55 | SOFTBALL Recruiting Secrets from a College Insider

[00:00:00] Me personally, I've always thought this, if I didn't get hit in the head, I probably would have continued to get better as a player and as a pitcher.

[00:00:09] And that summer would have probably been like the biggest summer of my life. And obviously that just didn't happen. And as much as I'd like want to say I did overcome it, but to what extent?

[00:00:22] Because I've even told you these past four years, there were times at practice where I was scared when a ball got hit back at me again.

[00:00:31] So it still lingers. It still didn't subconsciously probably hold me back. I think so.

[00:00:41] Hello and welcome to Catching You, a Dad and Daughters Softball Journey. I'm Rusty, a dad who's been in the dugout and on the sidelines.

[00:00:49] And I'm Lacie, the daughter whose journey through softball has been filled with incredible wins, tough losses and so many lessons both on and off the field.

[00:00:57] For the past 16 years, we've navigated the highs and lows of softball together. From the local fields to national tournaments and everything in between.

[00:01:06] From the challenges of recruitment during COVID to the mental and emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a student athlete,

[00:01:11] we'll be sharing the perspectives of both a parent and athlete and firsthand experience of the impact of sports on mental health and the importance of support from the sidelines.

[00:01:22] Welcome back, everybody to Catching You. I'm your host, Rusty M with me. She's back, everybody.

[00:01:30] She may be absent for a couple of weeks, but Lacie is back. Lacie is my host and my beautiful daughter. Lacie, say hi.

[00:01:39] Hello, everybody. So you're still in your living room? Currently, yep.

[00:01:45] Praise God, no. She's had some issues with her bedroom with mold, so we're getting that taken care of.

[00:01:50] And hopefully by the time she goes back from Christmas breaks, you will have a brand new bedroom that you can sleep in and not get sick anymore.

[00:01:59] Yeah, I will. Well, last week I was sick.

[00:02:02] Yes. Like actually sick.

[00:02:06] Yeah, you saw you had a pink eye.

[00:02:09] But I didn't. It was just my congestion was so bad that it irritated my eyes.

[00:02:19] It's all good.

[00:02:20] But hopefully more, it should get started next week, my room.

[00:02:29] Should.

[00:02:30] Should.

[00:02:31] All right. So that's good. That's awesome.

[00:02:35] So Lace, a couple of weeks ago, I did a solo and I said, what kind of advice would I give my younger father or daughter who plays softball?

[00:02:46] What advice would I give myself?

[00:02:48] And what I did three of them, one of the major ones was trusting my gut sooner. I had, when you were on stiff team and you weren't playing and you weren't getting any looks at showcases.

[00:03:00] We should have left earlier.

[00:03:01] Mm-hmm.

[00:03:02] But we were trusting the process. I put that in their quotes. Or, oh, we're on stiff team. We should be able to get some sort of call or something from colleges and you didn't. So we left after the fall season.

[00:03:14] And then you started getting recruiting calls. Wow. Amazing how if we just left the team sooner, the recruiting process probably would have been a lot smoother or a lot, maybe a lot better for you.

[00:03:29] Yeah.

[00:03:30] So that was one thing I would, that was the advice I would give my younger self was probably trust my gut and make that move sooner rather than later where your mental health was starting to become an issue.

[00:03:46] Right. You say, am I not good enough anymore? Do I suck? No colleges are looking at me. That was the advice I would give my younger self.

[00:03:54] So let's throw it to you. And you can pick an age, but what advice would you give your younger self, your younger travel ball, rec ball, whatever that age is, what kind of advice would you give yourself?

[00:04:10] I wouldn't necessarily go rec ball because I think I was just like having fun at that point.

[00:04:14] Yeah.

[00:04:15] I didn't really, I took it seriously, but it wasn't an age where I was having a lot of difficulties.

[00:04:20] I would probably say, well, maybe the middle school times, like I was like, I loving softball.

[00:04:28] And that was the time where we went to Kansas City and went to PGF.

[00:04:32] I think it was when I got to high school that it became real because that was obviously that was before the rule change.

