May 26, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of the OGX Podcast, Krista Stoker and Ashley Sunshine sit down with Raelin Chaffin to unpack the emotional and physical evolution of her journey—from LSU to Mississippi State. Raelin opens up about the highs and lows of navigating the transfer portal, learning to trust herself again, and rediscovering her identity as a pitcher. This conversation dives into how tailored training, emotional resilience, and body awareness can transform an athlete’s development.
Whether you’re a coach, parent, or athlete, this episode offers deep insights into the power of personalized coaching and why every athlete’s story deserves to be reclaimed.
If you're a college athlete looking to train with purpose this summer, OGX's Collegiate Summer Program is built for you. Get assessed, train with data, and take the guesswork out of your growth.
🔗: https://go.ogxsoftball.com/ogx-summer-program-2025?_kx=jFKLhfQ8qTswNuiF3AHXKg.XFCGPe
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Episode Transcript
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(00:04):
All right, we are back for another episode and I think we
prefaced this last week that we were going to have some athletes
on. So very excited to be talking to
Raylan Chaffin today, who had anamazing year, which ended in a
golden ticket, which I'm sure we'll get into.
But we had the opportunity to work with you, Raylan, last
summer. And so we just kind of wanted to
talk through your journey because it's an incredible
(00:24):
story, a player development story, which we love.
And so that's, you know, we're so excited to have you on.
So maybe if you want to just start by kind of telling the
listeners about your story, where you finished your career,
where you're off to next, anything you want to share?
Yeah. So I committed to LSU when I was
a freshman in high school. And so I played at LSU for three
(00:46):
years, met a lot of great people, had a great time.
I just knew that I there was more to my story, more to my
journey. So last summer I entered the
portal, which was the scariest thing I've done in my entire
life. And it's just a bunch of
unknowns. And so I go in the portal, I end
up finding my home at Mississippi State.
And while my visit there, they were just like, hey, have you
(01:08):
heard about OGX? And I was like, yes, I have.
I worked a lot with just Riker when I was at my time at LSU, so
I knew about it. And so he was always like, yeah,
then he started working for Y'all.
And so I always wanted to go. And so I remember I came last
summer and it was just like not only just like working with
y'all, but like it was like almost like a therapy session
(01:30):
that I really needed. And so I had a great time with
that. And then obviously I go back to
school and I'm excited cause y'all are going to come back
again and work with us. And then I get an unexpected
diagnosis. And so I have to come home, home
for a month and then I finally come back and it's like, wow, I
missed a whole month of softballplus some because I once I came
(01:50):
back, I still couldn't participate fully.
And so I'm like, Dang, that really sucks.
But it's like I had Coach T, coach Tara Mount, Mount McKinney
and I worked with her a lot. And so when I came back for the
spring, it was just kind of likego time and we had a lot of
scrimmages and whatnot. But she really just bought into
me and didn't try to change me or make me something I'm not.
(02:14):
She has embraced everything I had going on.
And then, yeah, we started out our season versus Nyjah Kennedy
in Clearwater, which was crazy. But we end up winning 3 to 1,
which was super cool. We actually went for one in
Clearwater. But Long story short, we're
about to go play our senior weekend against Ole Miss at
home. And we get told we have to go to
(02:36):
this baseball thing to announce US playing for senior weekend.
And it's called Super Bulldog weekend because like baseball
was at home, softball was home, track tennis.
It was like, there's a crazy weekend.
And so they're like, OK, so we got, they're all dressed the
same. You're going to get up here and
they're going to put the camera on y'all.
We're just going to say, you know, promote softball.
So first they get up and they call out Sierra and I'm like,
(02:59):
oh, you know, I'm so happy for Sierra because like she has been
like just such a freaking starter for our offense.
I mean, she is such a leader, such a great person.
And so they do hurl thing. Like we're all so excited for
them. Like, OK, but now for real, in
the third inning, we're actuallygoing to announce that we're
playing like a senior weekend. It's, you know, everyone's to
(03:20):
show up. And so I'm just standing in the
back and I'm like, OK, we're going to promote, you know,
what's playing this weekend. And they're like, I'm just
kidding. We have another golden ticket.
And at that point, like my friend Taylor like grabs me and
puts me to the front because I was sitting in the back and I'm
like, Oh my gosh. I literally just couldn't
believe it. It was just the craziest moment
of my life. And then they like 30 seconds
(03:42):
later, I see like my mom, my dad, my sister, my fiance.
I'm like, Oh my gosh. Like it was just crazy.
And so that was on a Tuesday like Till.
Thursday and I'm like. You don't get to spend the whole
like with me here. Like it's just like, it was so
awesome. I had just, it was just
incredible. But yeah, I can't say enough
about how good my time was. It messed up each day.
It just, you just don't know what you don't know.
(04:06):
And I'm so thankful I found out because I'm like this is just
like changed like my entire thought process on softball.
Like I'm just so happy that it like almost hurts so bad to
leave. Like I'm faithful I got to
experience something that hurts to like walk away from.
It's like it was just, I don't know if I would have felt that
in my other position. And so it's like I'm just super
(04:26):
thankful that I had that spot where it's like I'm leaving
people that I love so much that it hurts so bad, but it hurts so
good. And the same way, it's just a
full whirlwind of emotions. Yeah, I was going to go back to
really the beginning and I'll let Ashley kind of kick off
because when you said coming to OGX the first time, I felt like
a therapy session. We've, we've said like so many
times on this podcast and just in general that a lot of times
(04:50):
at people's assessments, they like cry and they always sound
weird to people. And we're like, no, it's not.
Sad. It's like.
You know, I, I think there's just something about.
Yeah, it's a release. Yes, yes, right.
It's. Like someone actually care.
Like I just like the whole time.I, you know, understood, like
I'm just not, I'm not a typical 6 foot tall, super lengthy, like
in long picture. I'm just not.
(05:11):
And I'm like, everyone's trying to make me like do things.
I just don't know if I can actually do them.
But I don't know if my body actually works like that.
And so to hear someone like, youknow, validate how I'm feeling,
I'm like, Oh my God, like I remember I got in the car, we
had a little break in between when I was going to get lunch.
I got in the car with my mom andI'm like, Oh my God, like they,
they give me like they understand, like I'm not going
to be like, you know, my tall other pictures.
(05:33):
I'm just going to be what I can be.
It's good enough. And they told me it's good
enough. And I'm like, that's just what I
need to hear. Like I'm good enough and I can
move forward and not have to compare myself to other people
because my body does this for a reason.
Yeah. Can I chime in now?
Chris, I know you're not. With it, well, I was going to
tell you, ask you to elaborate on how.
I'm always like is it my turn? Is it my turn?
(05:57):
I there are always we really do have the privilege of working
with, you know, a lot of different athletes at high
school level, college level, prolevel, also different coaches.
And there are just certain stories that seem to like hit my
soul like a little bit deeper than normal.
And your story definitely is oneof those.
Like when I say when I watched your golden ticket thing, like,
(06:19):
man, that one really got me because I just was like, this is
a really important story for young athletes like, you know,
high school and early college toreally like learn from and
listen to. I felt like when I met you last
(06:41):
summer, yet you looked very uncertain or maybe you were like
sure of yourself or like, but why isn't anybody else sure?
You know, like there was some sense of like, you know, like
frustration in like uncertainty.And I could tell that that's not
your nor that was not your. I had just met you that day.
But I don't know, I always thinklike when you have the soul of a
(07:04):
pitcher, when you meet someone and you you get them, you know,
like you just, I don't know, there's something about the way
you can connect with someone, like you can see them and you
can like feel their energy. And so even though I had just
met you, I just like got this feeling from you that you were
like feeling uncertain and that was like not a common feeling
(07:25):
for you. And you were just like, I want
to get back to like my, who I really AM and the feelings I
normally have about myself. And I agree.
