"Beyond the Game": The RealSportsDoc Podcast
Welcome to "Beyond the Game: The RealSportsDoc Podcast," hosted by a seasoned sports medicine doctor who brings a unique perspective to the intersection of sports, health, and life. In each episode, we explore the physical and mental challenges athletes face both on and off the field. From injury prevention and recovery strategies to insights into the latest advancements in sports medicine, we provide essential knowledge for athletes, coaches, physicians and other sports medicine or sports enthusiasts alike.
Join us as we share inspiring stories of resilience, discuss the impact of injuries on athletes' lives, and delve into the importance of mental health in sports. We will also feature expert guests, including physicians, psychologists, trainers, elite athletes and coaches to discuss their journeys and the lessons they've learned.
Whether you are a competitive athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply passionate about sports, tune in to discover what it truly means to go "Beyond the Game."
"Beyond the Game": The RealSportsDoc Podcast
Perseverance and Grit: Landen's Path in Baseball
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Keep pushing your limits, and see you next time!
Thanks for tuning in to Beyond the Game with your host and my dad, Dr Brandon Hardin. Hey, what's up everybody. It's Dr Hardin on the mic. I have got a very special guest here today. Landen Wallace played baseball for West Harrison High School and is now over at the Perkinson campus. Landon, what's up, dude? What's up how you doing?
Landen Wallace:I'm pretty good. How are you?
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Doing good. How's baseball going? You guys getting geared up.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah, our first game is January 25th. Go back to school on the 13th. So we're about to be rocking and rolling.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, man, that's awesome. How was your off-season workout?
Landen Wallace:It was good. It was definitely a lot tougher than what I'm used to, but I'm adjusting really good yeah yeah, it's a little bit different going from high school sports period to collegiate sports right 100%.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:What were your biggest differences? Like in the notice, the level, like competition, like as far as who you're competing against and who you're competing with, so like your own teammates versus the ones you're competing against.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah, it's a little different because a lot of the people that I play with in high school are playing collegiate ball right now, but there's just a lot of differences, definitely the mental and the physical aspect of it all.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, you get no penny earlier. Your workout's a lot harder 100%.
Landen Wallace:It comes with it. It comes with it.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, how did the mental and physical demands shift for you personally?
Landen Wallace:As far as the physical demands, I mean, basically, the workouts are a lot harder, they're a lot more intense, you're getting after it a lot more, the culture is a lot different. Everybody wants to compete, especially like in the weight room and everything like that. And then on the mental side of it, it's more taxing on your mind because you're competing for a job at this point when you're in the collegiate level. You're still playing it for fun, but if you don't get the job done, you're not going to be playing very long.
Landen Wallace:Right so you have to just get into a good mental space where you can just basically just trust yourself, trust your ability.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:What positions are you playing?
Landen Wallace:I play catcher.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, yeah. How's that going for you in college?
Landen Wallace:It's good, I really enjoy it. Catching has been a passion of mine for a really long time being at the collegiate level. I'm learning a lot of different things as far as catching goes. Yeah, I'm really enjoying it though.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Are you following any like specific program as far as catching goes? Yeah, I'm really enjoying it, though. Are you following any like specific program as far as catching goes, and then like even your off-season training are you? Are you following a program a coach put together for you?
Landen Wallace:um, kind of sort of mainly, the main thing with catching is being very flexible, being mobile, because you're I mean, you're down there for nine innings and it can be very taxing on your body but make sure you're being mobile, making sure that you're receiving off a machine a lot, because with catching it's all about repetition. Yeah, absolutely. The more reps you get, the better.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, never know where that ball is going either.
Landen Wallace:Never know.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Okay, man. So how did your training in terms of intensity and volume go compared to high school? Like were you just like bam hit you all of a sudden? You know when they give you your workouts for college.
Landen Wallace:I would say they're a lot. It's a lot more in a shorter period of time, so there's not a lot of breaks. The weight's obviously a lot heavier because, I mean, everybody's getting older. You're working out with older people and you're trying to build muscle. It's not really like in the offseason. You're not really trying to like. You're trying to be healthy, You're trying to stay healthy, but you're trying to pack on as much muscle as you can.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Sure.
