June 24, 2026 • 18 mins
USA Patriots Softball Team!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back CE Dacode Mornings. I'm your host, Michael Bell
k y R. Five fifty AM ninety nine points seven FM.
As promised, I told all of you USA Patriots, they're
in the house, They're in the room. I am joined
here in studio by John Mitchell. So Monroy, sorry for
miss gentlemen, Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Just joking around with John about him doing a beatbox,
so we may have that, uh as part of the segment.
But I really really am excited to have you guys
on when when the folks from Doll Distributing and and
mcquay's softball tournament we're in like two months ago. I
made it a priority to have you gentlemen in the
studio because of the incredible work that you guys do
(00:50):
and you have fun doing it. So if you could
just give us a little bit of background on USA Patriots,
what is that you guys do, and uh, well we
can talk about how much fun doing it?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Okay, Yeah, So we're the USA Patriots where a team
compiled the veterans that have lost limbs, whether it was
through traumatic injury while they're ploy service appreciate you and
whether it was through a traumatic injury your service or
when you got out, and it was just some type
of accident. But we've overcome adversity. In twenty eleven, it
was a phase where a lot of us were going
from appointment, therapy back to the room. It was just
(01:22):
hospital room, back to therapy, hospital room, back to therapy.
Became stagnant and it kind of just weighs heavy on
your mental health. Somebody had the bright idea, hey, let's
go to Phoenix. Get some of these guys out of
the hospital, go to Phoenix, play softball. ASU is all
about sponsoring the week. Let's go do it. We got
to go out there do that stuff. They hung out
for a week, played softball, learned a little bit about life,
how to adjust with your new limbs, and they came
(01:44):
back and they were like this can be it, you know,
like this week was amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
How can we go from there?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
So they built the team and it was the Wounded
Warrior AMPUT softball team at the beginning. That transitioned to
USA Patriots. As that went through, they found a way
to coin the phrase it was serving beyond the uniform.
So we took off our tigues, hung those up but
we put this jersey on all the time, and now
we get to give back to our community and serve
beyond the uniform by hosting our annual Kids Camp where
(02:08):
we bring twenty amputee kids that are amputees. To no
fault of their own, we do twenty because it's the
number of veterans that went out to that first week,
and so it goes the position of it and we
bring these kids and you get to mentor these kids
from day one to the last of the leave and
still continue. You know, we've shared place with them, and
it's gone full circle where we have Scotti Fiura that
was one of the I think it was a second
(02:30):
kids camp we had, and now he's a full blown
member on our team and he's an honorary USA Patriot
and plays with us full time.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That has to be so rewarding to have that level
of impact and then to have him join as you know,
a real life example of what we can do for sure.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, it's real great, especially because when we kind of
brought him on it was twenty twenty. COVID took over
his senior year in high school and we're like, oh man,
what can we do? We had the conversation. Brian Janeloti
was like, let's bring him out to one of the
events and see how it goes. And it just mix
and mingled, and now he loves it and it's great
when we go to like places like this. He'll arrive
later today at one thirty and for him to get
(03:07):
to share his story and be like, Hey, these guys
impacted my life so much that I get to hang
out and travel with these guys. And majority of these guys.
There's actually a kid I was trying to look at
exactly where he's from. It was my first kid's camp, Dakota.
He's missing an arm, but when I first met him,
he had a sweater on. He was hiding everything out.
And now he got athlete of the month. And this
guy's two hundred and forty pounds, biggest linebacker on his
(03:28):
football team doing this thing. And he's like, it wasn't
for you guys camp, I wouldn't have been able to
have the confidence to do what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So he's the first or third, right, Yeah, Now this
is aspirational, to be sure, And I want to start
a little bit of a rivalry here. What position do
you guys play.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Ply firsh okay the shortstop. Okay, there go.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
All right, So you've left the outfielders outside the studio.
Is there any like resentment on their part for not
being invited in here this morning? I'm trying to.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Trying to size. No, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I like it because they're always complaining, Oh we have
a long distance Togo. I'm like, you should have brought
snacks for your little little walk out there. That's always
a great thing like that. But no, we have to
leave them out because most of the time they don't
know how to socialize. They're so far apart from everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
They've been practicing social distancing for thirty years. You guys
travel a lot. What sort of mileage have you calculated?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You guys?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
I think I do With American I think I do
probably anywhere from one hundred and eighty to two hundred
thousand miles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, wow, yeah, it's up there. Yeah, I mean yeah, yeah, yeah.