I felt like in that even single day of like assessment and
conversation and therapy, which actually a lot of people call it
therapy. So that's interesting, you know,
(07:45):
but in that like therapy sessionthat we had, it's like, I could
like see you come back to life in that moment, like in that
moment. Yeah, I think I was finally
given like answers to things where it's like I was always
told like, you know, my foot, the way I'm dragging my foot is,
you know, calling XY and Z then y'all told me like, no, it's
(08:06):
just like like my the length in my arm.
I still would tell my stick whenever my curve ball would or
my bicep would hurt or my curve ball would go back.
Oh, I need to add length in my arm.
But they always told me to put more length in my arm.
And it's just like I was hearingdifferent things and hearing
different answers. And it was like, I felt like
what you are giving me I could accomplish.
It's like I'm not you're on somebody do something that I
just thought my body can't control.
(08:27):
It was like adding to your arm, like, OK, I can make my arm
straighter. I can do that.
I can actually do that. And then it was like I would do
the ply. I was just given like a set of
things to do that I felt like I could accomplish.
And so just for me, it made my goal just seem like it's like
right there in front of me wherebefore I felt like I had to go
so far, just like get past, you know, to one spot.
(08:47):
But for me, I felt like I had such a reachable and attainable
goal that y'all set for me. And I'm like, I can, I can get
there. I really can't get there.
Absolutely. And I think like when we always
like talk about our assessment process and the level of
technology and the information you could get, like it's
amazing, no doubt about it. But it's also like, I'm like,
there are real people and real stories behind this, right?
(09:09):
Like, this is an example where everyone knows what they see is
your story from this season. That is what is out there and
facing everyone. And I think the in my mind, the
power of your story is actually the story that led up to this
season. Yeah.
The courage, first of all, leaving LSU and leaving LSU
(09:31):
under terms like you walked in our doors and you were like, I
have nothing but the utmost like, respect, admiration.
Like that conversation with, with Beth Tarina was so hard
because this is not a like we'renot leaving on negative terms.
And I think she did a, you know,she did a, an interview after
(09:51):
that. You guys faced them.
It was the NCC tournament, right?
Was it the tournament? And had the same.
I thought of the conversation you and I had when she was given
that interview of just like, I'mso happy for her.
I'm so proud of you. And I just think like, you know,
especially in the portal world, to be able to say that you can
leave a place because you just know for a variety of reasons,
it's just isn't the right fit. Maintain a level of respect,
(10:15):
professionalism relationship, right, still have that coach
like really want what's best foryou.
I think just like that should that part of the story is first
of all, I think overlooked. It's just like, you know, this
time of year, people can really like shoot the portal down and
attack the portal. And I just think like you are
such a great representation of like how to handle that.
(10:38):
Well, You know, you you were scared because it was you had
one year left. It's like you were like feeling
in my mind, I've got to get thisright, but I don't have a chance
to like. And so one, I just think, you
know, I've so much respect for you, Raylan, for how you like
handled exiting a university, but maintaining a good positive
professional and relationship there and then moving forward.
(11:01):
And I just think, you know, for us at OGX, it's so much about
like we use slogans like bed on me.
It's about like giving an athlete's story back to them.
And I think often times when we meet athletes, sometimes at the
high school level, but often times at the college level,
something has happened. It doesn't mean like, oh,
they're playing for a bad coach,a bad program, or it's just
(11:23):
something has happened in their career where like their story
has been taken from them. It's like they're no longer in
control of like what what's going to happen next.
And I think for us, yes, we wantto give you the X and OS of the
because that's important to like, listen, stop throwing
darts at a dart board. Stop guessing what's going on.
Let's get the XS and OS. But the therapy session you're
(11:46):
talking about here is really about like we see you take your
story back, educate yourself about who you are and feel that
fire inside of you again, like light yourself back up and like,
I know who I am, damn it. Like, you know, like I know why
I was confused of who I was, butnow I know who I am and like,
take that into your next journey.
(12:06):
And I think, man, you are such agreat example of that.
And then the success that you were able to have.
I mean, your career is really like such a divide between like
Chapter 1 and those three years and, and now and, and your
career's not over now because ofthis year.
You get to obviously extend it into AOSL, which I'm so happy
(12:28):
for you for. So I just think I, I have just
so much admiration and respect for you.
And I think you're such a great role model for athletes of just
like they often think like, oh, I signed.
I bet when you thought you committed to LSU, you're like, I
did it. Yep.
I did it, you know, and. That's why I think, I think it's
(12:48):
why I'm so hard going into the portal to come.
Like, gosh, you're going to think I'm like I, I'm a quitter
and then I can't finish it out here.
And I remember I had a conversation with someone the
other day and I was like, I just, I want people to think
that I, I went about everything in the right way.
Like I don't people to sit here and think that I just quit
because it got tough. I just quit because I knew it
(13:09):
wasn't the right fit and I knew I couldn't my Max potential.
And so I, I had to deal with that for me.
And I, I left and it's like, I just really hope people can see
that I try to go about things the right way and not burn
bridges and not do this because I just wanted it to all move and
work smoothly. And so just to hear you say that
(13:29):
really just brings Peace of Mindbecause it was just a huge fear
of mind that like, you know, my teammates were going to think
differently than me, which they never did.
They were nothing but amazing. So you always tell yourself
worse things, what's going to happen?
Like I stressed myself out so bad about everything.
And then you go through it and you're like, oh, it wasn't that
bad actually. It's actually OK.
(13:49):
I actually got through it and I was good.
So yeah, I really appreciate yousaying all that.
Yeah, I think there's just so it's important lesson to learn
like you can. Not all athletes and coaches or
athletes and programs are the right fit.
You can still have a ton of respect for each other and have
a great relationship, but there's just there's coaches
have systems, right? And that system is not for all
(14:12):
athletes. And so I think, yeah, they're
like charge with the portal. You like, man, I hope people can
listen to this episode and really understand that, like,
these are real athletes with real stories.
And it's not. You'd have no idea how they
exited, whether it was led by them, their coach, you know, if
it was amicable and what they decided.
And like, what a success story. Your story's unbelievable.
(14:36):
You know, just the I. Actually, as you were talking
about, I forgot about the freaking diagnosis.
It's just crazy. We should come to.
That and also just. Be like, I refound myself and
then whoops, there was this giant hiccup in the road and
then, yeah, here I came back. Yeah, it's just it's it's
incredible. It's an incredible story.
I was before we get into that, like getting into the X's and
(14:57):
O's a little bit and maybe actually you can start this or
or whatever feels comfortable oflike what you guys kind of saw
and identified. I mean, I want to get into every
detail, but like kind of what was the overarching theme of
like, hey, this you can have youare going to have success at
this level. Here are the things about you
that you need to like take back and own, because I think that's
a big part of it. And obviously really when you
(15:19):
say like, you know, you believedin me and I saw I could do it.
And all of that comes from like not just like we believe in you,
but like really like factual information of of what your
story was. So I'm just curious, obviously I
wasn't in that just like of kindof overarching to get every
details, but what was kind of some of the themes of that?
(15:40):
Yeah, I'll start with that. I think a lot of times what
happens in pitching is like we see people all over the country
do this. We see a really good athlete and
then we like video their patterns and we're like, see
kids across America. That's what you need to do,
right? And I, I think there's a reality
where there are times where coaches have like certain styles
(16:03):
or certain things that they kindof attach to.
And that's fine. And a lot of coaches have a ton
of success with that, but a lot of athletes will will just not
be able to jump into that mold. And some will and can have a ton
of success that way and a lot won't.
And I think what was really important for you, Raylan, is to
come to a place like OGX where we are like there is no mold,
(16:28):
human movement. Pitching is not pitching
mechanics. Pitching is human movement.
Human movement has no mold. It's way too complicated for
that. And So what we were able to
identify with Raylan is that shewas sort of fighting, I mean,
early rotation essentially in the motion.
