anything for these men, and I am positive they would return the favor.

Now if the sacred bond of brotherhood wasn’t enough for you, the thrill of waking up in the morning to a job you love should be the deal-breaker. I could not stop smiling listening to these young men talk about how much they truly loved not having to wake up for a 9-5 sales job that they absolutely despised. There’s a certain swagger you have when you’re doing what you love, an unexplainable mystique that draws people to you. These men all have it. They all loved baseball and chose to make it their career. They are now the next generation of professional umpires, some of whom will end up in the Majors in a few short years. No matter how young in age they may be, they are my elders in experience. They have what I want and I look up to them each day for inspiration.

Enter Larry Barnett, former Major League Umpire from Ohio. I’ll go ahead and nominate him for nicest man on Earth. He’s the grandpa everyone wishes they had. He is at the Academy for five full weeks unpaid, only to help out his old buddy Jim Evans. Well, that and to make sure none of us are stealing scrambled eggs from breakfast to save for later. He travels around to hospitals visiting disabled veterans annually. He regaled us with tales of managers, players, and umpires that you’d have to pay thousands of dollars to hear about at a banquet. He answered all of our questions, no matter how dumb. My question, “What separates an average umpire a truly great one?” His reply, “When the lights come on, the great ones are at home.” Essentially, those who can rise to the occasion when the pressure is really on are the legends. We laughed at his jokes, were in awe of his crowd gripping speech pattern, and were humbled by his life lessons. His speech was epic, and I and the other 100 guys in the room will never forget it.

As Jim has told us repeatedly, “Umpiring is the most fun you can have with your pants on.” I could not agree more. At this point I am still a novice, but am getting stronger and having more fun as each day progresses. The potential of this job and every fringe benefit that goes along with it is motivation enough for me to do what I have to do every day to get better. If I do have a bad day, I have my brothers to lift me up. These next three weeks will shape the rest of my life forever, and I am more excited than a freshman about to lose his virginity. God forbid I had to leave the Academy tomorrow, I would be 100% satisfied having listened to these men speak about their jobs and the game they love in the manner they did.