[00:04:40] So it could entering my freshman year, I could have committed somewhere possibly.

[00:04:45] And then we can always go back to when I got hit in the head that summer and honestly just changed my recruiting process, my softball journey, everything.

[00:04:56] So I would say probably not to compare myself because so many girls in that BAPLUST organization and like people I played with, they were getting committed every week.

[00:05:13] There was someone new every week that was being committed somewhere.

[00:05:16] And I'm like, why not me?

[00:05:17] But obviously I was still going through the process of coming back from my head injury with unknowingly having PTSD from that incident.

[00:05:27] And then some of those girls have everyone's, everyone's journey is different where everyone, theirs was maybe a little bit smoother and they had a lot more calls and didn't really suffer from injuries that much.

[00:05:39] But I was probably comparing myself a little bit too much to the older girls, say on Stitt's older team that were pitching.

[00:05:49] Who's pitching on that team?

[00:05:51] I think Vanessa was.

[00:05:53] I don't remember most of their names anymore, but they were going to like high-end schools like SEC and Pac-12.

[00:06:01] And I was like, like, I need to be like them.

[00:06:04] But I think all the young players just want to be like those girls on those teams.

[00:06:08] So they try to do what they do and compare themselves in order to be like them.

[00:06:14] And sometimes it just doesn't work out like that.

[00:06:17] I don't know.

[00:06:17] I think I lost myself a little bit during that, during those, that year coming back from my head injury.

[00:06:23] Didn't know what type of player I am.

[00:06:25] Didn't know what journey I want or didn't know what path I was going on.

[00:06:30] I was switching pitching coaches like three times.

[00:06:33] I think I just needed to stick with what I knew instead of try and do things out of the ordinary, possibly.

[00:06:41] Yeah.

[00:06:41] In comparison, they say comparison is the thief of joy.

[00:06:45] Yeah.

[00:06:46] And I saw that in you when you deleted Twitter, right?

[00:06:49] I think that could have been your lowest point is when you're seeing all your teammates.

[00:06:55] Teammates, not only your teammates, but people that you've played against and had good success against them.

[00:07:05] Committing to Auburn and committing to Tennessee and committing there.

[00:07:09] And you're like, wait a second.

[00:07:11] Like I'm at that level.

[00:07:13] Right.

[00:07:14] I.

[00:07:15] Now, do you think, because we're talking about being ranked.

[00:07:19] Did that have anything to do with mindset?

[00:07:21] Hey, I used to be ranked like 21.

[00:07:25] And how come I'm not getting any calls?

[00:07:27] I don't.

[00:07:28] That was nothing.

[00:07:30] I remember.

[00:07:31] I don't remember that being like.

[00:07:33] Important.

[00:07:33] Up to one stick thought.

[00:07:34] Yeah.

[00:07:35] And no one really talked about it either.

[00:07:37] I personally didn't really think it was like that big.

[00:07:41] Like because different sites had different rankings.

[00:07:45] Like on one side, I'd be like something like 75 or something like that.

[00:07:49] And then the other one, I'm like not even in the top 150.

[00:07:53] So it's like, how accurate is it?

[00:07:56] 12 of you were ranked pretty high.

[00:07:57] And then it was probably dropped.

[00:07:59] Right.

[00:08:00] So your advice where I'm gathering, I want to make sure I'm tracking with you.

[00:08:03] The advice you'd give yourself sounds like 14 you, second year, second year 14s, because

[00:08:11] that was when you were a freshman in high school would be number one.

[00:08:18] Because there's a couple of things you said.

[00:08:19] Number one was don't compare yourself to others.

[00:08:23] Just keep your head down.

[00:08:25] Keep working hard.

[00:08:26] Things are going to, things are going to eventually come together.

[00:08:30] And then number two was the chandelier, not the sticking to what you knew and not like

[00:08:39] coach hump or coach hop or no, what?

[00:08:42] I guess it's like similar to what you guys or you were saying is like pressing your gut

[00:08:49] and being like during that time, I think even before, yeah, while we were on the fence

[00:08:57] on that first year of eighties, I saw my friends who I used to play with now playing for different

[00:09:06] organizations.