Become a diamon.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
One of the benefits. And I'm sure you're like platinum
on Delta. Oh yeah, yeah, it works out really well.
But what are you looking forward to this week?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Here?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Being in North Dakota. I know that you guys try
and try.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I mean, I mean, do you think.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
They're putting points on the board, you're keeping the game? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Like I will say to you, like we were sharing earlier,
mentality is everything. And I think the one thing about
this team is you've come to it, You've learned how
to overcome some stuff, and you've come to find out
you still have that competitive edge and that winning mentality.
And now you just say, Okay, good, I just used
it through you know, little different things. I got to
(05:19):
adjust to make it win. But I still can compete
and win out here. That's what it's about, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
And and and it's part of passing this along to
the next generation. How rewarding is that when you go
to these camps and you see that light bulb go
off for those kids.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
All right.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I mean it's just that's the main thing that that
I love, you know, guests, is good that you can
see these kids. You know, some of these kids come in.
You know, you're like, wow, you're super fast. So you
have some attribute that they're really good at. But the
main thing of seeing them go from the kid in
the corner to actually the social butterfly in two to
three days and now they it's like almost like in
their mentality. Okay, Now I got to know whole another
(05:56):
different aspect on life. You know, I can still go
after anything I want and win, you know. And he
was referencing great statement earlier. You know that the real
distabilities in the mind, you know, and and seeing these
kids come out here and I mean gain a mentality
that that says, you know what I thought I wasn't
gonna be able to participate, But now I not only participated,
(06:19):
but I'll lead it and I'll conquered it, right and
I'll take it over and we'll do it.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So I one of the things that that stands out
to me. The other great work you guys do, is
that you don't treat these kids. You don't treat these adults.
You don't treat them like faberge eggs. Yeah, you just
got one more thing you got to overcome. But you're
gonna overcome it because I'm gonna woof fit you quite
a bit.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, you have to.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I Mean a lot of the times people look at
us and they're like, oh man, he's missing a leg.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Let's take it easy.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
But you know, at the end of the day, like
I play, I play shortstop and I tease it earlier.
We were talking to Ginger and Shoot, I was like,
I love it. I hope everybody hits the ball at
me because I want to ruin your batting average, you know,
like that's where it comes from. And I'm just you know,
I'm an average dude. I've overcome something. I'm still going
to beat you in a race. I'm gonna still out there.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, hit it harder.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
And with these kids, I feel like we meet these
parents and they go to camp, and you see it. Naturally,
any parent wants to hover over their kid, pershuret them
as much as they can, but we kind of distanced
them so camp, we make the rules, Hey mom, when
they're on the field there with us, you know, and
it's so hard for them to do that. But they
get to see their kid be a kid, which was
one of the heartfelt things I had. Two years ago.
We had a kid come in and he was missing
(07:23):
an arm, never wore a short sleeve shirt, and he
showed up in a tank top and his mom starts bawling.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
She's like, I never thought i'd see the day.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
He's just so confident in it, and it's just that's
the biggest like humbling experience for me, and I love
to see that go forward and something that we impact
them positive way for our future, you know, to be
able to be able to be positive, take on life
and just go full force with it.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So if you could pull back the curtain a little
bit on how these are structures. So you travel to
a tournament, you go to a tournament. You guys are
playing in a tournament in one of the categories, in
one of the levels, I think is probably a better
way to characterize that. But you always make time on
the front end to have these camps. How how do
(08:05):
you structure those to make sure that that everybody's getting
something from it?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well, I think I think showing up is half to be.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
And for us, I think, you know, we have a
certain amount of tournaments, but also the other ones are
more exhibition games. But to see the amount of people
that that that come out and support a veteran initially
is what it's about. And for us, it's about, Okay,
the more people we can get out, the more donations
we get, the more that we get to give back,
(08:36):
you know, So it's a cycle or just something something
flowing through you, not something that you're just grabbing and
getting a hold on for yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Okay. I love the way you characterize that.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
You know, And I think that's the biggest thing about
it is, you know, if we'll come here, we'll win.