And what that was doing and whatthat was leading is for her to
(16:49):
compensate later down the chain and was, as she was mentioning,
having some like rotational issues, kind of that top of arm
circle and then a lot of arm stiffness.
And you know, with arm stiffnesscomes things like, you know,
sometimes it's not always a velocity thing, but it can be
command based, it can be brake based.
And so I think when she's talking about like, oh, I need a
(17:10):
little more length in my arm, the concept was really about how
she was fighting her ability to just like unravel aggressively
from the ground, start to drive rotation from the lower half.
And because of that, it impactedher arm action.
I mean, it was sort of like X's and O's with that.
And so, yeah, I think during ourdebrief, it gave us this
(17:31):
opportunity to really be able totell, like show her the
connectivity of the motion. At the end of the day, what you
do on the ball is connected to arm action.
And what the arm action is able to do is directly related to
like what your body gives you very early in the motion.
And So what we did is we not only did a a debrief of her
assessment, but then we went outand we did a training session
(17:53):
and Raylan and I had a chance towork one-on-one.
And I remember the concept of like freedom, I kept saying
like, you know, she was there was like this rigidity, like she
was trying to match this, like what pitching is supposed to be.
Does that make sense? And and I was like, you've got
to attack this with freedom. Like this is the part you can
(18:14):
control. And then this is the part you go
with freedom. And we worked with plyos and we
changed intensities. And she left that training
session and was like, I feel more like myself.
I feel more like, like me. And so I think it was not only
the information for her to for us to like just lay out the
impact that, you know, what she thought she was, she's like,
(18:35):
isn't that right? Because if someone says this is
what it's supposed to look like and I'm doing that, isn't that
right? And so for us to have like
connected that for her and then giving her another Ave. and then
being able to measure that it was actually impacting her in a
positive way. That was really powerful.
Like I think we sent her home with a program to follow from
(18:56):
that point until she got to Mississippi State and her like
buy into the program was so strong because of the training
session we were to have. Like she was like, I see it, I
feel it, I see it. I know that this is like a
better route for me to take. Rhythm when you were in for your
like assessment and training sessions based on kind of some
of the things Ashley just said, what were like any like aha
(19:18):
moments you had or like feelingsof like, oh, this makes sense or
I like forgot this about myself.Or no, I, I actually forgot a
moment you spoke about, but I remember bringing it up.
My fall at Mississippi State wasthe part where you were like,
there was like something where Iwas like, I just couldn't like
move my body correctly. And I have asked him like, is
this right? And you're like, whatever is
(19:39):
right, It's what feels right. And I'm like, but is it like
technically by the book, is thiscorrect?
And you're like just. Right.
Yeah. Feel free move your body quit
like I was like getting a spot where I would like I must be
stuck and I like so I literally.You were trying to like achieve
positions. Yes, and you're like you're like
just move and I'm like just moveand then I actually started like
(20:00):
feel my body go in different spots and I'm like I was always
type of person where I had no body awareness like I couldn't
feel if my, you know, backside was lagging or what I just could
not feel it. And especially with the plyos, I
definitely for the first time felt like how.
(20:21):
Bad my arm circle was I'm like, Oh my gosh, like that's not
right. Like once you feel the length
with the pilot, like pulling your arm and you're like, that's
how it's supposed to feel. And then it's like you just
start really like feeling everything your body does.
And I think that was the biggestthing for me actually this year.
Like I actually knew what my body was doing.
And I'm like, that's just crazy because you can make so many
(20:43):
changes and so many small tweakswhen you can like feel your
body. And I know that sounds so silly,
but. Like, no, it doesn't.
And I'm. I'm.
You're taking me back to when wewere just starting with plyos
that day in the training station, and your mom was
standing there. Your mom was great, by the way.
I remember being like, man, yourmom's a rock star.
Yeah. And you were throwing plyos and
like that I started to see you come to life and that.
(21:04):
And you're like, I feel way different.
I'm feeling way better. And your mom was like, how could
this be possible? Like, I remember your mom
standing there. Like, wait, seriously?
You know, Like, you're like, no,I literally feel like, like I'm
feeling more athletic. I can feel my body.
I can, you know, and I could you're all of a sudden you were
like back in charge of your own motion.
Just when we were in that flyo that I just had like
recollection of that. I remember your mom thinking
(21:26):
like like this is crazy. This looks great.
I'm so happy, you know, like it was a moment there was a real
like lightning during that initial flyo session.
You're right. I'll never forget our plane ride
home. We just talked about normally
I'm like mom, I don't want to talk about softball.
Like especially like my, my lastyear, I don't want to talk about
it. I just I just don't want to talk
about it. I want to watch it on TV and the
whole plane ride home we're justtalking about like softball and
(21:48):
pitching. I'm like, this is just not me.
Like I'm not the person who justsit here and talk about pitching
nonstop. Like I try to have some other
life outside of this. But it was just like we were
having. That's the Ashley sunshine
effect. Don't you want to keep talking
about pitching? Because I do, yeah.
Yeah, we just had so much fun and I'm like this is not me to
(22:09):
sit here and just about pitching24/7, but we were just having so
much fun thinking about what I can achieve.
Like it was just, it was so muchfun.
Such a great weekend trip for sure.
What we're Chris. I was going to add one other
thing. I was going to add one other
thing that I think is also really important for Reelin.
You are and I can see I haven't met your dad, so I shouldn't
(22:31):
think, but I can see the definitely part of this comes
from your mom because your mom was so smart and so sharp and
asked really, really like detailed, really on point
questions. But the reason why I also think
you're this like great, I would say like poster child for player
development is because you weren't like empty.
This wasn't like, oh, your coaches at Mississippi State
were like, oh, you should go to OGX.
(22:52):
And you just like listen to this.
Like you were so dialed in and like you absorb the information,
ask the right questions. Like you were in it, like you
were in that conversation and like your mind was like right
next to mine of like I got to make sure I'm not just going to
like nod my head and be like, Yep, I get it if I don't get it.
(23:15):
And you know, yes, you're 2021 years old.
And not like if we have someone who's coming in and seeing us
and they're like 1516 years old,but like that's not an age
thing. That is a like it is in you the
way, the reason why we say like you're a player development kind
of athlete. Most athletes are.
It's that piece, right? It's that piece of like the
hunger for information. The not just like, oh, I hear it
(23:38):
and I go about it, but like I want to really know it.
I want to really understand it. I want to make sure when I put
it into practice, I know why that was.
I think when you left those doors, I'm like, she's going to
freaking crush it. Because when it's not only the
like excitement and the like, OK, I see her soul coming back
to life and where I'm looking atyou basically like, like I
(24:00):
always say to people like this, the first day of the rest of
your life, you know, like and OGX, like there's power in this.
And I think like I felt that from you, but I was also like,
she's going to take this and she's going to crush it.
Now. I don't know if I thought you
were going to crush it as much as you freaking did as you
actually crushed it. Maybe I did.
But like. You.
Really crushed it, you know, butI knew that because of like your
(24:20):
investment in the level of information and details and I
think that's an important piece as well.
You can't just like hand someoneinformation and hand someone the
program. They just follow it and go about
their business like there's a choice there, you know.
So that's another another thing that I would say is a really
important piece of your story that.
Yeah, I think that's why I I grew so much this year too,
(24:41):
because I wasn't afraid to ask questions and maybe get an
answer that I don't like. Like I'm not afraid to ask like,
hey, is this is this about like spinning pitches?
Like, hey, was that a good pitch?
And for coach to be like, no, that's probably going to get hit
over the fence if you throw out there to a decent hitter.
And I'm like, OK, so I probably shouldn't.
I just probably make my step. Like I wasn't afraid to get an
(25:01):
answer that might hurt my feelings.
So that was like a super big thing for me because normally I
just want to make everybody happy and go out my business and
do this and that be a people pleaser.