Landen Wallace:And at Gulf Coast we work out four times a week. We have one off week, but every time we get in the weight room we're getting after it. I mean a lot of weight. Moving it quick, moving it fast. Heavy weight.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Are you guys?
Landen Wallace:more focused positionally or is everybody doing the same workouts? It's kind of sort of the same workouts. Obviously, pitchers and position players, the workouts vary. Right, because pitchers have, you know, the mobility issues with their arm. They have to watch out for that because that's a big thing. Right, with their arm they have to watch out for that, because that's a big thing, but most of all the position players. We do the same lifts and then pitchers have their own lifts, but I mean they kind of vary.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Okay, okay. So any advice for, like, younger players who are about to make that transition? You know, obviously we're going to hit May here pretty quick with graduation, in terms of signing and things like that.
Landen Wallace:Probably spring is the time for signing, so you'll get to know where you're going what would you tell them for preparation?
Landen Wallace:It's a big thing, but I would mainly just say enjoy high school while you're in it, but making that transition, I would make sure that you're. Obviously your mental is good, your physical is good, and you hear this thing all the time don't take any days off. And you want to take your rest days, but, as rest days are very important, but making sure that you're getting after it every day, not taking a day for granted because somebody else, somebody else is not playing the sport that you're playing and they're not gonna be able to play it at that level. So each level issue, go up. It's. It's just the grace of God.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, or somebody is playing that position and takes it from you if you're not performing at your best. Yeah.
Landen Wallace:You don't want to take any of it for granted.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, absolutely so. Talking about, like, nutrition and performance, what role does nutrition play in your performance on the field? Like, can you walk us through your typical meal or snack before and after a game?
Landen Wallace:I mean, for me it was a bigger thing when I was in high school. When I'm in college, now, they kind of keep us on a meal plan making sure that we're getting the right amount of protein in, and stuff like that.
Landen Wallace:But, when you're in high school you don't have like that coach or that friends conditioning coach telling you what you can and can't eat, so you have to, like, make sure that you're doing it on your own. Me basically was making sure I get three to four meals in, making sure that my protein's high because and making sure that I'm getting enough carbs in, because I mean you're on the move, especially an athlete. You're always working, you're always burning carbs, you're always burning everything, so you have to make sure that you put enough water in your body. Water's a big thing.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Um, basically, just making sure you get enough protein and enough carbs in yeah, and you know I think a lot of people will laugh at me, especially my athletes, coming in and saying hey doc, you know, off season I'm ready, so ready for the holidays I'm like yo. It's just as important, if not more important than all season nutrition as it is during season Right.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, because now all season you're moving a lot of weight all the time, so you got to make sure you take care of your body.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:So you think, are you more cardio intense or weight intense during the?
Landen Wallace:season, during the season I'm more of, I want my body to last, so I'm more I guess you would say more cardio intense. Yeah, I would say so, it's a more. It's not like in the season, like I'm moving weight, but I'm moving a comfortable weight and I'm moving it fast because I want't want my body to be taxed out.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Right.
Landen Wallace:During the season. I want it to last all 60 games.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, that's a lot of games.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah, that's a lot of doubleheaders too, golly man and y'all's first game's coming up.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:you told me 25th. January 25th 25th of January. Who are?
Landen Wallace:y'all playing, we're Okay, yeah, so it's just right up the road. First game's a home game.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Nice Can't beat that. That's good, I'm going to have to come up and check that one out, man.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:So, personally, do you have any like dietary restrictions when you're, let's say, right before a game, and I don't mean like oh no, I can't eat that type of food? I mean like I'm going to stay away from that because I know it's going to hinder my performance?
Landen Wallace:I would stay away from any type of cheese or anything like that before a game. I try to just stay away from that because it upsets my stomach, but I try to just light stuff During a game day. Rice is always good because it's lighter on you and it sticks to your stomach. Well, Just different. Things like that, protein bars different things Okay.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Okay, Keep it light.