We'll get more people, more people donate, we get to
you know, help more kids.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
It's what it's about.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Yeah, there's a personal piece that says I'm super competitive,
but it's also nice.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You know. Of course, we've all been in the military,
so we understand.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
You know, sacrifice in your life for others is a
good thing, and I think that's what the team is about.
You come out, you you play hard, you do what
you gotta do. Sometimes it ends good, sometimes it doesn't.
But the best ending is you out here raising money
to help somebody else life be better.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
What what branches the military did you gentlemen serving.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
US Army for me? Marine Corps?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Okay, there's no rivalry there or anything. The Marine Corps
they eat rocks for breakfast. I'm sure that you're but that,
but that brings up a really good point. You're competitive
by nature, which is what lends to the success of
this endeavor.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Like I'll use something funny like me and Saul.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Literally we've been roommates what four years, yea four five
years years, and it's actually we actually get on each
other like in a real way in life.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
It's funny. It's like I'm really sitting beside my brain.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Take the damn trash out, like.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I mean, we've been heat it battles and in front
of it, right and we'll look at each other afterwards
and we'll laugh about it. But he has a competitive edge.
I have a competitive edge. He knows I could have
done better. I know he could have done better, you know,
But it's all love, and it's like it's still the
same competitive it comes out because we have this super
(10:19):
competitive edge. But at the end of the day, he's
you know, army veterans, so he has that second best mentality.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So it's okay, you know, like it's right right from.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The family of soldiers, though I grew up two miles
from Marine base, so I understand.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I understood at.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The very young age the inner service rivalry. I think
the part of what why you're so competitive is why
your demand is so high at these camps for these kids,
like you can do better and I'm here to help you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Didge that gap and it's it's it's a hey, don't settle. Yeah,
why why should you settle in life?
Speaker 2 (10:55):
You know?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And the biggest example I had with that was so
I I do obviously in my personal life, I do CrossFit,
and I've just started doing trathlons, which is amazing, but
like it's just it takes. And so right now I'm
working on to do doing an iron Man in November,
so I've been training for that, but I did it.
Was two weeks ago. I did a trathlon. It was
(11:17):
a small sprint, but right before I was going through,
my son was like, are you good? And I was
like yeah. I was like, this one's gonna be a
little tough because in my head I want to just
go as fast as I can. And this lady behind
me is like, Son, if you're worried about this, then I'm.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Going to be worried about it. And I was like,
oh man.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
So it carried into where, you know, the way I
speak out loud is going to impact everyone else. So
when I go to these camps, I have to be,
you know, making sure that I'm staying positive, being that
example that they need to be able to push forward,
because without that, they're not going to have a step
instill to go.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, I'm gonna get you guys T shirts. I don't
get nearly enough credit for what I don't say out.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Loud, right, but I think that, you know, it's something.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I think that's one of the real things that we
have to break through with the kids. It's getting you
to break away from you know, your mind tells you
stay in the corner. But if we can get you
from the corner to say, hey, you know what, I
might not look like you, but I can participate just
as good as you, if not better, you know, and
become super competitive at life, not necessarily just this one event,
(12:15):
but it's a life that we all have to compete with.
You know, A hard thing is getting along with each other. Right,
But you know what, but the same way those kids
get the opportunity to come to meet us, to see
us overcome some things in life. It's also a blessing
that the brotherhood that we have that you know, hey,
(12:38):
he can get me up. Hey, John, you good today. Hey,
I know you was going through dot dot you know,
same vice versa. And that's the blessing of it. The
blessing of it is allowing things to flow through you,
not to start with you.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
And one of the things, so one of the sponsors
here of Tocode Mornings is the University of Mary and
they have a statement that I think applies nearly every
part of life, and that is you were aid for more.
You guys are embodying that on a daily basis and
putting that into practice on a daily basis, and I
appreciate that. We need to go to a commercial break.
This is Dakota Mornings. I am your host, Michael Bell.