But I think this year I just really bought in to myself and
to my team and it was just like so different and I just really
matured. But I think a lot of that
started from hearing y'all maybetell me some things and I'm
(25:21):
like, Dang, like I do have, you know, bullets bin.
I'm like, but maybe I should fixthat because it's not going to
get good break if it's just straight bullets bin.
So just hearing things from y'all that like might have like
got me a little bit, but it helped me in the long run.
I'm like, I'm just like, I have to know the hard stuff so I can
go and get all the good things that I want out of this
experience. Yeah, absolutely right.
(25:43):
Yep. Do you want to let's kick
forward just like a tiny bit to in season?
Like, are there any moments you had in season where like these
concepts really hit or that first weekend you guys were out
and you were, you know, putting it all to the test the first
time? Like how was the experience once
you were in season and trying tosort of like, now I'm just
(26:03):
reinvented person, you know, I'mI'm out here sort of like in a
different capacity. How did that translate for you
as the season went on? Yeah, I'm not going to lie.
Thank God I was reinvented because the amount of film
people have on you and football is ungodly.
So I remember Coach T, that was kind of like the thing that she
would always, always tell me to like, bring me back down.
She's like, you're not the same picture you were.
(26:26):
You're not the same rhythm that's in all this video of fit.
You're not, that's not you. And so I think for me, I went
out there thinking like, God, I feel bad for these hitters
because they looked at a whole thing of wrong film.
And here I am now completely reinvented.
And so I think for me it was almost just like I was just so
confident in what I have. I was also confident knowing
(26:47):
that like y'all have no clue what I'm going.
That's all right now. And then to bring the change up
into it, I mean, that was just like completely just like I
never had a good change up. And so bringing a change up into
this, I'm like, wow, now I have something to keep you off
balance and I can like, you know, go, you know, side to side
and up. I'm like, y'all have no clue
what's coming at y'all. But I think a lot of it too.
(27:07):
I remember specifically I was just saying before we started
recording, but about we were playing Texas one weekend and
God, my curveball had not been working.
And I'm like, I can't afford against #1 Texas not have my
curveball working. And I remember she asked me
like, well, man, is there link in your arm?
I'm just kind of like sarcastic and I'm like, well, you know
(27:27):
what? I, I haven't thought it, I
really haven't thought about it.And she's like, well, maybe you
should try to add more length inyour arm.
And even with my rise, it was like just that one small thing.
And I think when I made that onesmall change, it also activated
the rest of my body to remember what it was like when I was
doing things correctly. So it could have been a whole
number of things that I was doing wrong, like whatever, but
just thinking about adding length to my arm and then just
(27:49):
like I switched them off and I'mlike, I got to do this, this,
this, this and this. And so just like having small
little things like that to just trigger my mind and be like, oh,
Nope, you gotta do this was so. And I never had it before.
Whenever I would, you know, go through slumps with like my
pitches, that was it. I couldn't come out of it.
Like I would be in that slump for like a good two or three
(28:09):
weeks. And so just to have like a
keyword to pull me out and just things like that.
I mean, it was just so huge. And I'll take you back to body
awareness, like to like know what I'm feeling and know that
I'm not getting good speed on the ball and, and this and that,
which is so huge during the season.
Because whether you like it or not, you're going to go through
seasons where your your pitches aren't the same.
(28:30):
And let's just say when they arise won't work or, you know,
whatever. And you got to change it and you
got to figure out what's going on.
And so I think for me that was just the biggest turning point
in my season this year, just being able to like recognize,
you know, when to change things,how to make in game adjustments.
Like that's just like a big partof maturing for me that I didn't
do. Previously I'm hearing such a,
(28:53):
I'm kind of like circling back to some of the comments I made
earlier, like I'm hearing such atransformation in your train of
thought where you were so body focused like so body focused of
like, like I said, achieving positions.
The arm action was pretty limited for you when we first
met you and everything you're talking about, you're talking
about adjustability, you know, like sorting through something
(29:16):
you're so focused on arm action and how you're talking right
now. And not to say obviously like
getting into good patterns is not important, but I think like
what a switch for you and understanding like, you know,
like I need to this is what I'm doing body wise.
So at the end of the day, when I'm in game and I am in season,
it's about arm adjustability andlike I need to make sure I'm
preserving arm action. If my arm action is stiff, if
(29:38):
it's getting, you know, away from me, that's what I need to
stay focused on. And I think I'm hearing like
such a shift in that like versusa year ago where it was all
about like you wanted to look atvideo and dissect your every
move. I'm like Greenland, that's not
how the motion works, you know? And so, yeah, what a great, what
a great shift. And I think like that's
(30:00):
important. Like I said, I'm not saying
like, who cares what your body is doing, but the arm action is
key, right? And so for you to not only
understand that, switch your train of thought, know that the
adjustability of arm action is important and then to have like
certain training tools like Plios, different intensities,
etcetera, to be able to get intobetter arm action, that's huge.
(30:20):
That's really, really huge. All right.
I'm going to end the with one question, which is if someone
is, I guess you could take this broadly too, because obviously
you have such an interesting story with the transfer portal
and this is not just like about OGX.
So let's take it kind of broadly, but if you were talking
to someone who's thinking about learning more about themselves
(30:43):
in the way that OGX can or otherplaces, if you can go get that
level of information, thinking about someone of like, I'm like
in this place in my journey where I like don't feel like
myself, I'm trying to kind of figure out how to develop in the
next thing. What would you say to them?
Like what are the key takeaways that you would want that person
to know or kind of take with them and whatever decision they
(31:04):
make in that next phase? Yeah, I mean, I'm going to talk
to you and I would talk to my I coach travel team.
And I have told all my girls I'mlike, you have to go if you want
to get to that next level. Because yes, it's super cool to
learn about, you know, just fromlike a normal pitching coach.
But like, oh, it's how you throwa curveball, it's how you throw
a rise ball. But don't you want to see like
how you are throwing your curveball and how your hands
(31:26):
working on a curveball or how you're throwing your eyes?
While like I'll never forget thecoolest thing we did was the
slow motion camera. And I'm actually watching all my
fingers come off the ball. And it makes so much sense why
my all my stuff is moving like ashrew ball because how my
fingers are coming off of it. And so I'm like, if you just
want to get to that extra level of just getting into every
(31:47):
single thing, knowing how your body moves, which is so, so
important. I mean, I just feel like it's a
must. And like I, I wouldn't be where
I am today, had not gone and done my full biomechanical
assessment and seen everything and just had that one-on-one
time, did the Plios, did the summer program.
I mean, I just would not be where I am now because of just
(32:08):
the confidence I felt knowing that I am confident in how my
body moves and why it moves thatway and how I can do things to
better myself. So I just think it's a must.
I will never be able to thank you all enough for all the
things that I've learned. But I think it's super important
to people to realize like it's just you need to know how your
body moves, especially nowadays.Not everyone's a say.
(32:30):
You can't put everybody you knowin one box and make them do one
thing. Everyone's felt different.
Everyone moves different. So yeah, I just think it's it's
super, super important to me to the next level.
I will say I'm so damn proud of you.
I'm so happy for you. Like and the fact that your
career now gets to be extended is so well deserved.
(32:52):
And I think really, I know I started this episode and saying
this, but I can't emphasize it enough.
You are just an amazing story. You have an amazing story and
you are an amazing role model for, you know, pictures that
are, you know, still looking at their collegiate journey ahead
of them or maybe are in the middle of it.
Just again, everything from how you embrace player development,
(33:15):
how you took risk to even with only one year of eligibility
left and what you the bravery you showed, how you handled
yourself along the way. And then honestly, you know, how
you handled the adversity, the health adversity that you had
when you, you know, came in the fall.
And I think it's all connected. It's all connected on and sort
of like what you learned and what you did through the game
(33:37):
and then how you had to handle, you know, the hurdle of real
life adversity. So.