[00:09:08] They made the switch, right?

[00:09:11] And we were loyal, right?

[00:09:13] We talked about that.

[00:09:14] I talked about that too.

[00:09:16] We were so loyal because we were in this team Izuna.

[00:09:19] We were like the originals and now we're on the 18th.

[00:09:22] And if we just stayed the course, like what Chris talked about, my goal is for you to

[00:09:26] play for Campbell and Stith and you did both.

[00:09:29] So we were like staying the course, which hindsight, again, we probably should trust our gut and

[00:09:35] how we looked elsewhere, right?

[00:09:39] Let's take a quick break.

[00:09:42] If you want to leave us a message, use the link in the show notes.

[00:09:46] And if you want us to respond, leave your name and email address.

[00:09:50] Also, please rate us and or leave a review as we're trying to grow the show every day.

[00:09:56] Finally, Lacey and I both love coffee.

[00:09:58] We would greatly appreciate any contribution to the show.

[00:10:01] That link is also in the show notes.

[00:10:04] Thank you.

[00:10:05] Take care.

[00:10:10] Yeah.

[00:10:10] I think even when I was on Katie's team, like I had friends that were on Mercado that

[00:10:16] were announcing their commitments.

[00:10:18] It's how are they, how are you doing that?

[00:10:20] How did you do that?

[00:10:21] But it's because the coaches were advocating for them and like, it's not all up to us.

[00:10:30] It's really not.

[00:10:31] And there's probably some teams where, hey, good for you.

[00:10:36] Like they're coming at you right when you get on that team.

[00:10:39] But for the most part, like you need someone to help you out.

[00:10:43] Yeah.

[00:10:45] Because if you, obviously the elite girls, the Tierra Jennings, the Britos, they're, they

[00:10:51] don't need people to advocate for them because they're just so talented that their talent

[00:10:55] and, and how they perform is going to attract those coaches.

[00:10:59] It's the ones that are behind the scenes that need help.

[00:11:04] Right.

[00:11:05] And you needed that help.

[00:11:06] You need someone to, and it didn't have to be a, at the time of power five school.

[00:11:12] Right.

[00:11:12] Even though you're on these high end teams, that's what they, that's the direction they

[00:11:18] wanted all those girls to go, which was Pac 12, ACC, SEC, those big time schools.

[00:11:24] You needed someone to say, you know what, Lace, you're, you're probably not in that, at that

[00:11:30] level.

[00:11:30] Let's call these other coaches.

[00:11:32] And you didn't have that at that time.

[00:11:34] Right.

[00:11:35] No.

[00:11:35] And I think something too, I think you've talked about it before.

[00:11:39] I think you talk about it too, is like knowing what level you're at.

[00:11:44] Me personally, I've always thought this, if I didn't get hit in the head, I probably would

[00:11:49] have continued to get better as a player and as a pitcher.

[00:11:54] And that summer would have probably been the bit, like the biggest summer of my life.

[00:11:58] And obviously that just didn't happen.

[00:12:00] And as much as I'd like, want to say I did overcome it, but to what extent?

[00:12:07] Because I've even told you these past four years, there were times at practice where I

[00:12:13] got, I was scared when a ball got hit back at me again.

[00:12:16] So it's, it's still wingers.

[00:12:19] It's still, did it subconsciously probably hold me back?

[00:12:24] I think so.

[00:12:27] And as much as I hate to say that, it probably, I think it did.

[00:12:31] Yeah.

[00:12:33] And we can say how good I was supposed to be all we want, but it's just how it is.

[00:12:38] Yeah.

[00:12:39] You can throw out all of what else, right?

[00:12:40] Okay.

[00:12:41] Yeah.

[00:12:41] I think we're both on the agreement that we both, maybe if we both were younger at this,

[00:12:46] Hey, let's entertain another program, another organization.

[00:12:50] Because it doesn't seem like you're number one, A, you're getting better.

[00:12:53] And number two, it doesn't seem like you're getting the, that you needed.

[00:12:57] And number two, now of course you have to perform, right?