(13:10):
We are joined in studio by two USA patriots, John
Mitchell Salomon Roy. Thanks, gentlemen. We've got a real short
segment coming up, and we will be back after this
short commercial break. Welcome back to you Dakota Mornings. I
am your host, Michael Bell kf y R five fifty
AM not a nine point seven FM. I am joined
in studio by John Mitchell Sawomon Roy. John's gonna do
(13:32):
a beatbox here.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
That's challenge.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
That is talent leadst gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I've been working on that my whole life for at
least the last.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Thirty seconds, and that works so well. What are you
guys doing in town? What are you guys doing while
you're here.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Yeah, so we're here for a full week of good,
eventful stuff Like today we have the VFW Meet and Greet. Cool,
we'll be out there. I know they recently opened, so
a lot of people weren't sure if it's open, what's
going on. But from what Heather said, it's got a
big American flag or just painted like the American flag.
Come on out, we have meet and greet. A lot
of the guys will share their stories. You'll get to
know us a little bit more on a superficial level
and get to hang out and do some good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I appreciate that on a superficial level. Heather is I'm
sure not slept in like five days, but hearing for
all of this. Oh yeah, where is the VFW. What
time is the meet and greet?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
It's going to start at four o'clock today. It is
on twelfth, so it's probably three buildings south of Jack Steakhouse,
which everybody knows where that is.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Amen.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
We will have the gentlemen telling their stories. We're going
to do a little bit of a Jersey auction. So
it's a great way to come out. And we've talked
about this many times. A lot of the people see
these guys out and about, but are very I guess
you want to say, intimidated. They're scared to go and
talk to them. Sure, so please come out tonight or
when you are at the fields Friday night. They have
an exhibition game at six o'clock First Responders Military versus
USA Patriots. More than happy to have you guys come
(14:54):
up to their tent. They have trading cards that they'll
give out, obviously, autograph baseballs, and even just come out,
take a picture and talk to them. Bring beer, good voice, Yeah,
show up, bring beer.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I mean that makes a happy time.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Well, I do want to extend to both of you
since you know you left your outfielders outside the building,
and I appreciate that as a former infielder myself. You know,
if you guys want to record yourself singing the national anthem,
i'll play it here mornings.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Here was voice of an angel. No, I'm only good.
I'm good as long as you're okay with that from you.
You can do the background right, John, do the front
front course. And but you guys are playing in a
tournament this weekend as well. I mean you've got an
(15:52):
exhibition game this evening. Is that I'm sorry I didn't. Okay,
I'll be there number one, looking forward to it, looking
forward to talking some more with you guys. Uh, what
what are your thoughts on the tournament?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Win it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:08):
When he number one, winning number one, second, second place
is the first there.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
It is exactly right, Ricky Bobby said it.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And so how much do you enjoy you know, your
time that you spend here in North Dakota.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
I love it, every bit of it. I mean I
love it so much. Trying to come in right, Yeah,
we did. Yes, we came out here, like I took
a slide across like he said, slide. It's like Ilay
wanted to talk to me, so I had a quick comments.
Funny part is that hopefully I can give you guys
an image of it. So I'm walking ahead of him
and then I hear I look back and he's like,
(16:46):
oh that was a good save. As soon as I
turned back, I just hear this guy in the air
both like it just hits the eyes so hard.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I was like, so did you fall through the ice.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
So let me give you from my perspective.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Okay, So the ice said John, let's have a conversation,
and I got close to have the conversation with the ice,
all of that stuff in between, that making that I experienced.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Bring that up. You wanted it. You were communing with nature.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yes, you know from the mountains of North Carolina originally,
so nature means a lot. And the ice was saying, John,
come tall, I want I don't want to, I want
everybody to hear me.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
I want to whisper in your ear.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
And what that conversation like?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Boom boom, right right right? Why do you act like this?
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So you have been out here during the winter. I
don't know if you know this, but it gets cold
here in North.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Man putting that, putting that.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So for me, coming from West Texas ice fishing was
crazy to think about it. So that's why I wanted
to do it. When we were setting this tent, we
have this cold windshill coming in. I'm layered up with
gear and the funny part is I'm wearing vans, so
I don't own boots cold weather gear wearing vans, and
so we're setting this tent up, but we forgot some stuff.
So we walked back across the lake to the truck
and there was a ranger there and he's like, I
(18:14):
knew they were from out of town because I saw
his shoes.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
That was it, right there, John Mitchell, Salomonroy, thank you
so much for joining us, man, thanks for having us
is amazing. Good luck this weekend.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
This is Dakota Morning XI I I'm your host, Michael
Bell kf y R five fifty am. Been a nine
point seven FM and we will be back after this
short commercial break
Welcome back CE Dacode Mornings. I'm your host, Michael Bell
k y R. Five fifty AM ninety nine points seven FM.
