What a treat it was at Lincoln South Rotary Club on January 12 when our speaker was UNL Baseball Coach Darin Erstad.
Darin displayed both wit and wisdom - he was inspiring yet entertaining during his presentation.
In case we didn't know - he told us the baseball season is only 35 days away from starting.
He shared stories about when he played for UNL, working with the coaches and players, and his current position and good relationship with AD Moos.
His message was strong - follow your passion. He said that his passion was always baseball from the time he was young . . . wanting to play for a good college - getting into "the bigs" - and winning the world series.
Though his passion was always the same - the purpose and focus at different points in his career would change. While in college he was focusing on improving his game and making it to "the bigs". Once there, his focus turned to getting to the world series.
When he left the California Angels he was a little lost. He still had a passion for baseball but he had never considered coaching.. After realizing that he could have a positive impact on the lives of youth within his passion he decided to accept the position of UNL Baseball Coach. He says he still gets goosebumps when he thinks about the moment he made that decision with his Wife.
The majority of his presentation was about experiences - giving youth positive experiences - things that will impact their futures. He understands the importance of winning but he feels it is more important to help everyone find their passion. He tries to provide opportunities for youth to create success, confidence and mental preparedness. Many students come in putting the cart before the horse and he tries to help them get grounded and take a daily approach to earning everything they receive.
He personally knows how that works - you change your focus and purpose at times - but your passion is what continually drives you.
He talked about the academic achievements of the baseball members. They have a goal of 3.05 team average and last year reached 3.082. the team graduation rate has risen to over 90% with some students returning after playing in "the bigs" for a while.
He liked the atmosphere at our Rotary Club meeting where everyone in the room was talking about helping others and giving back to our community.