Landen Wallace:Yeah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, all right. Do you work with any nutritionists at the college? I know you said they have meal plans for you, but is there somebody specific for your nutrition?
Landen Wallace:No, not really. Our coach just kind of just gives us advice because all of our coaches play at the collegiate level, so we kind of just listen to them and our strength and conditioning coach, but we really don't have a nutritionist.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I got you. I got you Any supplements that you take that helps you personally.
Landen Wallace:I just take protein. I drink protein shakes. I used to take creatine and stuff like that, but I just make sure that I get my protein in.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, you got to be careful about all those supplements, right. Because, you never know where they're coming from. First of all, how they're tested. Yeah, you got to read the labels.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, man, and you guys specifically have to go with InForm for sport, right, sport tested, yeah yeah. That was one of the biggest trends whenever I got into sports med. What 12 years ago was you know, an athlete's coming in and they're like, okay, I can have this, this, this and this that's not tested for sport Can't have any of that, that. And then it got really big and now I mean, you guys really can't vary from those type of supplements.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, I know, like at the certain, like in the d1, like in the NCAA and different things like that, like you can't take certain pre-workout right? Yeah, it's weird, it's just pre-workout. It's crazy, right?
Dr. Brandon Hardin:yeah, it's weird oh man, maybe putting some something in there that's not supposed to be. You never know what about arm care and injury prevention? Obviously I'm not going to put you in a chokehold like I did, that one guy telling him. You have to tell him where you're coming. But where do you go for your arm care and injury prevention? I go to Dr Harding man, that's my guy. There you go, man. How did you transition to my office?
Landen Wallace:I there you go, man. How did you transition to my office? I was battling a lot of shoulder injuries for a really long time throughout high school and just hearing different opinions and not really getting an answer. They're always wanting, you know, surgery, a cortisone shot, and I was like I don't want to do none of that stuff. Yeah, seeing him online, seeing Dr Harding online getting a lot of good reviews, a lot of pro guys go there, I was like all right, I'm going to give him a shot, and never left since.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, if you notice all the listeners, I'll have some pros on the show, but the realism of it is not that my pro guys are too busy to come on, because they're not, they're lazy. I'm just kidding. My collegiate guys are typically in the developmental stages of everything Nutrition, supplementation, lifting. Bodies are growing rapidly yeah man and you're playing 60 to 63 games a year, and then your off-season, like we just said, is super important, if not more important.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, off-season is a big thing.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah. And so when I get these guys on, these are the questions I like for young people especially to hear and aspire to, because then they'll get the chance to know hey, all right, I can prepare in high school now for my collegiate years as an athlete. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. All the pro guys come on and they're like, yeah, you know, I got to buy me a new truck and got a signing bonus. I'm like, yeah, man, I need one of those too. No, they play just as hard. But yeah, there's something to be said about college athletics and obviously our pro guys had to go through that to get there, especially at the junior college level.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Well, and obviously our pro guys had to go through that to get there, Especially at the junior college level. Well, and you know, in Mississippi, especially dude- yeah, juco baseball in Mississippi is very competitive.
Landen Wallace:Absolutely. It's one of the most, I'd say, out of all the states in our country. It's probably the best.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Oh yeah, absolutely. We've got to hype, Perk up.
Landen Wallace:So the coaches at Perk aren't like I heard.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Dr Harden talking shit on that podcast.
Landen Wallace:Nah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:You know, Perk is great, but Jones is better.
Landen Wallace:Nah, that's okay. We got a whole new coach at the Gulf Coast. It's a different tradition. They're doing all the right things for us. It's going to be pretty exciting this year. We're going to shock a lot of people.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, I think so too. Now tell me, the baseball coach is newer to the college, correct?
Landen Wallace:Yeah, what's his name? You're talking about our head coach now yeah. Yeah, it's Coach Zach Allen. He was an assistant coach there for a while, great coach. Love that guy, coach Allen.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:That's awesome man. That's awesome. So how many years has he been head coach?