As promised, I told all of you USA Patriots, they're
in the house, They're in the room. I am joined
here in studio by John Mitchell. So Monroy, sorry for
miss gentlemen, Thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Just joking around with John about him doing a beatbox,
so we may have that, uh as part of the segment.
But I really really am excited to have you guys
on when when the folks from Doll Distributing and and
mcquay's softball tournament we're in like two months ago. I
made it a priority to have you gentlemen in the
studio because of the incredible work that you guys do
(00:50):
and you have fun doing it. So if you could
just give us a little bit of background on USA Patriots,
what is that you guys do, and uh, well we
can talk about how much fun doing it?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Okay, Yeah, So we're the USA Patriots where a team
compiled the veterans that have lost limbs, whether it was
through traumatic injury while they're ploy service appreciate you and
whether it was through a traumatic injury your service or
when you got out, and it was just some type
of accident. But we've overcome adversity. In twenty eleven, it
was a phase where a lot of us were going
from appointment, therapy back to the room. It was just
(01:22):
hospital room, back to therapy, hospital room, back to therapy.
Became stagnant and it kind of just weighs heavy on
your mental health. Somebody had the bright idea, hey, let's
go to Phoenix. Get some of these guys out of
the hospital, go to Phoenix, play softball. ASU is all
about sponsoring the week. Let's go do it. We got
to go out there do that stuff. They hung out
for a week, played softball, learned a little bit about life,
how to adjust with your new limbs, and they came
(01:44):
back and they were like this can be it, you know,
like this week was amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
How can we go from there?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
So they built the team and it was the Wounded
Warrior AMPUT softball team at the beginning. That transitioned to
USA Patriots. As that went through, they found a way
to coin the phrase it was serving beyond the uniform.
So we took off our tigues, hung those up but
we put this jersey on all the time, and now
we get to give back to our community and serve
beyond the uniform by hosting our annual Kids Camp where
(02:08):
we bring twenty amputee kids that are amputees. To no
fault of their own, we do twenty because it's the
number of veterans that went out to that first week,
and so it goes the position of it and we
bring these kids and you get to mentor these kids
from day one to the last of the leave and
still continue. You know, we've shared place with them, and
it's gone full circle where we have Scotti Fiura that
was one of the I think it was a second
(02:30):
kids camp we had, and now he's a full blown
member on our team and he's an honorary USA Patriot
and plays with us full time.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That has to be so rewarding to have that level
of impact and then to have him join as you know,
a real life example of what we can do for sure.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, it's real great, especially because when we kind of
brought him on it was twenty twenty. COVID took over
his senior year in high school and we're like, oh man,
what can we do? We had the conversation. Brian Janeloti
was like, let's bring him out to one of the
events and see how it goes. And it just mix
and mingled, and now he loves it and it's great
when we go to like places like this. He'll arrive
later today at one thirty and for him to get
(03:07):
to share his story and be like, Hey, these guys
impacted my life so much that I get to hang
out and travel with these guys. And majority of these guys.
There's actually a kid I was trying to look at
exactly where he's from. It was my first kid's camp, Dakota.
He's missing an arm, but when I first met him,
he had a sweater on. He was hiding everything out.
And now he got athlete of the month. And this
guy's two hundred and forty pounds, biggest linebacker on his
(03:28):
football team doing this thing. And he's like, it wasn't
for you guys camp, I wouldn't have been able to
have the confidence to do what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So he's the first or third, right, Yeah, Now this
is aspirational, to be sure, And I want to start
a little bit of a rivalry here. What position do
you guys play.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Ply firsh okay the shortstop. Okay, there go.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
All right, So you've left the outfielders outside the studio.
Is there any like resentment on their part for not
being invited in here this morning? I'm trying to.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Trying to size. No, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I like it because they're always complaining, Oh we have
a long distance Togo. I'm like, you should have brought
snacks for your little little walk out there. That's always
a great thing like that. But no, we have to
leave them out because most of the time they don't
know how to socialize. They're so far apart from everybody.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
They've been practicing social distancing for thirty years. You guys
travel a lot. What sort of mileage have you calculated?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You guys?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
I think I do With American I think I do
probably anywhere from one hundred and eighty to two hundred
thousand miles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, wow, yeah, it's up there. Yeah, I mean yeah, yeah, yeah.
