Baseball in Zagreb? (Sam's Post)

I was browsing online about Zagreb and I came across a website for a Zagreb baseball club who plays in a Croatian league. I was really intrigued. So I clicked a couple of links (although I didn’t know a single word on the page because it was all in Croatian). On the site I saw a couple pictures of men playing baseball. I was really thrown back by seeing baseball being played in Croatia. Long story short, I thought it would be fun to play baseball again. What an amazing way to get to know Croatia and its people by playing a game that I once loved.

Baseball has been a tough, emotional rollercoaster in my life. From getting second team all-league for the position of 1^st base as a junior in high school to getting kicked off the baseball team my senior year because of differences with the coach. Then returning to baseball in college and adapting to a new position as a pitcher. I just fell in love with the game again. After finishing college I started coaching baseball, which I grew a very strong passion for. However after a couple years of coaching in Yakima I just kept on having doors close on me. I went from having a job coaching baseball to not having a job available, to head coach turnovers, and then not getting the head baseball coach position at Eisenhower High. I realize now that I was not the right fit for the job at Eisenhower because I didn’t have the experience yet to take on that role. Through all that, I truly didn’t feel like the culture of Yakima baseball was the right fit. But there was a lot of pain in my heart over this. Over time, I’ve become thankful it didn’t work out. The best way of illustrating this experience is when a relationship doesn’t work out. Then over time, you look back and see the big picture and see that it wasn’t a good relationship to begin with. Eventually you see you are better off because new opportunities arise later... Anyways back to baseball. If I received a more permanent baseball job in Yakima I would have never applied for this position in Zagreb. It wouldn’t have even been on the radar. My life would have been so closed off to such great opportunities. So for that, I am grateful.

So I emailed the President of the team in Zagreb by using Google translator. Shortly after I heard back that they were interested in having me on the team. I truly feel that God closes doors to open better ones later. Some of the best times and the best people in my life were on the baseball field. I truly can’t wait for next year and what it will bring to us.