← Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen
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- [00:00]
Greg Olsen
Ball game. Here's the real question that I have for you.
- [00:02]
Ball Game
Yeah.
- [00:03]
Greg Olsen
Does it ever get old? Turning on TV in front of 100,000 seat stadiums and watching coach Rack do back flips and catch the ball in left field?
- [00:12]
Ball Game
Never.
- [00:12]
Greg Olsen
Wednesday night, same inning, back to back outs. I want to believe outs two and three to close the inning, Coach Rack's doing backflips in left field in front of 100,000 people. Not once, but twice.
- [00:24]
Coach Rack
Yeah, well, it was sort of left field. You know, I was the rover position because we didn't really have a left field.
- [00:30]
Greg Olsen
Okay. So that's right. Because it was a short porch, right?
- [00:33]
Coach Rack
Yeah. So they said you could basically just rove around wherever you wanted. And I just kept picking the right spot, I guess.
- [00:38]
Greg Olsen
So we'll save it. He's right. Because left field was super short.
- [00:41]
Ball Game
Holding babies while doing backflips. I mean, you just have to keep pushing the envelope. What's next? You need to hold Greg while doing a backflip?
- [00:50]
Greg Olsen
I don't know.
- [00:51]
Coach Rack
Yeah, I don't know if that's going to happen. I'm going to need to train a little more for that. But we'll work on it.
- [00:54]
Ball Game
I pay to see that.
- [00:56]
Greg Olsen
You train more, I'll eat less and we'll try to make that work. Youth sports in America are at a crossroads and I'm here to help lead the conversation forward. I'm Greg Olsen. Each week we're sitting down with top athletes, coaches and more to talk about what's working, what's broken and what's next. Welcome to you think. What's up everybody? Welcome back to another episode here on you think. Fun one today, Coach ball game. And then of course, a superstar in his own right, Coach Rack, member of the Savannah Bananas. The famous back flipping outfielder, home run hitter, just overall great dude. Unbelievable messages, the two of them teaming up with us here at you think crashing Practice comes out June 2nd. So excited to talk to them about that and so much more. So appreciate you guys tuning in here on you think and hope you enjoy this episode. First and foremost, beyond pump for crash and practice, it's hard to believe that you guys walking out of our little church field almost two years ago now just to try to test and see if this concept was going to have any legs. Tell me, how are we feeling about it? How'd it go?
- [02:00]
Coach Rack
Oh, my gosh, so much fun. Yeah. Last one we pulled up on. Yeah. Two fields in one day and oh my gosh, the, the first one, we were hiding in a shed beforehand and and had some good conversation. I think I sat on a bucket, and it kind of crumbled under me a little bit. Yeah, those kids reactions were so much fun. And some good talks with the parents, too. I think that this. Yeah. Has an opportunity to not just, you know, surprise the kids and give them an exciting time, but I think also make a lasting impact on how parents coach their kids. And I think that's something that impacts people's lives for the rest of their life. So I think this is more than just baseball, and I'm very excited to see where this thing goes.
- [02:43]
Ball Game
Oh, it was great. I mean, and we're sitting there warming up, getting ready to go crash the practice, and there's another practice going on adjacent to the field we're going to. And they're like, ball game rack. And our producers are like, shh, we're about to surprise this other team. We'll talk to you later. So that was really cool. I mean, the kid interactions and the surprises are great. I really love what the parents get out of it and what the coaches get out of it. And, you know, when we notice something that needs a little education and we just splice that in with our practice and the coaches gain something from it that happened in these episodes. And like you said, that's what I think takes this to the next level. It's not just this surprise attack for the kids. It's a lifelong nurturing and educating for the adults too.
- [03:45]
Greg Olsen
Right. So it's funny you say that because I. I remember I'm standing there watching you guys at my team's practice, and it was nice. I got to take a back seat. You guys do your thing. But, like, what really struck me and I. I've seen it on your guys videos, right? Any. Anything that you produce. Ball game and obviously rack, with all the stuff you're doing with. With the bananas and. And all the different things that you guys are into. But, like, the. The joy, the fun. If I have a lot of weaknesses, one of them could be I'm very ser. Like, at practice, like, we're there to practice, and it's super serious, and we got things to get done, but I got to take a step back that day and just watch our kids just light up. Right. Like, everything you guys did was fun. There was a lot of energy, and at the same time, they were learning a lot of baseball. So, like, the talk about, like, your ability to bring joy. I know ball game. You talk about it a lot in a lot of your content and a lot of your videos. Like the, the. The correlation between your ability to bring joy and also improve and work hard and get all the other elements out of the practices or the games or whatever. Like, talk about, like, how important meshing those two elements are together in everything that you do.
