S1 EP8 pt4 - Athletic Ambitions and Digital Dilemmas

Ever wondered how athletes manage the mental gymnastics of juggling multiple sports? Join us for an enlightening conversation with our guest, Ben, who shares his personal journey as both a soccer player and a football kicker. Explore the unique pressures faced by athletes like Ben, who are caught between passions and potential scholarships. We dive into the strategic minds of quarterbacks, the physical grit of linemen, and the delicate balance kickers must maintain amidst all the chaos. Ben opens up about his own post-game rituals and meals, providing a raw look at how athletes strive to find joy in the game despite the relentless pressures.

But that's not all—our discussion takes a turn into the digital age, as we tackle the formidable presence of social media in today's life. Platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok have become woven into our daily routines, making the prospect of reducing screen time a challenging feat. We examine the addictive nature of these platforms and discuss strategies for balancing online presence with real-world experiences. As we wrap up, we leave our listeners with a dose of encouragement to embrace their youth, engage in sports, and truly savor the high school journey while growing and learning along the way.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:09

Welcome back to Out of the Mouth of Babes Podcast For the youth. So we all play football here, but Ben also plays soccer as our kicker, so he's a half a football player. How's that like, I guess?

Speaker 3 0:29

I mean it's fun. It's definitely fun. It's just it gets physically and mentally draining. You know, like kicking is a big mental thing, and then I mean same thing with football too. Like linebacker, you play linebacker right.

Speaker 2 0:39

Yeah.

Speaker 3 0:40

I mean that's a big mental. I mean that's a big mental Like you got to hit somebody coming out of the pocket Like big running back, you got to hit them.

Speaker 1 0:45

Yeah.

Speaker 3 0:45

It's like a big mental game.

Speaker 1 0:52

Yeah, I would say like, I guess just like the pressure of playing both when, like you, can't give your all to football.

Speaker 1 0:55

Yeah, because I know like a large part of it for me, and like Lindahl here is like I guess, like really, football is your life, but for you you got soccer as your life and football. So like I guess I was just going to touch on that. Oh yeah, yeah, didn't you say what was it? Oh yeah, if you get an offer for soccer, you're just never going to play football again, was that it? That's a. I think you told me that last year. Yeah, it's just with soccer. I don't blame you for doing that, I've played soccer since I was three.

Speaker 3 1:26

I mean that's been my thing forever. I mean I love soccer. I love it with everything I have. I mean it's just with football too. Football is fun. I love the surroundings, the people in it. It just makes it really fun. I mean, if I get an offer for soccer I might just go straight to just kicking, maybe because I don't know if I could quit altogether, just the team.

Speaker 1 1:51

Thank you, ben. Yeah, okay, I got a question. What's the hardest position on the football field? I can't really talk about soccer, my bad.

Speaker 3 1:59

Hardest. That I think.

Speaker 1 2:00

On the football field.

Speaker 3 2:01

On the football field. Middle linebacker.

Speaker 1 2:02

This is just a topic for everybody. Everybody argues about this On the football field, on the football field, middle linebacker. I mean this is just a topic for everybody. Everybody argues about this.

Speaker 3 2:09

He has to say first, I mean from my standpoint looking at it, I'd probably say either like defensively, probably a safety, because of the way they have to like read things, and then on offense, probably a quarterback because of the way they have to read the defense, because they have to make split-second decisions from like just just from scanning the field, it's like quick. But then like with defense.

Speaker 2 2:28

It's the same thing with the safety like it's just, it's just between those two.

Speaker 3 2:32

It's just like it's two different types, two different sides of the ball, and it's just two different types of play so, george, are you gonna be biased and say I'm gonna be very biased, I think.

Speaker 1 2:45

Like I think, where you said like safety is like the quarterback of the defense, I think it is the middle linebacker and I know like I'm the jackbacker, you're the mic, so like you're really the commander, like the strong side, and the safety also has to set like our front, like as far as coverage. But I would say, and then I think offensively, mentally it's got to be quarterback, but I think physically it's got to be line. Yeah, that doesn't make sense.

Speaker 2 3:12

Line doesn't get enough credit. That's what I say.

Speaker 1 3:14

I say like every position is super difficult, but for different reasons. Line, it's the physicality. Middle, linebacker, it's also the physicality and your mindset. When it comes to quarterback, it's mindset. Receiver, it's your routes. Nobody can play every position on the field. That's my thing. Nobody can play every position on the field and be great at every single position. Yeah, what's your favorite post-game meal? Post-game meal? Don't throw that on me.

Speaker 3 3:44

It just depends on the game.

Speaker 1 3:46

I mean like Depends on what happens. Yeah, it just depends. I don't know, like, if I get beat, I'm just probably not gonna, not gonna eat, oh yeah, but you don't play the full game, so that's the thing. Are you talking about, like when soccer, or are you talking about kicking?

Speaker 3 4:00

I mean.

Speaker 1 4:01

Because with kicking like I get kicking, I mean because we're kicking like I get like, why you wouldn't eat, oh yeah like for soccer.

