Us, Not Them

By Noah Gulley

To all my fellow ballplayers,
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We all know how challenging and frustrating the game can be. Maybe that’s just life in general at times.
 
This fact can cause players to lose touch with what the game does for us as overall individuals.
 
Over the years, as I’ve matured as a player and as a person I have learned several important lessons.
 
However, one of the most impactful things I have learned is how to balance individualism and embracing my fellow teammates. 
 
Accolades and accomplishments seem to be what all athletes strive for…and look, we should. But, sometimes players get so caught up in themselves that they lose sight of the fact that they are part of a team.
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I know I have lost sight of things at times.
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The constant comparisons made player to player even in a worst-case scenario, teammate to teammate, made on social media, by parents, kids, “evaluators”, scouts… it can just get intoxicating.
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Are we trying to win games here or just put up numbers and capture the perfect videos for personal gain?
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Those are just some of the thoughts I’ve entertained over my years of playing.
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Although I’d love to say those things are not the case, the fact of the matter is that take would just be a blind assessment. But, I’m not here to get into all that.
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In fact, I think if you pay attention to what I am about to say very carefully all that nonsense will stay where it belongs, out of relevance. 
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It’s actually comical in a way. Hearing quotes and players chirp and passively kid about “doing it for the scouts” has become quite popular. 
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Again I’m not against it. If it works for you that’s fine, more power to you. But that’s not how I play the game.
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Contrary to a lot of programs’ cultures, I play for the brothers next to me.
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They mean everything.
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I’ve been caught up in the noise before. And when I think back on those times and even now I realize the game, life is about keeping things simple.
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Especially in baseball. It’s about moving 9 guys in harmony all at the same time, each executing their jobs. 
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And since baseball and life are all about interacting and working with people, those near to you must be your focus.
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Teammates should be your brothers and sisters. No accomplishments, accolades, or jealousy should ever come between that family; because one day when the game is done family is all we got.
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I attended two different high schools and I’m now living in my 5th state.
 
Needless to say, I didn’t have the same opportunities as most people to establish long-lasting friendships with my peers.
 
However, whenever I stepped onto a field a couple of years ago it felt like all those barriers were finally put aside.
 
When I became part of my new team I began to develop relationships that still stand today.
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This is the main reason that baseball is my true love other than my personal family and friends.
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As years went by and I was on several different teams in a few different cities, but there was one thing that stood out to me. 
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The teams I was a part of that had the most camaraderie always performed better compared to ones that did not.
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When I first arrived at high school, I quickly started to notice the animosity and jealousy that can exist between teammates.
 
Whether it was over competing for the same spot, playing time, or personal drama there seemed like there was a lot more hostility and division that existed. It’s that noise I was talking about.
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Naturally, anyone who has goals to be a starter or better than the person next to them will have a disposition that involves them being joyful if they succeed over their teammate. 
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I can relate to that myself.
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If I went 3-3 in a game and a teammate I was competing against went 0-3 I didn’t have a sense of compassion for that teammate.
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However, by having that mindset I became accustomed to feeling on top of the world or empty depending on if I filled up the stat sheet or not. I soon realized that the joy that comes with playing the game cannot be filled with my individual goals.
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Heck, teammates are what push to be better! Constantly putting targets on each other and treating our stats as personal report cards of who we are and mean is ridiculous.
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We are all better than that.
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Putting my personal wants and ego aside I started to notice that the game that I hold so close to my heart is the same way I should view my teammates.
 
Yes, the way I approach working hard at my craft and trying to translate that hard work should be my first priority.
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However, that first priority should also be shared with creating strong and healthy relationships with my teammates so we can go out and give everything we got TOGETHER.
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When I moved to Las Vegas and enrolled in Bishop Gorman High School.
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It seemed like the togetherness I have been referring to had become a reality. Our team had a love for each other, so without surprise, we became a top 10 team in the nation my senior year (and I thought we should have been higher). But that doesn’t matter.
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If I had to give one piece of advice to young players coming up, other than telling them to work hard at the game, I say with no regrets and total conviction, have fun with the game. 
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The way to do that is by focusing on being successful with your teammates and do not only concern oneself with individual glory.
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Baseball is the greatest team sport for a reason.
 
It was created for nine people, all from different walks and places in life, to get together for a couple of hours, let go of all the noise in their lives outside the foul lines, and ball out. 
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Enjoy playing the game you love with those around you.