[00:13:01] If you were getting lit up and you're getting, and then you're getting mad at the coaches for

[00:13:05] not, they're like, yeah.

[00:13:06] Raith, we're walking everybody and you're giving up grand slam.

[00:13:09] Why would I call a coach and say, do you want this?

[00:13:12] No, I'm saying hypothetically, I'm saying hypothetically, why would a coach, a travel

[00:13:18] well coach do that if you're just getting lit up?

[00:13:19] You weren't.

[00:13:20] No.

[00:13:21] You were, you were, you were, you were, you were doing well.

[00:13:24] I'm just saying you, you just needed to get to an organization that would promote you to,

[00:13:28] again, doesn't have to be a power five school, right?

[00:13:31] Just call coaches that need pitchers.

[00:13:35] Yeah.

[00:13:36] Raith.

[00:13:37] And we, and we wouldn't hear that.

[00:13:39] Any colleges.

[00:13:40] Yeah.

[00:13:41] Good stuff.

[00:13:42] Let's, let's turn it later to the other topic that you wanted to talk about, which is the

[00:13:47] difference between, cause we're gonna, we're entering Christmas strike, right?

[00:13:51] And so the difference between being in travel well and then having Christmas break versus

[00:13:57] being in college and having Christmas break.

[00:13:59] So I know it's different, but it has to be different.

[00:14:02] And even coach Alfreys, if you listened to the podcast last week, a coach Alfreys says

[00:14:07] it's a job.

[00:14:08] And so you're expected to do your job.

[00:14:11] And if you're asked to do workouts during the Christmas break, you're going to do that.

[00:14:17] And or do it.

[00:14:19] And.

[00:14:20] Explain that.

[00:14:21] Yeah.

[00:14:22] So.

[00:14:24] I was talking to you about this is like the winter break during travel ball is your, that's

[00:14:30] your break compared to the one after say your Nashville championship in the summer where

[00:14:36] you get two weeks off basically.

[00:14:38] And all of a sudden you have tryouts again in August.

[00:14:42] Winter break is usually that time where you're like, all right, this is my break.

[00:14:48] Taking that time to myself.

[00:14:50] Spend time with my family, my friends.

[00:14:52] Enjoy the holidays.

[00:14:53] Come back mid-January, maybe even end of January.

[00:14:57] And now you're.

[00:14:59] Now springtime is your time to lead up to summer ball.

[00:15:04] Maybe we pitched every once in a while.

[00:15:05] Maybe we did some ball print.

[00:15:07] Maybe once in a while, just do some long toss, do some snaps.

[00:15:11] And that was pretty much it.

[00:15:13] And then you get back to work by January.

[00:15:16] Yeah.

[00:15:16] Can I say that long toss was my, was the favorite.

[00:15:19] Well, yeah.

[00:15:20] Cause you're, I'm not up close.

[00:15:22] Cause you're very far away and it's a, it's a really long time and I get to catch it.

[00:15:28] And I don't have to die.

[00:15:30] Anyway, go ahead.

[00:15:31] The college.

[00:15:32] College is so much different because our season starts beginning of February.

[00:15:40] And say I was to take the kind of break I would during travel ball and try and come back in January when we have double days and longer practices, seven days a week.

[00:15:53] I would not, I wouldn't be up to par with where I should be.

[00:15:57] And you don't want to try and in it's almost, it's three weeks, less than a month that you have to prepare with your team without any restrictions for February.

[00:16:09] And like when I say no restrictions, there's no restrictions.

[00:16:12] We can practice 40 hours a week and no one would care.

[00:16:15] So describe that for the, cause we have some younger listeners.

[00:16:20] What do you mean by restrictions?

[00:16:21] So in the fall is different, right?

[00:16:23] Fall it's called care hours.

[00:16:25] So I don't really know what Kara stands for.

[00:16:30] I couldn't pick it up, but it's basically for a certain amount of time you can only practice or have like team affiliated practice for eight hours a week.

[00:16:40] And then starting a certain date, you can start with 20 hours a week, which is the hard part about the fall is because fall, the fall ball as well.