Speaker 3 4:04

For soccer, if I lose, it's just, that's just because I play the whole game. So I like read, so I like mentally I just relapse what I did during the game and then just like that, just kind of I just don't eat if I lose if I win yeah, literally that's my food. That's weird. Think about it never yeah that's what.

Speaker 1 4:20

that's what me and hanley, that's what me, george and hanley talked about you got to remember to have fun you make everything stressful.

Speaker 2 4:28

You got to remember to have fun. Oh it's fun.

Speaker 1 4:30

It's fun winning, yeah, but just have fun playing the sport. Be contempt with playing the sport and where you are right now, you are always so stressed. You know that.

Speaker 3 4:39

You are.

Speaker 1 4:40

Yeah. I guess yeah, not looking at it, yeah, you just always it's a lot of pressure, like especially now. I feel like I remember like growing up it was so chill, like you just go out there and ball, but now it's like everybody wants a scholarship. Actually hold on, hold on.

Speaker 3 4:56

Touching back on when you said what's the hardest position? Mentally? Mentally, it's got to be the kicker. I'm sorry, ment, it's got to be the kicker.

Speaker 1 5:01

I'm sorry, mentally it's got to be the kicker hands down. I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you.

Speaker 3 5:04

Mentally, because when you line up for like, let's say like against Connersville, if we scored it would be up to me to make the game-winning.

Speaker 2 5:11

PAT, if we scored, if we scored, if we scored, it would have it's whatever.

Speaker 3 5:28

Uh, but just mentally though, like physically ed I do, I do I do get that.

Speaker 1 5:30

That's, that's a big part. That's kind of what I was asking you like.

Speaker 3 5:31

First thing was like because, like kicking is a very big mental.

Speaker 1 5:34

You can have all the physical attributes, but if you don't have a good mental mindset you're not gonna yeah, what do you do, like when you, when you're up to kick a field goal, you do you just like try to forget, blank your mind, just blank. Mind goes blank. Don't think about anything at all If you think about one thing you're going to forget about something else.

Speaker 3 5:46

You're just going to jack up the kick. You've got to breathe and you've just got to relax.

Speaker 1 5:51

That's good, because when it comes to stuff like in any position. Really, you've just got to have your mind go blank pretty much. Yeah, Just remember your keys.

Speaker 2 6:02

Don't overthink anything.

Speaker 1 6:03

That's really what it turns to Instinctual. That's what I struggle with the most is playing instinctually. I always have like a rough first drive because like I'm thinking too much. But once I get into my flow it's like, yeah, it's the flow zone, it's just how you play your best game.

Speaker 1 6:17

And then, yeah, that's my hardest part with sports in general is just having your mind just go blank. You need your mind to go blank, you just need to have fun. That was my hardest part. That was especially last year. Last year was horrible for me.

Speaker 3 6:30

Yeah, how was that last season mentally for you guys? How did you feel going through that whole season? That was rough man.

Speaker 1 6:37

That's when track became my main sport, Really.

Speaker 2 6:39

Yeah, I think like from.

Speaker 1 6:44

I got my concussion against Jeff and I think from there it was really downhill for me, because then I came back, I missed Tech and I played Harrison and it was like I didn't practice the whole week and I played Friday. Maybe I shouldn't say that, is that?

Speaker 2 6:59

allowed. We already know what happened last year we didn't have any players.

Speaker 3 7:04

It was just a really rough season for us. I mean, we had like 26 players, I think at the end of the season, guys, are you forgetting?

Speaker 1 7:10

we would have had to forfeit every game last year, I mean yeah. Because we were playing people with Fs.

Speaker 2 7:19

Yeah, you could say it Anything to lose, though it's like.

Speaker 1 7:22

but yeah, I would say it's definitely rough. I just I'd like to see a win. I just want to experience it.

Speaker 3 7:27

We'll win We'll win.

Speaker 1 7:28

That's the worst part. Well, like it's just. It's hard to just like because I'm always thinking ahead and I'm just thinking I'm just like, dude, we couldn't beat Anderson, and like I'm not going back for Muncie. Yeah, that's the rough part About injury too Is like Just watching everybody. You just gotta stand On the sideline Especially last week. Man like.

Speaker 2 7:50

I would've done anything.

Speaker 1 7:51

For us to be in there. I don't know it would've been. It could've been Such a different game If we had all of our All of our active players in Could've had. It was like it could've had me, you it was like it could have me. You, skyler gabe. We're missing our what was like a strong safety.

Speaker 1 8:09

Yeah, we had to move our strong safety to our free middle linebacker we had because me and him are out, so yeah, we legit have nobody else. Because when it comes to our football team, like where we're at right now is that we have a good starting lineup but we don't have depth. That's the thing. We have a good starting lineup, we have players who will be good depth in a couple of years, but they're not good depth right now.

Speaker 1 8:34

And that's the worst part about it Because I know, like once I got injured, once I found out it was broken, that's when I started to worry. But that's kind of the cool thing too, because like we've been coaching these young guys and like these, that's been my favorite part.