We. I am so happy for you.
I'm so proud of you have earned every bit of success in all the
accolades that you received thisyear, and I hope you have a hell
of a pro career. So yeah, I'm really, really
excited for that. And yeah, what a special
(33:59):
experience to have been able to like, I'm so glad they delivered
it like that. Like the golden ticket this year
was just so exciting and it was really rewarding for us to watch
that from you. And like I said, we're just
really lucky to have had the opportunity to be a little part
of your journey.
All right, we are back for another episode and I think we
prefaced this last week that we were going to have some athletes
on. So very excited to be talking to
Raylan Chaffin today, who had anamazing year, which ended in a
golden ticket, which I'm sure we'll get into.
But we had the opportunity to work with you, Raylan, last
summer. And so we just kind of wanted to
talk through your journey because it's an incredible
(00:24):
story, a player development story, which we love.
And so that's, you know, we're so excited to have you on.
So maybe if you want to just start by kind of telling the
listeners about your story, where you finished your career,
where you're off to next, anything you want to share?
Yeah. So I committed to LSU when I was
a freshman in high school. And so I played at LSU for three
(00:46):
years, met a lot of great people, had a great time.
I just knew that I there was more to my story, more to my
journey. So last summer I entered the
portal, which was the scariest thing I've done in my entire
life. And it's just a bunch of
unknowns. And so I go in the portal, I end
up finding my home at Mississippi State.
And while my visit there, they were just like, hey, have you
(01:08):
heard about OGX? And I was like, yes, I have.
I worked a lot with just Riker when I was at my time at LSU, so
I knew about it. And so he was always like, yeah,
then he started working for Y'all.
And so I always wanted to go. And so I remember I came last
summer and it was just like not only just like working with
y'all, but like it was like almost like a therapy session
(01:30):
that I really needed. And so I had a great time with
that. And then obviously I go back to
school and I'm excited cause y'all are going to come back
again and work with us. And then I get an unexpected
diagnosis. And so I have to come home, home
for a month and then I finally come back and it's like, wow, I
missed a whole month of softballplus some because I once I came
(01:50):
back, I still couldn't participate fully.
And so I'm like, Dang, that really sucks.
But it's like I had Coach T, coach Tara Mount, Mount McKinney
and I worked with her a lot. And so when I came back for the
spring, it was just kind of likego time and we had a lot of
scrimmages and whatnot. But she really just bought into
me and didn't try to change me or make me something I'm not.
(02:14):
She has embraced everything I had going on.
And then, yeah, we started out our season versus Nyjah Kennedy
in Clearwater, which was crazy. But we end up winning 3 to 1,
which was super cool. We actually went for one in
Clearwater. But Long story short, we're
about to go play our senior weekend against Ole Miss at
home. And we get told we have to go to
(02:36):
this baseball thing to announce US playing for senior weekend.
And it's called Super Bulldog weekend because like baseball
was at home, softball was home, track tennis.
It was like, there's a crazy weekend.
And so they're like, OK, so we got, they're all dressed the
same. You're going to get up here and
they're going to put the camera on y'all.
We're just going to say, you know, promote softball.
So first they get up and they call out Sierra and I'm like,
(02:59):
oh, you know, I'm so happy for Sierra because like she has been
like just such a freaking starter for our offense.
I mean, she is such a leader, such a great person.
And so they do hurl thing. Like we're all so excited for
them. Like, OK, but now for real, in
the third inning, we're actuallygoing to announce that we're
playing like a senior weekend. It's, you know, everyone's to
(03:20):
show up. And so I'm just standing in the
back and I'm like, OK, we're going to promote, you know,
what's playing this weekend. And they're like, I'm just
kidding. We have another golden ticket.
And at that point, like my friend Taylor like grabs me and
puts me to the front because I was sitting in the back and I'm
like, Oh my gosh. I literally just couldn't
believe it. It was just the craziest moment
of my life. And then they like 30 seconds
(03:42):
later, I see like my mom, my dad, my sister, my fiance.
I'm like, Oh my gosh. Like it was just crazy.
And so that was on a Tuesday like Till.
Thursday and I'm like. You don't get to spend the whole
like with me here. Like it's just like, it was so
awesome. I had just, it was just
incredible. But yeah, I can't say enough
about how good my time was. It messed up each day.
It just, you just don't know what you don't know.
(04:06):
And I'm so thankful I found out because I'm like this is just
like changed like my entire thought process on softball.
Like I'm just so happy that it like almost hurts so bad to
leave. Like I'm faithful I got to
experience something that hurts to like walk away from.
It's like it was just, I don't know if I would have felt that
in my other position. And so it's like I'm just super
(04:26):
thankful that I had that spot where it's like I'm leaving
people that I love so much that it hurts so bad, but it hurts so
good. And the same way, it's just a
full whirlwind of emotions. Yeah, I was going to go back to
really the beginning and I'll let Ashley kind of kick off
because when you said coming to OGX the first time, I felt like
a therapy session. We've, we've said like so many
times on this podcast and just in general that a lot of times
(04:50):
at people's assessments, they like cry and they always sound
weird to people. And we're like, no, it's not.
Sad. It's like.
You know, I, I think there's just something about.
Yeah, it's a release. Yes, yes, right.
It's. Like someone actually care.
Like I just like the whole time.I, you know, understood, like
I'm just not, I'm not a typical 6 foot tall, super lengthy, like
in long picture. I'm just not.
(05:11):
And I'm like, everyone's trying to make me like do things.
I just don't know if I can actually do them.
But I don't know if my body actually works like that.
And so to hear someone like, youknow, validate how I'm feeling,
I'm like, Oh my God, like I remember I got in the car, we
had a little break in between when I was going to get lunch.
I got in the car with my mom andI'm like, Oh my God, like they,
they give me like they understand, like I'm not going
to be like, you know, my tall other pictures.
(05:33):
I'm just going to be what I can be.
It's good enough. And they told me it's good
enough. And I'm like, that's just what I
need to hear. Like I'm good enough and I can
move forward and not have to compare myself to other people
because my body does this for a reason.
Yeah. Can I chime in now?
Chris, I know you're not. With it, well, I was going to
tell you, ask you to elaborate on how.
I'm always like is it my turn? Is it my turn?
(05:57):
I there are always we really do have the privilege of working
with, you know, a lot of different athletes at high
school level, college level, prolevel, also different coaches.
And there are just certain stories that seem to like hit my
soul like a little bit deeper than normal.
And your story definitely is oneof those.
Like when I say when I watched your golden ticket thing, like,
(06:19):
man, that one really got me because I just was like, this is
a really important story for young athletes like, you know,
high school and early college toreally like learn from and
listen to. I felt like when I met you last
(06:41):
summer, yet you looked very uncertain or maybe you were like
sure of yourself or like, but why isn't anybody else sure?
You know, like there was some sense of like, you know, like
frustration in like uncertainty.And I could tell that that's not
your nor that was not your. I had just met you that day.
But I don't know, I always thinklike when you have the soul of a
(07:04):
pitcher, when you meet someone and you you get them, you know,
like you just, I don't know, there's something about the way
you can connect with someone, like you can see them and you
can like feel their energy. And so even though I had just
met you, I just like got this feeling from you that you were
like feeling uncertain and that was like not a common feeling
(07:25):
for you. And you were just like, I want
to get back to like my, who I really AM and the feelings I
normally have about myself. And I agree.
I felt like in that even single day of like assessment and
conversation and therapy, which actually a lot of people call it
therapy. So that's interesting, you know,
(07:45):
but in that like therapy sessionthat we had, it's like, I could
like see you come back to life in that moment, like in that
moment. Yeah, I think I was finally
given like answers to things where it's like I was always
told like, you know, my foot, the way I'm dragging my foot is,
you know, calling XY and Z then y'all told me like, no, it's
(08:06):
just like like my the length in my arm.