[00:16:51] Plus all your practices that are lasting two and a half hours, three hours with weights that.

[00:16:56] So it just all has to be 20 hours.

[00:17:00] And then after a certain date, it goes back to eight hours.

[00:17:04] And then at a certain day, it stops for Christmas break.

[00:17:08] Now we can come back January.

[00:17:11] Say a team comes back January 2nd.

[00:17:14] Until that school starts for school, unlimited hours.

[00:17:19] You could practice from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

[00:17:22] All you want.

[00:17:23] Go ahead.

[00:17:23] NCAA doesn't really have any restrictions on that.

[00:17:26] There are schools that do that.

[00:17:28] And it's it's grueling.

[00:17:29] It's grueling.

[00:17:30] But there is a certain point where.

[00:17:33] In my opinion, I'm not a coach, I don't.

[00:17:36] But in my opinion, if you do start that early and go all the way to the beginning of February and you're doing double days for God knows how long.

[00:17:44] Your athletes are going to be burnt out.

[00:17:47] They're not going to want exhausted mentally and physically.

[00:17:50] And all of a sudden they have to start playing games.

[00:17:53] Yes.

[00:17:53] And it's in travel ball.

[00:17:55] Like you play probably twice as many games in college than you do in travel ball.

[00:18:01] And you're flying, right?

[00:18:04] Yeah.

[00:18:04] You travel.

[00:18:05] There's jet lag sometimes.

[00:18:07] Yeah.

[00:18:08] And now with the big conference change, these girls are going to be.

[00:18:11] I don't I don't even know how they're going to do it.

[00:18:14] I think they said Stanford is going to be the one that travels the most.

[00:18:18] And think of the logic behind that.

[00:18:20] They're an Ivy League school where school is first.

[00:18:24] Those professors do not care.

[00:18:25] Most of them.

[00:18:27] There are some where, OK, like you're an athlete.

[00:18:29] We can work together.

[00:18:30] But that's an Ivy League school where academics like comes first.

[00:18:36] We don't care about your sport.

[00:18:39] And they're going to have to travel.

[00:18:40] Yeah.

[00:18:42] Six plus hours.

[00:18:44] Ivy League of the West, right?

[00:18:45] There's Ivy League schools and there are Ivy League type of school.

[00:18:48] So it brings you back to last year, your junior year fall when you had to sit out because you're

[00:18:57] inflamed.

[00:18:58] I think it was your scapula or somewhere a muscle behind it.

[00:19:03] So you had to sit out and you only got to play one fall game, right?

[00:19:07] Yeah.

[00:19:08] And then right after the fall game, then you get went into Christmas break.

[00:19:10] And so you're basically throwing both into your dad and it's, and you did do some workouts,

[00:19:16] but you were, again, it's almost like when you got injured in 14U, right?

[00:19:22] You were out for extended time.

[00:19:25] And then, OK, and now I have to come back and OK, here's the season and I'm supposed to

[00:19:30] compete.

[00:19:31] I'm like the number two pitcher on the team and I'm supposed to shut people down.

[00:19:36] But I was off for X amount of time.

[00:19:38] So describe the college.

[00:19:41] It's nonstop, right?

[00:19:42] Every time I talk to you, it's like, oh, I had this today.

[00:19:44] Oh, I had this today.

[00:19:45] Yeah.

[00:19:46] And the thing about college is because there are the restricted hours, but you are expected

[00:19:53] to do extra work and go do work on your own.

[00:19:58] Just like travel ball.

[00:19:59] If you're only practicing when they're, because eight hour weeks is not that much.

[00:20:07] So say, because we'll be having our workouts three times, three times a week, Monday, Wednesday,

[00:20:14] Friday in the morning.

[00:20:15] That's three hours.

[00:20:17] That's already three hours gone out of the eight hours.

[00:20:20] And so now we have five hours left in the week.

[00:20:25] And they basically split that up into 45 minute increments throughout the week.

[00:20:31] And we have three days off during that those because it's so compact.

[00:20:38] So there's time for you to go get some extra work in.

[00:20:41] And you're expected to go in and do it.