Become a diamon.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
One of the benefits. And I'm sure you're like platinum
on Delta. Oh yeah, yeah, it works out really well.
But what are you looking forward to this week?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Here?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Being in North Dakota. I know that you guys try
and try.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I mean, I mean, do you think.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
They're putting points on the board, you're keeping the game? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Like I will say to you, like we were sharing earlier,
mentality is everything. And I think the one thing about
this team is you've come to it, You've learned how
to overcome some stuff, and you've come to find out
you still have that competitive edge and that winning mentality.
And now you just say, Okay, good, I just used
it through you know, little different things. I got to
(05:19):
adjust to make it win. But I still can compete
and win out here. That's what it's about, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
And and and it's part of passing this along to
the next generation. How rewarding is that when you go
to these camps and you see that light bulb go
off for those kids.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
All right.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I mean it's just that's the main thing that that
I love, you know, guests, is good that you can
see these kids. You know, some of these kids come in.
You know, you're like, wow, you're super fast. So you
have some attribute that they're really good at. But the
main thing of seeing them go from the kid in
the corner to actually the social butterfly in two to
three days and now they it's like almost like in
their mentality. Okay, Now I got to know whole another
(05:56):
different aspect on life. You know, I can still go
after anything I want and win, you know. And he
was referencing great statement earlier. You know that the real
distabilities in the mind, you know, and and seeing these
kids come out here and I mean gain a mentality
that that says, you know what I thought I wasn't
gonna be able to participate, But now I not only participated,
(06:19):
but I'll lead it and I'll conquered it, right and
I'll take it over and we'll do it.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So I one of the things that that stands out
to me. The other great work you guys do, is
that you don't treat these kids. You don't treat these adults.
You don't treat them like faberge eggs. Yeah, you just
got one more thing you got to overcome. But you're
gonna overcome it because I'm gonna woof fit you quite
a bit.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, you have to.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I Mean a lot of the times people look at
us and they're like, oh man, he's missing a leg.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Let's take it easy.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
But you know, at the end of the day, like
I play, I play shortstop and I tease it earlier.
We were talking to Ginger and Shoot, I was like,
I love it. I hope everybody hits the ball at
me because I want to ruin your batting average, you know,
like that's where it comes from. And I'm just you know,
I'm an average dude. I've overcome something. I'm still going
to beat you in a race. I'm gonna still out there.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, hit it harder.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
And with these kids, I feel like we meet these
parents and they go to camp, and you see it. Naturally,
any parent wants to hover over their kid, pershuret them
as much as they can, but we kind of distanced
them so camp, we make the rules, Hey mom, when
they're on the field there with us, you know, and
it's so hard for them to do that. But they
get to see their kid be a kid, which was
one of the heartfelt things I had. Two years ago.
We had a kid come in and he was missing
(07:23):
an arm, never wore a short sleeve shirt, and he
showed up in a tank top and his mom starts bawling.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
She's like, I never thought i'd see the day.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
He's just so confident in it, and it's just that's
the biggest like humbling experience for me, and I love
to see that go forward and something that we impact
them positive way for our future, you know, to be
able to be able to be positive, take on life
and just go full force with it.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So if you could pull back the curtain a little
bit on how these are structures. So you travel to
a tournament, you go to a tournament. You guys are
playing in a tournament in one of the categories, in
one of the levels, I think is probably a better
way to characterize that. But you always make time on
the front end to have these camps. How how do
(08:05):
you structure those to make sure that that everybody's getting
something from it?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Well, I think I think showing up is half to be.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
And for us, I think, you know, we have a
certain amount of tournaments, but also the other ones are
more exhibition games. But to see the amount of people
that that that come out and support a veteran initially
is what it's about. And for us, it's about, Okay,
the more people we can get out, the more donations
we get, the more that we get to give back,
(08:36):
you know, So it's a cycle or just something something
flowing through you, not something that you're just grabbing and
getting a hold on for yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Okay. I love the way you characterize that.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
You know, And I think that's the biggest thing about
it is, you know, if we'll come here, we'll win.