Landen Wallace:This is his first head coaching job.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:That's what I thought, yeah his first head coaching job. Okay his first head coaching job. That's what I thought. First head coaching job Okay, coach Allen. Best of luck, buddy, I'm going to have to come catch a few games and watch my dudes play. You know who's coming on the show tomorrow.
Landen Wallace:Is it Hambone, hambone? Yes, sir my guy.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, I love treating these guys, man. They'll all come into the office and we all just get to talking and having a good time. It's like for me being in college again, which is always fun, because now I'm just old, washed up and I live vicariously through y'all. You know, oh yeah, oh man. So well, would you explain how crucial prevention is to you in respect to how you play? You know, like, if you miss something, as far as your arm care or some type of routine, that you're used to.
Landen Wallace:How much does that? How much does that mess you up? Yeah, um, I would say like, because when I was in high school, you know, I pitched, I played both sides, I pitched and I caught, so arm care was huge. Like missing an arm care day like could really hurt me. As far as like tight things like that, um, I would say, just make sure every day that you stick to a routine, because if you can, especially when you're in high school, like I said, you don't have that that push. As far as coaching goes, everything's kind of on your own.
Landen Wallace:If you can build a mindset to where, every day going out doing your bands, doing your long toss, everything like that right, um, even position players, making sure that you get that stuff done, because it's going to be way more beneficial for when you get into college.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, yeah.
Landen Wallace:Everything's going to become a lot easier.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, especially if you already have that routine down, you know, yeah. So tell us about your development as a player, like what were some of your most crucial moments or experiences that helped you improve or become the player you are today, or experiences that helped you improve or become the player you are today.
Landen Wallace:So I didn't really start playing baseball really like organized until my freshman year. Okay, that's kind of definitely a lot late, more than other people. A lot of people play when they're young, yeah rec league and stuff like that.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, I mean I played in some rec leagues when I was in middle school, but like nothing like too serious, I was just out there having fun. But the biggest moments for me were obviously I was a freshman, I didn't start varsity, but I would always watch the guys ahead of me. That's always a big thing If you've got guys that are in front of you that you look up to watch how they play the game, watch how they do the right things. Then, leading on to my sophomore and junior year, is when I started playing varsity. The biggest moment I remember was my sophomore year facing Logan Forsythe, which was a Mississippi State commit at the time.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah.
Landen Wallace:And they told me my coaches hyped me up all year saying I was going to be really good, and then it all hit me and stepped in the box, blew 95 past me and I was like this is real, this is real. This is real. That's when I had to take a step back and really think about. You have to put all that hype aside. It's good if people hype you up, but you have to stay humble.
Landen Wallace:You have to stay humble If you let it get to you and you get a big head in this game of baseball, really in any sport, but especially in this game of baseball, really in any sport, but especially in this game of baseball it will come back and get you every single time.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, yeah. So how did that go for you in the future? Now have you played against him since?
Landen Wallace:I haven't seen him since high school but I've definitely seen a lot of other guys that are good, especially like me being in college. Now Played South Alabama during a fall game Same situation yeah, Stepping into the box Almost seeing MLB type velocity. It just makes you take a step back. It really does.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Does it hurt To get hit? I mean in the pocket.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah, you catch it wrong.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Dude, I cannot imagine. I bet it does man. How long did it take for you? Do you have calluses on your hand now?
Landen Wallace:I have some like right here but that's not really from, that's just from lifting. Yeah, that's just from the barbells.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:It probably helps, though, oh yeah, it doesn't hurt me as well.
Landen Wallace:Oh man, you get used to it.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, no, definitely so. Looking ahead at your future baseball plans, what are your goals and aspirations?
Landen Wallace:I'm going to finish my two years at Gulf Coast and with the new JUCO rule now, your two years at JUCO don't count towards your four years at a Division I school, as long as it's like NCAA school.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:That's right, four years out of Division I schools, which is like NCAA school.