- [04:56]
Ball Game
Well, I just think back to when I was nine. What did I gravitate to and what do I still remember to this day? It was moments of somebody challenging me and pushing me to be a better person while I was having a whole lot of fun. So I think of, like scrimmage games where the coach dressed up in this weird outfit or brought a guitar or the parents played against us and it was like, parents versus kids. I'm totally engaged.
- [05:29]
Greg Olsen
That actually happened. Are you saying that happened?
- [05:32]
Ball Game
That did happen. His name was Jimbo McDaniels. And what I remember, Shout out Jimbo is, I mean, we're in the Babe Ruth version of the Little League World Series and everybody's on edge. Yet all I remember is his laugh. He was just so chill. His body language was relaxed and it helped me perform a lot better. So what I try to help the Greg's of the world is we can do both. We can challenge these kids and we can push them and we can make them want to be better teammates and win a game, but not at the cost of their joy. I feel like the more you enhance the joy, the better they play. So they don't really hear what I say in those big moments. They watch my body language and they hear my tone. So the way I talk to the assistant coaches, the way I talk to Coach Rack in this game matters because they're checking in. They're looking to see how am I handling adversity. How do I react when my son strikes out? Am I an anxious mess or am I chill? And I feel like kids respond to high leverage moments better when they know there's no consequence on the other side of a strikeout rack. What do you think about that?
- [06:50]
Coach Rack
That sounds like quite the environment to grow up playing ball in, though. That makes so much sense why you are the way that you are in the best way. Yeah, man. I think that even now as a, you know, 27 year old still playing ball, I feel that I perform so much better in those pressure situations. Situations when I know that my teammates and my coach are gonna love me anyways. An example of this is like when I first joined the bananas, you know, I didn't know anybody. I didn't know the coaches, I didn't know my teammates. I was still trying to prove Myself. And even despite being a grown adult, it's like, all right, like, who knows what if I let my team down here in this situation, who knows how they'll see me? You know, those are the thoughts going through my head. And so I felt so much more nervous at the plate in those moments than I say do now, because now I have a relationship with my coaches, I have a relationship with my teammates. And now when I step up to the plate in those big situations, it's like, hey, I could strike out here, I could homer here. My teammates are going to love me anyway. So are my coaches. I know that's the case. So it frees me up. And I feel like now I'm very clutch in some way, you know, because I feel that regardless of how I perform, I can't lose. And I think that, you know, kids, if I feel that way as a grown adult, then I can only imagine how kids feel, you know, on a team where they're new or where they don't know who their coach is or they don't know how they stand with their teammates. And so anytime a coach can. Can make them feel comfortable and seen like ballgame does, by giving them nicknames and by having these fun competitions that are low stakes. And I think it brings kids out of their shell because it tells them, hey, it is okay if you don't do things perfectly, you're still going to be loved anyways. And a lot of times I think that motivates kids to succeed even more. They're like, hey, if I win now, it's for my team and it's fun and I don't have to worry about being rejected if I fail. And so, yeah, I think it comes to life even in these little sandlot games that we have. You know, at both practices, we played a little sandlot game with a tennis ball. And you'll see moments where, you know, kids. Kids get out and, you know, they get tagged out and they're frustrated and. And you get to really develop them as human beings through the failure, through the successes. But one way or another, they're still going to be seen, known and loved by their coaches and teammates. And I think it's a wonderful environment for kids that we need more of.
- [09:08]
Ball Game
Let me add to that, Greg, and maybe I'll ask you. I feel like people don't think something exists unless they see it. And people think that I'm just all fun and happy and. And wacky and silly. But did you notice, Wait, he can be firm when necessary. He can drive Them but also have this overwhelming joy, this both. And did it help you seeing that in action?