We'll get more people, more people donate, we get to
you know, help more kids.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
It's what it's about.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Yeah, there's a personal piece that says I'm super competitive,
but it's also nice.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You know. Of course, we've all been in the military,
so we understand.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
You know, sacrifice in your life for others is a
good thing, and I think that's what the team is about.
You come out, you you play hard, you do what
you gotta do. Sometimes it ends good, sometimes it doesn't.
But the best ending is you out here raising money
to help somebody else life be better.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
What what branches the military did you gentlemen serving.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
US Army for me? Marine Corps?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Okay, there's no rivalry there or anything. The Marine Corps
they eat rocks for breakfast. I'm sure that you're but that,
but that brings up a really good point. You're competitive
by nature, which is what lends to the success of
this endeavor.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Like I'll use something funny like me and Saul.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Literally we've been roommates what four years, yea four five
years years, and it's actually we actually get on each
other like in a real way in life.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
It's funny. It's like I'm really sitting beside my brain.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Take the damn trash out, like.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I mean, we've been heat it battles and in front
of it, right and we'll look at each other afterwards
and we'll laugh about it. But he has a competitive edge.
I have a competitive edge. He knows I could have
done better. I know he could have done better, you know,
But it's all love, and it's like it's still the
same competitive it comes out because we have this super
(10:19):
competitive edge. But at the end of the day, he's
you know, army veterans, so he has that second best mentality.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So it's okay, you know, like it's right right from.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The family of soldiers, though I grew up two miles
from Marine base, so I understand.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I understood at.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The very young age the inner service rivalry. I think
the part of what why you're so competitive is why
your demand is so high at these camps for these kids,
like you can do better and I'm here to help you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Didge that gap and it's it's it's a hey, don't settle. Yeah,
why why should you settle in life?
Speaker 2 (10:55):
You know?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And the biggest example I had with that was so
I I do obviously in my personal life, I do CrossFit,
and I've just started doing trathlons, which is amazing, but
like it's just it takes. And so right now I'm
working on to do doing an iron Man in November,
so I've been training for that, but I did it.
Was two weeks ago. I did a trathlon. It was
(11:17):
a small sprint, but right before I was going through,
my son was like, are you good? And I was
like yeah. I was like, this one's gonna be a
little tough because in my head I want to just
go as fast as I can. And this lady behind
me is like, Son, if you're worried about this, then I'm.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Going to be worried about it. And I was like,
oh man.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
So it carried into where, you know, the way I
speak out loud is going to impact everyone else. So
when I go to these camps, I have to be,
you know, making sure that I'm staying positive, being that
example that they need to be able to push forward,
because without that, they're not going to have a step
instill to go.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, I'm gonna get you guys T shirts. I don't
get nearly enough credit for what I don't say out.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Loud, right, but I think that, you know, it's something.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I think that's one of the real things that we
have to break through with the kids. It's getting you
to break away from you know, your mind tells you
stay in the corner. But if we can get you
from the corner to say, hey, you know what, I
might not look like you, but I can participate just
as good as you, if not better, you know, and
become super competitive at life, not necessarily just this one event,
(12:15):
but it's a life that we all have to compete with.
You know, A hard thing is getting along with each other. Right,
But you know what, but the same way those kids
get the opportunity to come to meet us, to see
us overcome some things in life. It's also a blessing
that the brotherhood that we have that you know, hey,
(12:38):
he can get me up. Hey, John, you good today. Hey,
I know you was going through dot dot you know,
same vice versa. And that's the blessing of it. The
blessing of it is allowing things to flow through you,
not to start with you.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
And one of the things, so one of the sponsors
here of Tocode Mornings is the University of Mary and
they have a statement that I think applies nearly every
part of life, and that is you were aid for more.
You guys are embodying that on a daily basis and
putting that into practice on a daily basis, and I
appreciate that. We need to go to a commercial break.
This is Dakota Mornings. I am your host, Michael Bell.