Landen Wallace:That's right, but hoping that I go to like a low Division I school like Southern Miss, south Alabama, tulane, one of those schools. I mean, if Mississippi State comes knocking at my door and they're like, hey, we want you to come play for us, I'm going to be like, yeah, I'll be there yeah. But the realistic goal is to go play at a school like Southern Miss or something like that absolutely listen it up to him.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I mean, you need to look at this guy right, yeah, there we go. Have you sent any uh film, or is that a thing in the past? What are your thoughts on that?
Landen Wallace:um, I'll say this, being in college now. Um, it's good to like, I guess you would say, to reach out to certain coaches. But, um, really, in high school I was always sending stuff to coaches and everything like that. Now I'm in high school and I mean now sending stuff to coaches and everything like that. Now I'm in high school, I mean now I'm in college and I see people doing it to my coaches and it's kind of like you don't want to overstep if you get what I'm saying.
Landen Wallace:If they know about you, they're going to know about you. If you're good enough, they're going to know about you. Everybody's going to know about you. So it's always good to reach out, because some high schools go unturned, they aren't very good. I mean just like my high school. I mean we weren't great. We were okay, but we weren't great. But it's good. It's kind of 50-50. It's good to reach out, but don't overstep.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:There's a fine line.
Landen Wallace:There has to be right, yeah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Because you're not the only one in the film. Oh yeah, man, Like Landon said, you know baseball in the state of Mississippi. As far as JUCO is concerned, I mean there's a lot of a lot on the line really. Oh yeah, I mean you guys are getting picked up going to big schools, you're going to the pros. How many people signed in Mississippi out of JUCO to go to a D1 school Do?
Landen Wallace:you know, oh, there's a lot, there's a lot.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Numbers are high.
Landen Wallace:I mean I just know, like in the past, like um, when I was a senior at Gulf Coast, gulf Coast signed eight guys to D1. That's just at one junior college, eight guys. Wow, and I'm sure many other schools how? Many in the program 35 usually 35. Yeah, you carry 35 during the spring Wow.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:And eight of those. That's a lot.
Landen Wallace:That's a lot of talent.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Oh yeah, that's what that says, my gosh man, do you have any doubts or hesitations about going to the next level?
Landen Wallace:I wouldn't say any like doubts, but I would say hesitations, like just different things, like because everybody can attest on here that plays sports you always ask yourself am I good enough? Mm-hmm Like am I good enough to play at this certain level?
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Like am I good enough to play at this certain level? You know what that tells me.
Landen Wallace:That you're humble. Oh yeah, you always want to keep asking yourself, like just to put in the work, because there's always somebody out there that's better than you at what you do, especially in sports. Like there's going to be somebody that's going to for your job. That may be a little bit better than you, but you just got to keep putting in your work to the best of your abilities. Be consistent. Always being consistent is key.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, absolutely so. Was there a defining moment that made you realize that baseball is the sport for you?
Landen Wallace:I played a lot of different sports when I was young and I played soccer when I was in middle school and kind of just like there wasn't like that passion, that drive for it, like if something didn't get in my way, it was was always like I don't really want to play this anymore, but it's like that's every young person. Well, this is terrible when I started playing baseball it's like because, baseball, you fail at this game so much.
Landen Wallace:There's so much failure involved to it. So when I would fail, it'd be like I didn't get my feelings about it. It was just like the next they'd be the next game. Yeah, I didn't there in my feelings about it. It was just like the next A-B, the next game. There was no negativity with it.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Failure equals lesson.
Landen Wallace:Oh yeah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Lesson equals learning, right? Hey man? That's what it's all about. So tell us a little bit more about your training regimen. As far as the actual weightlifting goes, I think young guys, especially when they come in here, they're like Doc, am I too young to work out? And you know, even my high school kids, because there are a lot of high schools, let's face it, who don't have strength and conditioning coaches. Their baseball coach, their football coach or tennis coach or whatever, are the ones who are in the weight room and, let's face it, those guys, a lot of them, don't even work out.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, a lot of them don't. They're just there to fill the void.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, and some of those schools may not have the funds to pay strength conditioning. So what would you specifically, what would you tell these young people who have it like that as far as getting like a $10 membership at Club 4? Would you suggest it?
