The Time is Now by Brock Guffey
2/16/2022 8:57:00 AM | Baseball
Heading into my fifth year of playing college baseball at The University of Alabama, I'm becoming nostalgic about my college years.
Thinking back on how I got here, how far the team has come, and what we have left to do, one word comes to mind. A word that we hardly ever uttered in the locker room when I first started.
That word is 'Omaha'.
Omaha is home to the College World Series, and when I first joined the team here at Alabama, the thought of going there was not something that was necessarily brought up or mentioned.
But thanks to members of each individual team throughout my years and the hard work we've all put in, our expectations have changed.
Everyone's individual goal is also the team's goal, and that is to go to Omaha.
How it started
We've come a long way since I committed.
Growing up in Alabama, I was very aware of the impact Alabama Athletics has on people all over the state and nationally, which made me excited to get the chance to take a visit to campus in June of 2017. To be totally transparent, I wasn't even an Alabama fan growing up. But the moment I met Coach Jackson, I could tell how excited he was to use his strengths as a coach to make an impact on the pitching staff at Alabama, and I knew that was something that I wanted for my college baseball career.
At the end of that day, I began to understand how special it would be to be the first recruit for a coaching staff that was going to return Alabama Baseball to national prominence. I wanted to build a legacy alongside them at Alabama, and that is why I am here today.
I think everyone who's ever visited Alabama for the first time goes through the same thing.
You realize how special this place is.
How big and important being a part of this University can be for your life.
You might see it on TV or hear about it from friends and family, but it's impossible to describe until you step foot on campus.
The next thing I knew, I was committed – Roll Tide.
A whirlwind
I came in with eight other freshmen, but only two of us remained when my second year started.
That first year was such a rush. After my commitment, the next thing I knew I was dealing with classes, learning how to adjust to college life, and balancing school and baseball.
I was on-the-go so much that I never took the time to process how I felt about everything, you know?
I did know, however, that I was confident in my abilities as a pitcher, that I'd get an opportunity to pitch a lot, and that I would develop and grow here at Alabama.
As I came to Tuscaloosa fresh-off of 7A State Championship at Hoover High School, I knew what it took to achieve the end goal as a team. So, when I was a freshman, I knew we weren't quite ready for Omaha but were heading in the right direction.
Building blocks
The following years had challenges and triumphs. Leaders throughout the years helped change the culture, and we went from a team focused on individual goals to a team focused on the ultimate goal.
By my third year, the team was in a position to hang with the best in the SEC. Our confidence and quality of play were growing.
Then Covid happened.
It rocked every facet of life, and baseball was no different; our season was canceled the day before the start of SEC play, and we were all crushed. It was gut-wrenching. We felt we had a good team, and we felt like we could've done something great but were robbed of the opportunity to do so.
That's life sometimes, though; it isn't always fair.
I spent most of my senior season fighting through injury. On April 4, after what felt like was all I could take from the pain, I came out of the game and told Coach Jackson how I felt. He told me he needed me, and this team needed me. That was all I needed to hear to do whatever it would take to figure my way back onto the mound. On the morning of April 22, after making no progress with my usual delivery, I flicked a ball sidearm and noticed no pain, so I kept repeating it with more effort and still no pain. All I needed was a chance and at this moment I knew this is how I was going to get it. I went on to have three more outings that season, one of which came in the SEC Tournament and was one of the most special moments of my career.
Returning as a senior in my fourth year, I was a bit disappointed in myself. I felt like I had missed my opportunity to play baseball at the next level, and that I'd be judged or looked at as a failure for coming back.
Looking back on it, I now realize how dumb that sounds, and I'm honestly embarrassed I had that kind of mentality. Over winter break I did a lot of thinking and came across some things that changed my perspective on my career and life. While watching Tom Brady’s documentary “Man in the Arena”, I learned of a story about a Chinese farmer and his son, titled “Maybe”. It helped me understand that it is impossible to have to perspective to always know if something is good or bad, because you haven’t seen the situation play out yet.
When I got back to school in January, my brother Drew, who is a graduate manager for our team, told me that he and some of my teammates had started this thing called "Book Club". So, I decided to join them one afternoon to see what it was all about. Since joining them, I have grown so much from opening up and talking with my teammates about feelings and experiences. These conversations have allowed us to become closer than ever before as we head into the 2022 season. It has made me a better, more balanced person, and it's just one of the many examples of how The University of Alabama and the special people here can change one's life in unexpected ways.
Omaha goals
Now, in my fifth and final year, I know this team is ready. I am ready.
During my time at Alabama, we've grown and changed so much that the team and the culture are unrecognizable from what I first saw when I visited so many years ago. I am extremely grateful for all of the up and downs that have allowed me the opportunity to be a part of this team.
'Omaha' is no longer a taboo word.
We talk about heading to Omaha. It's gotten to the point where it's weird if you don't talk about it.
The one thing I want everyone at Alabama to know is that every single player, coach, manager and staff member is holding each other accountable to be the best they can be every single day. We are "Burning the Ships" this year.