(13:10):
We are joined in studio by two USA patriots, John
Mitchell Salomon Roy. Thanks, gentlemen. We've got a real short
segment coming up, and we will be back after this
short commercial break. Welcome back to you Dakota Mornings. I
am your host, Michael Bell kf y R five fifty
AM not a nine point seven FM. I am joined
in studio by John Mitchell Sawomon Roy. John's gonna do
(13:32):
a beatbox here.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
That's challenge.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
That is talent leadst gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I've been working on that my whole life for at
least the last.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Thirty seconds, and that works so well. What are you
guys doing in town? What are you guys doing while
you're here.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Yeah, so we're here for a full week of good,
eventful stuff Like today we have the VFW Meet and Greet. Cool,
we'll be out there. I know they recently opened, so
a lot of people weren't sure if it's open, what's
going on. But from what Heather said, it's got a
big American flag or just painted like the American flag.
Come on out, we have meet and greet. A lot
of the guys will share their stories. You'll get to
know us a little bit more on a superficial level
and get to hang out and do some good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I appreciate that on a superficial level. Heather is I'm
sure not slept in like five days, but hearing for
all of this. Oh yeah, where is the VFW. What
time is the meet and greet?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
It's going to start at four o'clock today. It is
on twelfth, so it's probably three buildings south of Jack Steakhouse,
which everybody knows where that is.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Amen.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
We will have the gentlemen telling their stories. We're going
to do a little bit of a Jersey auction. So
it's a great way to come out. And we've talked
about this many times. A lot of the people see
these guys out and about, but are very I guess
you want to say, intimidated. They're scared to go and
talk to them. Sure, so please come out tonight or
when you are at the fields Friday night. They have
an exhibition game at six o'clock First Responders Military versus
USA Patriots. More than happy to have you guys come
(14:54):
up to their tent. They have trading cards that they'll
give out, obviously, autograph baseballs, and even just come out,
take a picture and talk to them. Bring beer, good voice, Yeah,
show up, bring beer.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I mean that makes a happy time.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Well, I do want to extend to both of you
since you know you left your outfielders outside the building,
and I appreciate that as a former infielder myself. You know,
if you guys want to record yourself singing the national anthem,
i'll play it here mornings.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Here was voice of an angel. No, I'm only good.
I'm good as long as you're okay with that from you.
You can do the background right, John, do the front
front course. And but you guys are playing in a
tournament this weekend as well. I mean you've got an
(15:52):
exhibition game this evening. Is that I'm sorry I didn't. Okay,
I'll be there number one, looking forward to it, looking
forward to talking some more with you guys. Uh, what
what are your thoughts on the tournament?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Win it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:08):
When he number one, winning number one, second, second place
is the first there.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
It is exactly right, Ricky Bobby said it.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And so how much do you enjoy you know, your
time that you spend here in North Dakota.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
I love it, every bit of it. I mean I
love it so much. Trying to come in right, Yeah,
we did. Yes, we came out here, like I took
a slide across like he said, slide. It's like Ilay
wanted to talk to me, so I had a quick comments.
Funny part is that hopefully I can give you guys
an image of it. So I'm walking ahead of him
and then I hear I look back and he's like,
(16:46):
oh that was a good save. As soon as I
turned back, I just hear this guy in the air
both like it just hits the eyes so hard.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I was like, so did you fall through the ice.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
So let me give you from my perspective.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Okay, So the ice said John, let's have a conversation,
and I got close to have the conversation with the ice,
all of that stuff in between, that making that I experienced.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Bring that up. You wanted it. You were communing with nature.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yes, you know from the mountains of North Carolina originally,
so nature means a lot. And the ice was saying, John,
come tall, I want I don't want to, I want
everybody to hear me.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
I want to whisper in your ear.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
And what that conversation like?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Boom boom, right right right? Why do you act like this?
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So you have been out here during the winter. I
don't know if you know this, but it gets cold
here in North.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Man putting that, putting that.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So for me, coming from West Texas ice fishing was
crazy to think about it. So that's why I wanted
to do it. When we were setting this tent, we
have this cold windshill coming in. I'm layered up with
gear and the funny part is I'm wearing vans, so
I don't own boots cold weather gear wearing vans, and
so we're setting this tent up, but we forgot some stuff.
So we walked back across the lake to the truck
and there was a ranger there and he's like, I
(18:14):
knew they were from out of town because I saw
his shoes.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
That was it, right there, John Mitchell, Salomonroy, thank you
so much for joining us, man, thanks for having us
is amazing. Good luck this weekend.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
This is Dakota Morning XI I I'm your host, Michael
Bell kf y R five fifty am. Been a nine
point seven FM and we will be back after this
short commercial break
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