- [09:41]
Greg Olsen
Absolutely. I've carried that. Of all the fun and of all the things the kids got to do that day and obviously all excited now about this season and the next, crashing that you guys did and and seeing that finished product of a team that I wasn't Part of. My biggest takeaway personally was standing there watching both of you guys do your thing. Watching the smiles on the kids faces and watching them practice ground balls and whether it was that day at the park with you guys when you guys came and crashed my practice and ball games. Got his drum and he's given every kid. I could still remember a lot of the kids nicknames. I can remember him making the kids so excited to come up with a nickname for me. But then they were actually learning how to step with the right on the correct corner of the bag and make sure they ran the bases or you know, whatever. The little, the little lesson of baseball was still wrapped up inside the game and the fun and the silliness at times. Coach Rack, I remember Rack, I remember when we came over and my team practiced with you guys at the kids school and you guys were teaching the kids how to field the ball between their legs and backwards and upside down. And initially my brain like oh my God, we have a tournament in three days. Like we've worked so hard for two years to field the ball off our left side and keep it on my left eye. But guess what? All of a sudden now our kids are more athletic and the way they're moving it again, wrapped up in the silliness and the fun. There was an underlying lesson, there was an underlying physical and mental development component that was going on. So like I by nature am not that way. So being balanced out by guys by you guys has been good for me because it's at least made me more aware, right? It's made me more self aware to say okay, is there something else we can build into this practice? To still continue to work, to still continue to learn all the elements that I believe in with all my heart. But can we lighten it up? Can we loosen it up? Can the kids play a little bit more free and not fearful of mistakes, fearful of failure. And that was a very eye opening and something experience and something that frankly I've carried with me at times, especially like over these last two years since we filmed that. And I give all the credit to you guys and just watching you do your thing that day when you crashed my I think at the time they were 12, you know, 11 or 12. And it had a huge impact on me going forward.
- [12:03]
Ball Game
Let's just say you give each of us one of those Emmys and we'll call it even.
- [12:07]
Greg Olsen
Deal? I got three now. So we can each have one humble brag salute. Rack watching. And I know I joked at the top of the show, just like every time I turn on tv, I'm watching you back flip and catch the ball in front of a hundred thousand people. But in all seriousness, like the path that you guys are on, both yourself and your own content, your own following and then on the larger level, obviously the bananas and the league itself and opening more franchises and opening other groups, like, give us a sense of like what it's like behind the scenes on the road. Walking into those stadiums, like, it's unbelievable to watch college NFL stadiums that we're used to seeing with, with football, both college and professional, at the largest cities in the world, like being packed out for like a fun, silly at times, baseball game in the summer. Like walking into those stadiums, hundreds, hundred thousand people setting attendance records, like, give us a sense of what's going on here.
- [13:05]
Coach Rack
I think the most fun part about it is, you know, from the outside it's like, oh, it, you know, people see it as a show and it very much is. There's so much entertainment that happens and we're signing autographs before the game and after the game and doing these performances and that's what makes it on social media. But I think the most fun part is as a team, we're really just competing, like we're trying to win. Like that's like when, you know, when we're going into these games like in the clubhouse, it gets very serious. It's like, you know, again, it doesn't look that serious when you're watched on ESPN and we're doing like a TikTok dance. But like when we're like in these at bats, like I am literally taking physical notes on every single at bat. I, I, before I go face a pitcher, I've done hundreds of mental reps in my head before I even see a pitch. I've already visualized it a bunch of times. I'm working on my swing, I'm working on my approach. I've tried to get my walk rate up and my strikeout rate down this year. Like I'm working on so many things, things just as a player. And that's been so fun for me, you know, like I, last year I was so focused on social media and all this stuff and I still am, but right now I feel like I can focus on baseball and being a competitor and it's so much fun. And my teammates can say the same. Like, we're playing some good, good, good ball. And like that's the commonality between all of us teammates is like, you know, obviously we love doing the extra stuff, the singing, the dancing, all that, whatever. We're all baseball players though, and we love to compete. And, and I think at its core, like, that's probably the most fun part about baseball. It's just competing with your boys and so being able to share the clubhouse. Like, you know, we were just in, you know, Knoxville, Tennessee and we have that insane locker room that, you know, Peyton Manning built or whatever and. But just those moments, hanging out with the guys, like, that's still the highlight. You know, we get to play in front of all those people, but those relationships and getting to hang out with the guys, absolutely.