I still would tell my stick whenever my curve ball would or
my bicep would hurt or my curve ball would go back.
Oh, I need to add length in my arm.
But they always told me to put more length in my arm.
And it's just like I was hearingdifferent things and hearing
different answers. And it was like, I felt like
what you are giving me I could accomplish.
It's like I'm not you're on somebody do something that I
just thought my body can't control.
(08:27):
It was like adding to your arm, like, OK, I can make my arm
straighter. I can do that.
I can actually do that. And then it was like I would do
the ply. I was just given like a set of
things to do that I felt like I could accomplish.
And so just for me, it made my goal just seem like it's like
right there in front of me wherebefore I felt like I had to go
so far, just like get past, you know, to one spot.
(08:47):
But for me, I felt like I had such a reachable and attainable
goal that y'all set for me. And I'm like, I can, I can get
there. I really can't get there.
Absolutely. And I think like when we always
like talk about our assessment process and the level of
technology and the information you could get, like it's
amazing, no doubt about it. But it's also like, I'm like,
there are real people and real stories behind this, right?
(09:09):
Like, this is an example where everyone knows what they see is
your story from this season. That is what is out there and
facing everyone. And I think the in my mind, the
power of your story is actually the story that led up to this
season. Yeah.
The courage, first of all, leaving LSU and leaving LSU
(09:31):
under terms like you walked in our doors and you were like, I
have nothing but the utmost like, respect, admiration.
Like that conversation with, with Beth Tarina was so hard
because this is not a like we'renot leaving on negative terms.
And I think she did a, you know,she did a, an interview after
(09:51):
that. You guys faced them.
It was the NCC tournament, right?
Was it the tournament? And had the same.
I thought of the conversation you and I had when she was given
that interview of just like, I'mso happy for her.
I'm so proud of you. And I just think like, you know,
especially in the portal world, to be able to say that you can
leave a place because you just know for a variety of reasons,
it's just isn't the right fit. Maintain a level of respect,
(10:15):
professionalism relationship, right, still have that coach
like really want what's best foryou.
I think just like that should that part of the story is first
of all, I think overlooked. It's just like, you know, this
time of year, people can really like shoot the portal down and
attack the portal. And I just think like you are
such a great representation of like how to handle that.
(10:38):
Well, You know, you you were scared because it was you had
one year left. It's like you were like feeling
in my mind, I've got to get thisright, but I don't have a chance
to like. And so one, I just think, you
know, I've so much respect for you, Raylan, for how you like
handled exiting a university, but maintaining a good positive
professional and relationship there and then moving forward.
(11:01):
And I just think, you know, for us at OGX, it's so much about
like we use slogans like bed on me.
It's about like giving an athlete's story back to them.
And I think often times when we meet athletes, sometimes at the
high school level, but often times at the college level,
something has happened. It doesn't mean like, oh,
they're playing for a bad coach,a bad program, or it's just
(11:23):
something has happened in their career where like their story
has been taken from them. It's like they're no longer in
control of like what what's going to happen next.
And I think for us, yes, we wantto give you the X and OS of the
because that's important to like, listen, stop throwing
darts at a dart board. Stop guessing what's going on.
Let's get the XS and OS. But the therapy session you're
(11:46):
talking about here is really about like we see you take your
story back, educate yourself about who you are and feel that
fire inside of you again, like light yourself back up and like,
I know who I am, damn it. Like, you know, like I know why
I was confused of who I was, butnow I know who I am and like,
take that into your next journey.
(12:06):
And I think, man, you are such agreat example of that.
And then the success that you were able to have.
I mean, your career is really like such a divide between like
Chapter 1 and those three years and, and now and, and your
career's not over now because ofthis year.
You get to obviously extend it into AOSL, which I'm so happy
(12:28):
for you for. So I just think I, I have just
so much admiration and respect for you.
And I think you're such a great role model for athletes of just
like they often think like, oh, I signed.
I bet when you thought you committed to LSU, you're like, I
did it. Yep.
I did it, you know, and. That's why I think, I think it's
(12:48):
why I'm so hard going into the portal to come.
Like, gosh, you're going to think I'm like I, I'm a quitter
and then I can't finish it out here.
And I remember I had a conversation with someone the
other day and I was like, I just, I want people to think
that I, I went about everything in the right way.
Like I don't people to sit here and think that I just quit
because it got tough. I just quit because I knew it
(13:09):
wasn't the right fit and I knew I couldn't my Max potential.
And so I, I had to deal with that for me.
And I, I left and it's like, I just really hope people can see
that I try to go about things the right way and not burn
bridges and not do this because I just wanted it to all move and
work smoothly. And so just to hear you say that
(13:29):
really just brings Peace of Mindbecause it was just a huge fear
of mind that like, you know, my teammates were going to think
differently than me, which they never did.
They were nothing but amazing. So you always tell yourself
worse things, what's going to happen?
Like I stressed myself out so bad about everything.
And then you go through it and you're like, oh, it wasn't that
bad actually. It's actually OK.
(13:49):
I actually got through it and I was good.
So yeah, I really appreciate yousaying all that.
Yeah, I think there's just so it's important lesson to learn
like you can. Not all athletes and coaches or
athletes and programs are the right fit.
You can still have a ton of respect for each other and have
a great relationship, but there's just there's coaches
have systems, right? And that system is not for all
(14:12):
athletes. And so I think, yeah, they're
like charge with the portal. You like, man, I hope people can
listen to this episode and really understand that, like,
these are real athletes with real stories.
And it's not. You'd have no idea how they
exited, whether it was led by them, their coach, you know, if
it was amicable and what they decided.
And like, what a success story. Your story's unbelievable.
(14:36):
You know, just the I. Actually, as you were talking
about, I forgot about the freaking diagnosis.
It's just crazy. We should come to.
That and also just. Be like, I refound myself and
then whoops, there was this giant hiccup in the road and
then, yeah, here I came back. Yeah, it's just it's it's
incredible. It's an incredible story.
I was before we get into that, like getting into the X's and
(14:57):
O's a little bit and maybe actually you can start this or
or whatever feels comfortable oflike what you guys kind of saw
and identified. I mean, I want to get into every
detail, but like kind of what was the overarching theme of
like, hey, this you can have youare going to have success at
this level. Here are the things about you
that you need to like take back and own, because I think that's
a big part of it. And obviously really when you
(15:19):
say like, you know, you believedin me and I saw I could do it.
And all of that comes from like not just like we believe in you,
but like really like factual information of of what your
story was. So I'm just curious, obviously I
wasn't in that just like of kindof overarching to get every
details, but what was kind of some of the themes of that?
(15:40):
Yeah, I'll start with that. I think a lot of times what
happens in pitching is like we see people all over the country
do this. We see a really good athlete and
then we like video their patterns and we're like, see
kids across America. That's what you need to do,
right? And I, I think there's a reality
where there are times where coaches have like certain styles
(16:03):
or certain things that they kindof attach to.
And that's fine. And a lot of coaches have a ton
of success with that, but a lot of athletes will will just not
be able to jump into that mold. And some will and can have a ton
of success that way and a lot won't.
And I think what was really important for you, Raylan, is to
come to a place like OGX where we are like there is no mold,
(16:28):
human movement. Pitching is not pitching
mechanics. Pitching is human movement.
Human movement has no mold. It's way too complicated for
that. And So what we were able to
identify with Raylan is that shewas sort of fighting, I mean,
early rotation essentially in the motion.
And what that was doing and whatthat was leading is for her to
(16:49):
compensate later down the chain and was, as she was mentioning,
having some like rotational issues, kind of that top of arm
circle and then a lot of arm stiffness.
And you know, with arm stiffnesscomes things like, you know,
sometimes it's not always a velocity thing, but it can be
command based, it can be brake based.
And so I think when she's talking about like, oh, I need a
(17:10):
little more length in my arm, the concept was really about how
she was fighting her ability to just like unravel aggressively
from the ground, start to drive rotation from the lower half.