Speaker 1 8:49

Yeah, this is like it's honestly a cool opportunity to get out there with, like freshman sophomores that are learning or like new people to that position. Because we have a lot of guys where, like, they're not in a position to perform because our lack of depth got like lack of depth got them moved around. So, like we have a lot of guys that have never played linebacker before that are in there.

Speaker 2 9:11

That's what happened to me last year, like moving out of position.

Speaker 1 9:13

Yeah, yeah, that's what happened to me last year is because I was running back for a while and I was just the depth running back, nothing really and then I had to switch my position to tight end because we didn't have depth and that was the roughest probably five weeks I think.

Speaker 2 9:26

I started getting it down after five weeks, I guess you could say that's kind of what brought me to linebacker Switching it.

Speaker 1 9:33

You switched all around, bro, yeah, last season I was Safety middle linebacker, edge rusher, then back to middle linebacker. Yeah, like I don't know how that happens it was fun though it Like.

Speaker 2 9:41

I don't know how that happens, it was fun though.

Speaker 1 9:42

But it's cool to play everywhere though.

Speaker 3 9:44

Back to saying, like when you guys were coaching, like at least it's a good thing that people are stepping up though.

Speaker 1 9:48

Yeah, To like the different positions, Like at least we're not having people that are like refusing to play the position Proud of all my young guys.

Speaker 3 9:54

Yeah.

Speaker 1 10:00

They really are stepping up. It's just like being forced to play varsity. That's not like, even in like a rude way. It's just like they're not. They're not developed.

Speaker 2 10:06

They're just not. They're not developed yet.

Speaker 1 10:08

And then it just sucks because we like, we have no choice, we have to put them in and it's just, it's horrible to see them just like underperform and then lose all their confidence because they're just so. Can we talk about what happened at Arsenal?

Speaker 2 10:38

Soccer game. Oh yeah, girl, no, you go ahead. Oh no, okay, my man Okay.

Speaker 1 10:47

That's lame. Other than sports, though Other than sports.

Speaker 2 10:56

Got a question for you, gentlemen what do you wish adults or society in general understood better about being a teenager today?

Speaker 1 11:04

What should they?

Speaker 2 11:06

Should they understand better about being a teenager. I feel like oh that's a good question.

Speaker 1 11:12

I feel like just like they're out of touch with like the modern day, as far as, like they didn't grow up with like the stuff we have they relate to us like from their experience yeah, but it's so much different from now it might be easier to like have technology at your fingertips, but it's also kind of stressful.

Speaker 1 11:29

You know what I mean. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, it's just that's such a hard question to answer. Yeah, because I feel like there are some parents who do know, like, how stuff works nowadays and how it all happens, and it's just hard to think of like how they could understand us better yeah, my mom, my mom's hot.

Speaker 3 11:48

She was a teacher at uh richmond for a little bit, then went to hagerstown and just kind of jumped around, but like she kind of, she kind of understands, that's just like that's why it's so hard for me, because my mom's like a counselor at a middle school.

Speaker 1 11:59

Like she knows, she knows about modern stuff. She's not, she's not blind so like it's hard for me to answer that because my yeah, that's what my mom does. My mom just hangs around and sees everything that happens, so I don't really have that problem with me. Yeah.

Speaker 2 12:17

Next question is what role does social media play in your life and how do you navigate its positives and negatives?

Speaker 3 12:25

I'm really trying to cut social media out of my life.

Speaker 1 12:27

It really depends on the social media.

Speaker 3 12:29

It's really just addicting. It takes a lot of time out of your day and just focus. I get that, it's just. I get that distraction.

Speaker 1 12:35

It's really what it is that's the one it comes for, because when it comes to stuff like snapchat, that's where a bunch of my connections are at, so I can't really get rid of snapchat yeah but then when it comes to stuff like instagram nowadays like we have our rhs page posting everything on that instagram like yeah themes for student sections like snow delays and stuff like that too I know it's just it's hard to it's really.

Speaker 1 12:57

It's like nowadays, like people want you to cut like stuff out of your life, but you, just you can't really do that because, people are using technology every way now, so it's hard to cut stuff out like that. I think I like reducing it right now, like I really I don't be on my phone a lot, but I would say like tiktoks and stuff especially, I mean like that'll literally get you sucked in, like if you don't have anything going on, you'll just keep scrolling and it's like it's addicting.

Speaker 1 13:24

Yeah, it really is, but I think generally like I've been not on my phone as much, especially with that phone policy, like although I was against it like I'm really not on my phone as much.

Speaker 3 13:36

I know it's actually it's helping a little bit.

Speaker 1 13:39

I will say there's positives to either side. Yeah, that's my take. What I just Shut up Take him out, take us out. Where'd you want to take us out? Take us out. Ooh, like the outro, what's a? Leave us with a quote, george, leave us with a quote. Oh okay, take it easy. Soak it in and have fun when you're young. All through high school, play as many sports as you can Enjoy it, learn new things, do well. Thank you for watching Out of the mouth of babes. Bye you.