- [14:45]
Greg Olsen
Still the best part, you summed it up the best. Hanging out with the boys in the summer, playing baseball. It doesn't matter if you're 10, 12 or 25, it's all the same and there's nothing better. Ball game. I want to hear more about your sandlot tour. Like, I follow it on social. I see the videos, obviously, I've seen you up close in person. It live, the way you engage with the kids, the way you operate, it's. You have a gift. We've told you that many times. Talk to me about your sandlot tour because every time I see you post the cities next to it, it says sold out. Sold out, sold out. So give us an idea of just what, what would the expectation be. I dropped my son or daughter off at your camp and I say, all right, ball game, you got them for the next couple hours. Like, is it what I saw from you at crashing? Is there a little different taste? Like what? Give us a sense of what that looks like.
- [15:36]
Ball Game
Well, it's two pronged and thank you. I've told you this before, words of affirmation is my love language. So keep feeding me. I'm loving it. For the kids, it is a three hour birthday party where they show up and the priorities for all the coaches, coaching and I lead the ship is we're going to connect with humans and we're going to move. Connection and movement. So they, they know we're curious about them, they know we care about them, and then they're going to move for three hours. And I love to just keep surprising them with water breaks where I tell a story about Roberto Clemente on how to be kind and work hard, and then we go move. And then I push pause and I tell a story about Jim Abbott and how to overcome adversity. Because honestly, that's the best, best lesson I'll ever give a kid is how to handle failure. And then we have staring contests and then we're back to playing baseball and moving. But all of it is for the coaches. It really has evolved into a traveling coaches clinic where when I go to Mount Rushmore, Rapid City, South Dakota this weekend, and I'm coaching 300 kids, really coaching all the adults, and I'll push pause when I'm sharing something with the kids, and I'll say, you know what, coaches? I used to shame and embarrass kids when they were disruptive or disrespectful publicly. And I learned that was an insecurity within myself. It's way better. And Doc Roberts taught me this. Dusty Baker taught me this praise, loudly, constructively criticized, quietly and privately. Then I'm back to the kids. But all the coaches are like, okay, that's a good note. The coaches get a pre sandlot video where I show them all the stations that we're going to be running. Some people are like, why don't you just bring your team of coaches in so you can babysit our kids and we can go play golf? And I'm like, no, that's not what this is. I need all the community to show up. Anybody who's interested in coaching and people who aren't interested in coaching, I want you there so you can see. Anybody can do this. You just need a heartbeat and a little bit of patience. And I show them it can be done, how impactful it is. After the sandlot, the kids play kickball and all the adults meet and we chat for like 30, 45 minutes. And this is where grown men cry. This is where guys stand up and they're like, you know what? I used to be that dad. I've shared this story before, but it's worth stating again. It happens in every city. But a guy came up to me and said, hey, you've changed my relationship with my son just based on, you know, the content you put out there. And I think you saved my marriage, too. It really. I never thought it would do that sort of thing. I thought I was coaching kids and showing them how to be the next Mike Trout. But the Sand La Tour really has evolved into this. How can we bring families together? How can we make leagues stronger? And it Just it builds this thriving community when parents get behind their little leagues or their pony leagues in a. In this style of message. So I'm proud of it. But I'm never, never standing. I'm never, I'm never just standing on my laurels. I'm always trying to evolve and change, just like the bananas do. Like, what's next? What are you going to do next? How are you going to entertain or evolve? So always moving.
- [19:24]
Greg Olsen
All right, so as we sit here talking, right? So obviously all the incredible things you both are doing independent of each other, you guys came together as we sit here having this conversation right now. The new season of Crash and practice is live, right? Our listeners can go out there, our followers can go out there, get it as we speak. Like, give them a sense of what they should expect, right? Like give them a sense of am I watching it just for entertainment? Am I watching it for the fun? Am I watching it to get those lessons. Ball game popped out is rack teaching back flips. Like, give our listeners a sense. Two guys that are doing such incred, incredible things, not only in the baseball space, but in the content space. You two now forming a friendship, all of us coming together here under you think, like, give our listeners an idea of when they go out and tune into the new season of Crash and practice. Like, what are they gonna get?