And because of that, it impactedher arm action.
I mean, it was sort of like X's and O's with that.
And so, yeah, I think during ourdebrief, it gave us this
(17:31):
opportunity to really be able totell, like show her the
connectivity of the motion. At the end of the day, what you
do on the ball is connected to arm action.
And what the arm action is able to do is directly related to
like what your body gives you very early in the motion.
And So what we did is we not only did a a debrief of her
assessment, but then we went outand we did a training session
(17:53):
and Raylan and I had a chance towork one-on-one.
And I remember the concept of like freedom, I kept saying
like, you know, she was there was like this rigidity, like she
was trying to match this, like what pitching is supposed to be.
Does that make sense? And and I was like, you've got
to attack this with freedom. Like this is the part you can
(18:14):
control. And then this is the part you go
with freedom. And we worked with plyos and we
changed intensities. And she left that training
session and was like, I feel more like myself.
I feel more like, like me. And so I think it was not only
the information for her to for us to like just lay out the
impact that, you know, what she thought she was, she's like,
(18:35):
isn't that right? Because if someone says this is
what it's supposed to look like and I'm doing that, isn't that
right? And so for us to have like
connected that for her and then giving her another Ave. and then
being able to measure that it was actually impacting her in a
positive way. That was really powerful.
Like I think we sent her home with a program to follow from
(18:56):
that point until she got to Mississippi State and her like
buy into the program was so strong because of the training
session we were to have. Like she was like, I see it, I
feel it, I see it. I know that this is like a
better route for me to take. Rhythm when you were in for your
like assessment and training sessions based on kind of some
of the things Ashley just said, what were like any like aha
(19:18):
moments you had or like feelingsof like, oh, this makes sense or
I like forgot this about myself.Or no, I, I actually forgot a
moment you spoke about, but I remember bringing it up.
My fall at Mississippi State wasthe part where you were like,
there was like something where Iwas like, I just couldn't like
move my body correctly. And I have asked him like, is
this right? And you're like, whatever is
(19:39):
right, It's what feels right. And I'm like, but is it like
technically by the book, is thiscorrect?
And you're like just. Right.
Yeah. Feel free move your body quit
like I was like getting a spot where I would like I must be
stuck and I like so I literally.You were trying to like achieve
positions. Yes, and you're like you're like
just move and I'm like just moveand then I actually started like
(20:00):
feel my body go in different spots and I'm like I was always
type of person where I had no body awareness like I couldn't
feel if my, you know, backside was lagging or what I just could
not feel it. And especially with the plyos, I
definitely for the first time felt like how.
(20:21):
Bad my arm circle was I'm like, Oh my gosh, like that's not
right. Like once you feel the length
with the pilot, like pulling your arm and you're like, that's
how it's supposed to feel. And then it's like you just
start really like feeling everything your body does.
And I think that was the biggestthing for me actually this year.
Like I actually knew what my body was doing.
And I'm like, that's just crazy because you can make so many
(20:43):
changes and so many small tweakswhen you can like feel your
body. And I know that sounds so silly,
but. Like, no, it doesn't.
And I'm. I'm.
You're taking me back to when wewere just starting with plyos
that day in the training station, and your mom was
standing there. Your mom was great, by the way.
I remember being like, man, yourmom's a rock star.
Yeah. And you were throwing plyos and
like that I started to see you come to life and that.
(21:04):
And you're like, I feel way different.
I'm feeling way better. And your mom was like, how could
this be possible? Like, I remember your mom
standing there. Like, wait, seriously?
You know, Like, you're like, no,I literally feel like, like I'm
feeling more athletic. I can feel my body.
I can, you know, and I could you're all of a sudden you were
like back in charge of your own motion.
Just when we were in that flyo that I just had like
recollection of that. I remember your mom thinking
(21:26):
like like this is crazy. This looks great.
I'm so happy, you know, like it was a moment there was a real
like lightning during that initial flyo session.
You're right. I'll never forget our plane ride
home. We just talked about normally
I'm like mom, I don't want to talk about softball.
Like especially like my, my lastyear, I don't want to talk about
it. I just I just don't want to talk
about it. I want to watch it on TV and the
whole plane ride home we're justtalking about like softball and
(21:48):
pitching. I'm like, this is just not me.
Like I'm not the person who justsit here and talk about pitching
nonstop. Like I try to have some other
life outside of this. But it was just like we were
having. That's the Ashley sunshine
effect. Don't you want to keep talking
about pitching? Because I do, yeah.
Yeah, we just had so much fun and I'm like this is not me to
(22:09):
sit here and just about pitching24/7, but we were just having so
much fun thinking about what I can achieve.
Like it was just, it was so muchfun.
Such a great weekend trip for sure.
What we're Chris. I was going to add one other
thing. I was going to add one other
thing that I think is also really important for Reelin.
You are and I can see I haven't met your dad, so I shouldn't
(22:31):
think, but I can see the definitely part of this comes
from your mom because your mom was so smart and so sharp and
asked really, really like detailed, really on point
questions. But the reason why I also think
you're this like great, I would say like poster child for player
development is because you weren't like empty.
This wasn't like, oh, your coaches at Mississippi State
were like, oh, you should go to OGX.
(22:52):
And you just like listen to this.
Like you were so dialed in and like you absorb the information,
ask the right questions. Like you were in it, like you
were in that conversation and like your mind was like right
next to mine of like I got to make sure I'm not just going to
like nod my head and be like, Yep, I get it if I don't get it.
(23:15):
And you know, yes, you're 2021 years old.
And not like if we have someone who's coming in and seeing us
and they're like 1516 years old,but like that's not an age
thing. That is a like it is in you the
way, the reason why we say like you're a player development kind
of athlete. Most athletes are.
It's that piece, right? It's that piece of like the
hunger for information. The not just like, oh, I hear it
(23:38):
and I go about it, but like I want to really know it.
I want to really understand it. I want to make sure when I put
it into practice, I know why that was.
I think when you left those doors, I'm like, she's going to
freaking crush it. Because when it's not only the
like excitement and the like, OK, I see her soul coming back
to life and where I'm looking atyou basically like, like I
(24:00):
always say to people like this, the first day of the rest of
your life, you know, like and OGX, like there's power in this.
And I think like I felt that from you, but I was also like,
she's going to take this and she's going to crush it.
Now. I don't know if I thought you
were going to crush it as much as you freaking did as you
actually crushed it. Maybe I did.
But like. You.
Really crushed it, you know, butI knew that because of like your
(24:20):
investment in the level of information and details and I
think that's an important piece as well.
You can't just like hand someoneinformation and hand someone the
program. They just follow it and go about
their business like there's a choice there, you know.
So that's another another thing that I would say is a really
important piece of your story that.
Yeah, I think that's why I I grew so much this year too,
(24:41):
because I wasn't afraid to ask questions and maybe get an
answer that I don't like. Like I'm not afraid to ask like,
hey, is this is this about like spinning pitches?
Like, hey, was that a good pitch?
And for coach to be like, no, that's probably going to get hit
over the fence if you throw out there to a decent hitter.
And I'm like, OK, so I probably shouldn't.
I just probably make my step. Like I wasn't afraid to get an
(25:01):
answer that might hurt my feelings.
So that was like a super big thing for me because normally I
just want to make everybody happy and go out my business and
do this and that be a people pleaser.
But I think this year I just really bought in to myself and
to my team and it was just like so different and I just really
matured. But I think a lot of that
started from hearing y'all maybetell me some things and I'm
(25:21):
like, Dang, like I do have, you know, bullets bin.
I'm like, but maybe I should fixthat because it's not going to
get good break if it's just straight bullets bin.
So just hearing things from y'all that like might have like
got me a little bit, but it helped me in the long run.