[00:20:46] Like with college, it's just you don't really have like we ended our fall ball December 2nd,

[00:20:53] but we're expected to go into the weight room and do all our weight or our.

[00:20:59] What is it called?

[00:21:00] Workouts and go to the field as well and get our work in at the field.

[00:21:03] And that's not on that's not on school hours.

[00:21:06] That's on our hours.

[00:21:07] And now going into winter break where I don't start school until January 22nd,

[00:21:15] but we have to be back early January.

[00:21:18] Yeah.

[00:21:19] And early January means unlimited time, right?

[00:21:22] Unlimited time.

[00:21:23] Yeah.

[00:21:23] So you're not saying travel ball, people that are in travel ball,

[00:21:27] they don't work out during Christmas.

[00:21:30] I'm not saying that.

[00:21:31] When you're in travel, you still want to, you still want to eat and you still want to

[00:21:34] pitching lessons.

[00:21:35] It's just, you don't have those grueling practices, right?

[00:21:39] No.

[00:21:39] Like the winter break mindset is different from like college to travel ball.

[00:21:45] Like travel ball, you have so much time until those keek tournaments in the summer start

[00:21:52] February, beginning of February.

[00:21:54] Yeah.

[00:21:55] I remember it was mostly like, unless, right?

[00:21:58] Yeah.

[00:21:59] February and March are like friendlies or you might have some sort of, you know,

[00:22:03] triple OSA tournament or.

[00:22:05] What I, yeah.

[00:22:06] What I know is a lot of the girls have already qualified for whatever tournament that they're

[00:22:10] going to in the summer during the fall.

[00:22:12] And basically they're just preparing for the summer where you have all that time to mentally

[00:22:19] and physically prepare.

[00:22:21] We had the fall and now we're, now they're sending us home without any instruction whatsoever.

[00:22:29] And they're like, you better be ready by early January.

[00:22:32] February because when we get back our first day, we're doing a run test and live scrimmage.

[00:22:39] Yeah.

[00:22:39] So it's a job, right?

[00:22:41] Even though you're there for academics, number one, you're supposed to get, you know, you're

[00:22:44] there to get an academic.

[00:22:46] But if they're paying for your college, right?

[00:22:49] And a lot of girls, yeah, a lot of girls, a lot of the colleges are paying for your education.

[00:22:55] That's a job, right?

[00:22:56] If they tell you to jump, you say how high, right?

[00:22:59] Yeah.

[00:22:59] And when you do come home, you do, your trainer says, okay, you need to be doing this and this

[00:23:04] on this day and this day.

[00:23:05] So you're coming home with instructions on what workouts to do.

[00:23:09] Now the pitch on your own, right?

[00:23:12] You do have a new pitching coach.

[00:23:14] So she may send you home with something.

[00:23:16] Yeah.

[00:23:17] Basically just maybe throw out a pitching lesson here, sort of maybe find a catcher and

[00:23:22] throw a live, right?

[00:23:24] Yeah.

[00:23:24] Yeah.

[00:23:25] We did get sent home with things that we need to work on, things that we should focus

[00:23:29] on over winter break.

[00:23:30] And then just, we're expected to pitch three to four times a week.

[00:23:36] So she's, if you need bullpen ideas, like text me.

[00:23:39] But yeah, we're on our own for two and a half weeks, which is a good chunk of time.

[00:23:46] But yeah, it's all up to, it's all up to you.

[00:23:50] All right.

[00:23:51] So you have an incoming freshmen.

[00:23:54] I agree.

[00:23:55] What?

[00:23:56] So they're coming from travel ball, high school, softball, maybe.

[00:24:00] And then now they're coming to college softball.

[00:24:03] Give them the shock treatment.

[00:24:04] Like this is what they should expect as a freshman.

[00:24:06] Are we talking winter break or just in general?

[00:24:09] Just in general.

[00:24:10] You have an incoming freshman.

[00:24:12] What should they expect as far as they do those day in the life for a college, college

[00:24:17] softball player and like TikTok and stuff?

[00:24:19] Yeah.