- [20:13]
Coach Rack
I think they can expect one to be, well, one to be entertained. I think all this stuff is funny. It's all entertaining. You know, whether it's the kids reactions to like seeing us walk out and they're shocked, you know, faces to even them getting the gear. Like, that's fun too, seeing their reactions. I think you can expect that. Beyond that, I think you can expect to learn. Like, I'm looking forward to rewatching through and learning the way that ball game handles so many of these situations. That whole concept of praise loudly, you know, constructively criticize quietly, that was so impactful for me. When we had, specifically at the second practice that we did, there was a few moments where that needed to be done. And it was such a learning experience for me seeing, like, okay, when you do that, you actually see how the, the energy shifts in the group. Because I think the, the kids that, you know, sometimes are disruptive, they're so used to attention being given to them when they are disruptive. And then when you, when you flip that on its head and instead praise the, the kid who's sitting there quietly making eye contact, it encourages all the other kids to do the same. So I think for so many coaches and parents, there's like very practical advice for how to handle real life situations when you are coaching your team. And I think you're going to see some of that in the video. So I think for me, yeah, you're going to be entertained. It's going to be fun. But I think that specifically parents and coaches, you're going to learn a lot as well.
- [21:30]
Ball Game
Yeah, I think back to like the movie the Sandlot. Why does that movie stand the test of time? And I think it's the relationship between Benny the Jet and Smalls. That's why we just keep coming back. Because Benny the Jet could be a bully. He could just shove Smalls out of here, but no, he brings him in. That is going to happen in every city we go to. And it happened in these two last two cities where you've got the player that's dialed in with two bats in their bag, eye black, ready to go. And then you do have the kid in the flannel shirt and the blue jeans who's never played. And to try to create a culture where everybody comes together and plays for the. This guy on the front instead of the back, I think you're going to notice that. And like Rack said, it's not easy even for Ballgame and Rack. We go into a town, there's moments of frustration and, oh, I don't know if I can wrangle this whole crew. So there were moments, and I'm excited to see how it was documented where we're like, I don't know, I hope we're doing okay here. Meanwhile, the coaches are standing to the side and they're like kind of giggling. They're like, yeah, they're not. They're struggling too, a little bit with this. So watching us kind of struggle through things and figure it out will be, I think, very educational and just coaches and parents are going to relate to it. So I think we did pretty good Rack. But it was. There were frustrating moments and moments where I'm like, I'm losing my patience here. So even me and Rack and can struggle.
- [23:12]
Greg Olsen
If you were losing your patience. Ball game, I don't. I. Good thing I wasn't there. Good thing I wasn't there. Well, let me, let me just tell you, and I know I've said this to you guys, both, you guys both have a gift. You, you guys just being a fan of your content, having teenage boys that obviously are very familiar with what you guys put out there in a world where there's a lot of content put out that I'd probably rather my 3 kids not come across. It's just so refreshing to know that you two guys are out there spreading such positive, such positive vibes. Great information, entertainment, fun. Straddling that line between this is about work, but it's also about the fun. Like to introduce that into our kids lives on a social media platform especially where they're all kind of consuming this and a lot of it could be very toxic and negative, man. You guys have a gift. Your ability to communicate, your presence, your charisma. And for you guys to. To join forces and come along with us that you think and take this little silly idea and turn it into what it's come, man. Our, our listeners, our families, our followers. We're lucky. We're all lucky to have you guys part of the you think family, man. And I know we are all excited to dive in and see how this craziness all came out in the next season of. Of crashing. But man, thank. I can't thank you guys enough for being a part of everything that we're doing here because you guys are special. You guys have a very unique, unique com partnership and your ability to bring that out. I. I got to see firsthand and it's pretty unique. It's pretty special.
- [24:37]
Ball Game
Honored man. And it's good to see you all over Hollywood on the billboards as the next he man because you look just like He Man.
- [24:45]
Greg Olsen
Dude, I'm gonna add it to my resume. I'm gonna add it to my resume. Hey, the more you can do, the less you get paid. Remember that? I had somebody tell me that one time.
- [24:55]
Ball Game
You could just say you're his big brother.
- [24:57]
Greg Olsen
His extra big brother. Well, appreciate you guys, man. I know you guys got a lot going on, so go off and change the world and we're pumped, man. Looking forward to crashing and seeing what's next.