I'm like, I'm just like, I have to know the hard stuff so I can
go and get all the good things that I want out of this
experience. Yeah, absolutely right.
(25:43):
Yep. Do you want to let's kick
forward just like a tiny bit to in season?
Like, are there any moments you had in season where like these
concepts really hit or that first weekend you guys were out
and you were, you know, putting it all to the test the first
time? Like how was the experience once
you were in season and trying tosort of like, now I'm just
(26:03):
reinvented person, you know, I'mI'm out here sort of like in a
different capacity. How did that translate for you
as the season went on? Yeah, I'm not going to lie.
Thank God I was reinvented because the amount of film
people have on you and football is ungodly.
So I remember Coach T, that was kind of like the thing that she
would always, always tell me to like, bring me back down.
She's like, you're not the same picture you were.
(26:26):
You're not the same rhythm that's in all this video of fit.
You're not, that's not you. And so I think for me, I went
out there thinking like, God, I feel bad for these hitters
because they looked at a whole thing of wrong film.
And here I am now completely reinvented.
And so I think for me it was almost just like I was just so
confident in what I have. I was also confident knowing
(26:47):
that like y'all have no clue what I'm going.
That's all right now. And then to bring the change up
into it, I mean, that was just like completely just like I
never had a good change up. And so bringing a change up into
this, I'm like, wow, now I have something to keep you off
balance and I can like, you know, go, you know, side to side
and up. I'm like, y'all have no clue
what's coming at y'all. But I think a lot of it too.
(27:07):
I remember specifically I was just saying before we started
recording, but about we were playing Texas one weekend and
God, my curveball had not been working.
And I'm like, I can't afford against #1 Texas not have my
curveball working. And I remember she asked me
like, well, man, is there link in your arm?
I'm just kind of like sarcastic and I'm like, well, you know
(27:27):
what? I, I haven't thought it, I
really haven't thought about it.And she's like, well, maybe you
should try to add more length inyour arm.
And even with my rise, it was like just that one small thing.
And I think when I made that onesmall change, it also activated
the rest of my body to remember what it was like when I was
doing things correctly. So it could have been a whole
number of things that I was doing wrong, like whatever, but
just thinking about adding length to my arm and then just
(27:49):
like I switched them off and I'mlike, I got to do this, this,
this, this and this. And so just like having small
little things like that to just trigger my mind and be like, oh,
Nope, you gotta do this was so. And I never had it before.
Whenever I would, you know, go through slumps with like my
pitches, that was it. I couldn't come out of it.
Like I would be in that slump for like a good two or three
(28:09):
weeks. And so just to have like a
keyword to pull me out and just things like that.
I mean, it was just so huge. And I'll take you back to body
awareness, like to like know what I'm feeling and know that
I'm not getting good speed on the ball and, and this and that,
which is so huge during the season.
Because whether you like it or not, you're going to go through
seasons where your your pitches aren't the same.
(28:30):
And let's just say when they arise won't work or, you know,
whatever. And you got to change it and you
got to figure out what's going on.
And so I think for me that was just the biggest turning point
in my season this year, just being able to like recognize,
you know, when to change things,how to make in game adjustments.
Like that's just like a big partof maturing for me that I didn't
do. Previously I'm hearing such a,
(28:53):
I'm kind of like circling back to some of the comments I made
earlier, like I'm hearing such atransformation in your train of
thought where you were so body focused like so body focused of
like, like I said, achieving positions.
The arm action was pretty limited for you when we first
met you and everything you're talking about, you're talking
about adjustability, you know, like sorting through something
(29:16):
you're so focused on arm action and how you're talking right
now. And not to say obviously like
getting into good patterns is not important, but I think like
what a switch for you and understanding like, you know,
like I need to this is what I'm doing body wise.
So at the end of the day, when I'm in game and I am in season,
it's about arm adjustability andlike I need to make sure I'm
preserving arm action. If my arm action is stiff, if
(29:38):
it's getting, you know, away from me, that's what I need to
stay focused on. And I think I'm hearing like
such a shift in that like versusa year ago where it was all
about like you wanted to look atvideo and dissect your every
move. I'm like Greenland, that's not
how the motion works, you know? And so, yeah, what a great, what
a great shift. And I think like that's
(30:00):
important. Like I said, I'm not saying
like, who cares what your body is doing, but the arm action is
key, right? And so for you to not only
understand that, switch your train of thought, know that the
adjustability of arm action is important and then to have like
certain training tools like Plios, different intensities,
etcetera, to be able to get intobetter arm action, that's huge.
(30:20):
That's really, really huge. All right.
I'm going to end the with one question, which is if someone
is, I guess you could take this broadly too, because obviously
you have such an interesting story with the transfer portal
and this is not just like about OGX.
So let's take it kind of broadly, but if you were talking
to someone who's thinking about learning more about themselves
(30:43):
in the way that OGX can or otherplaces, if you can go get that
level of information, thinking about someone of like, I'm like
in this place in my journey where I like don't feel like
myself, I'm trying to kind of figure out how to develop in the
next thing. What would you say to them?
Like what are the key takeaways that you would want that person
to know or kind of take with them and whatever decision they
(31:04):
make in that next phase? Yeah, I mean, I'm going to talk
to you and I would talk to my I coach travel team.
And I have told all my girls I'mlike, you have to go if you want
to get to that next level. Because yes, it's super cool to
learn about, you know, just fromlike a normal pitching coach.
But like, oh, it's how you throwa curveball, it's how you throw
a rise ball. But don't you want to see like
how you are throwing your curveball and how your hands
(31:26):
working on a curveball or how you're throwing your eyes?
While like I'll never forget thecoolest thing we did was the
slow motion camera. And I'm actually watching all my
fingers come off the ball. And it makes so much sense why
my all my stuff is moving like ashrew ball because how my
fingers are coming off of it. And so I'm like, if you just
want to get to that extra level of just getting into every
(31:47):
single thing, knowing how your body moves, which is so, so
important. I mean, I just feel like it's a
must. And like I, I wouldn't be where
I am today, had not gone and done my full biomechanical
assessment and seen everything and just had that one-on-one
time, did the Plios, did the summer program.
I mean, I just would not be where I am now because of just
(32:08):
the confidence I felt knowing that I am confident in how my
body moves and why it moves thatway and how I can do things to
better myself. So I just think it's a must.
I will never be able to thank you all enough for all the
things that I've learned. But I think it's super important
to people to realize like it's just you need to know how your
body moves, especially nowadays.Not everyone's a say.
(32:30):
You can't put everybody you knowin one box and make them do one
thing. Everyone's felt different.
Everyone moves different. So yeah, I just think it's it's
super, super important to me to the next level.
I will say I'm so damn proud of you.
I'm so happy for you. Like and the fact that your
career now gets to be extended is so well deserved.
(32:52):
And I think really, I know I started this episode and saying
this, but I can't emphasize it enough.
You are just an amazing story. You have an amazing story and
you are an amazing role model for, you know, pictures that
are, you know, still looking at their collegiate journey ahead
of them or maybe are in the middle of it.
Just again, everything from how you embrace player development,
(33:15):
how you took risk to even with only one year of eligibility
left and what you the bravery you showed, how you handled
yourself along the way. And then honestly, you know, how
you handled the adversity, the health adversity that you had
when you, you know, came in the fall.
And I think it's all connected. It's all connected on and sort
of like what you learned and what you did through the game
(33:37):
and then how you had to handle, you know, the hurdle of real
life adversity. So.
We. I am so happy for you.
I'm so proud of you have earned every bit of success in all the
accolades that you received thisyear, and I hope you have a hell
of a pro career. So yeah, I'm really, really
excited for that. And yeah, what a special
(33:59):
experience to have been able to like, I'm so glad they delivered
it like that. Like the golden ticket this year
was just so exciting and it was really rewarding for us to watch
that from you. And like I said, we're just
really lucky to have had the opportunity to be a little part
of your journey.
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