[00:24:19] Or would it be like the day in the life of a freshman?

[00:24:24] Day in the life?

[00:24:27] Everyone's day in the life is a little.

[00:24:29] They're going to be in the dorm.

[00:24:30] So just think back at your freshman grade.

[00:24:32] You're in the dorms.

[00:24:34] I'd say day in the life for me or some, some, one of the main things I was always thinking

[00:24:41] about was like, are like our strict rules.

[00:24:43] But in travel ball, you still have those.

[00:24:45] But in college, it's something's different about it where you're or my fear of being late.

[00:24:51] Right.

[00:24:52] If you're late, I feel like it's just so much worse in college.

[00:24:58] I don't know why, but there's a lot of, obviously you have to adhere to NCAA rules.

[00:25:02] So we have a compliance meeting.

[00:25:04] And when you have a compliance meeting, when you go in your freshman year, you're like,

[00:25:09] what is all this?

[00:25:11] Because you represent a collegiate institution now as a, as an athlete and you're, you're

[00:25:19] an employee basically, and you're under contract, all of this stuff.

[00:25:23] And there's major repercussions if that contract is broken.

[00:25:28] So travel ball, it's a little different.

[00:25:30] Like you could just leave the team and go to a different one.

[00:25:33] College, that stuff's everywhere.

[00:25:35] I don't know.

[00:25:36] Like maybe freshman year, it was more of I strict rules.

[00:25:40] There's a strict regimen to everything.

[00:25:42] So you had to wear the same thing.

[00:25:45] We had this year, since we switched to Under Armour, since we switched to Under Armour from

[00:25:50] Adidas, we can only wear Under Armour gear.

[00:25:53] My first two years, I have tons of Adidas gear, right?

[00:25:57] And we have a meeting with our coaches.

[00:26:00] They're saying, if you get caught wearing Adidas gear, money will be taken out of our budget.

[00:26:07] And you will not be getting certain things.

[00:26:09] It's stuff like that, where it's, oh gosh, okay.

[00:26:12] We get in so much trouble because where our school is sponsored by Under Armour, if they

[00:26:17] see an athlete wearing Adidas, they're like, you're not, you're, it's part of our contract.

[00:26:23] So we just broke the contract.

[00:26:24] It's just stuff like that you have to expect, really.

[00:26:29] All right.

[00:26:30] Cool.

[00:26:31] We're at the end here.

[00:26:32] Lace, I'm going to see you in about 10 days.

[00:26:34] Is that about right?

[00:26:35] Yes.

[00:26:35] 10 days.

[00:26:36] We're going to see you in 10 days.

[00:26:38] Yes.

[00:26:38] Mom today found some students to wrap presents for, so you are off duty.

[00:26:44] You don't have to do that anymore.

[00:26:46] Well, you know why I'm staying up here.

[00:26:49] I do.

[00:26:49] I understand.

[00:26:50] But I can't wait to see you again.

[00:26:53] And.

[00:26:54] I'm so excited for our Christmas.

[00:26:56] It's going to be a good one.

[00:26:58] This was like the first year where I could afford some good presents for my family.

[00:27:02] So I'm excited.

[00:27:03] Why could you afford?

[00:27:05] Can you, were I talking about why you could afford it?

[00:27:07] There was this one day when my dad said to, I need to buy a stock.

[00:27:12] Okay.

[00:27:13] Thank you.

[00:27:14] So.

[00:27:15] And I cashed it out and I bought some Christmas gifts.

[00:27:18] There you go.

[00:27:19] Congratulations.

[00:27:20] Good job.

[00:27:20] Now it's on record.

[00:27:22] You know, you have to pay for taxes.

[00:27:24] We'll figure that out.

[00:27:25] Were you going to tell me that or.

[00:27:28] It's entirely up to you.

[00:27:29] It's up to me.

[00:27:31] Just joking.

[00:27:32] Okay.

[00:27:33] Bye.

[00:27:34] I love you.

[00:27:35] Catch everybody else.

[00:27:36] Another side.

[00:27:37] Bye, everybody.

[00:27:38] Bye.

[00:27:38] Bye.