Landen Wallace:I would. I definitely would suggest it, because I was that kid.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah.
Landen Wallace:We didn't have a strength and conditioning coach at West Harrison. I mean, our coaches did what they could. You know they definitely got us bigger, they got us stronger, they got us faster. But as you go on, it gets to a certain point where you have to start training for your sport. There's different things, there's different movements especially with baseball that you have to train for. So I wouldn't necessarily just say go in there, just throw 225 on the bench and just start going crazy.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:That's what I do every day.
Landen Wallace:Yeah.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Just kidding.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, I would definitely say, investing in a gym membership to get started and stuff like that is definitely a good thing.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Now there's so many like ai you can punch in. Hey, I'm a 16 year old, uh, novice, uh workout athlete, baseball, football, whatever you know, write me a program and that thing's just like now. Is it good? That's the question, you know. But does it give them a starting point? Yeah, sure, so there's really no reason why, you know, young people shouldn't be in the gym. Now I'd say, if there were other conditions, you know, speaking medically, going on, then yeah, you'd be evaluated for it. But yeah, I'm with you, man, like, get in the gym, get geared up, make sure you get enough nutrition, and I know especially young people. Now, video games are huge and with video games comes red fingers, which equals hot Cheetos and crap like that. Oh yeah, bad habits.
Landen Wallace:Try to stay away from them.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, man, I mean because that's who you develop into right. You're like, all right, after this baseball game, I got to get in my game and then you're in the game until 2 in the morning I game. I gotta get in my game and then you're in the game till two in the morning.
Landen Wallace:I've seen those athletes too. Oh yeah, they're everywhere.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:So yeah, yeah, um. How do you see the future of sport, like the evolution of sport? Do you see, like we just talked about, used to you have to send film because coaches aren't getting on the internet yeah I know that seems like a novel idea, but it wasn't that long ago.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:um, where you know, athletes are sending film over and you do have to review it. How do you see the evolution of sport and do you think that people are going to continue to get better, or are we at a halt? What do you think?
Landen Wallace:The game. Every game, every sport is evolving every day. Like there's new technology, everything is coming in differently. I feel like the talent is going to keep improving. It's just going to keep improving because like there's different things that are coming out.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:You know every year about different sports right that everybody just kind of buys into yeah so I think it'll keep evolving yeah, you know, I had a pro soccer player on here last week, which which we'll publish his this coming Friday, but I was talking with him about how many resources we have now versus back when, let's see, I'm 38, so back when I played sports versus now. So, like my son, for example he's one of my sons is really into basketball. My middle son he loves the sport dude Well, he plays for of my sons is really into basketball. My middle son he loves the sport. Well, he plays for the school. He also plays football. He specializes in basketball, I would say, you know, as his sport of choice. So we have a coach that we've hired outside of school to help him out.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, do you think that keeping a kid two questions keeping a kid in all kinds of sports at a younger age makes them more well-rounded? Should they specialize? And the second question is do you see kids being on the injured list because they specialize in a sport too early on?
Landen Wallace:It's definitely a lot. It's a talked about question. Uh, I would say, like at a younger age. Um, I think it's definitely a good thing to get your kids involved in different sports because it teaches them different things. Yeah, um, now, when they get older and they start becoming more mature, their body starts growing, they start um, just really just mature all around. I would, um, I would focus on that one sport, like, sit down with them and be like hey, what do you really love? And when they tell you that, okay, let's pursue this, and just all your effort needs to go into that one sport, because in order to succeed in that sport, like if you want to make it pro or even to the college level, you have to put in that work.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, absolutely you have to. That's that consistency. Again, yeah, absolutely you have to. That's the consistency again.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, it's going to take up all your day.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:For sure, man, absolutely, can you share like your most memorable baseball moment in your career this far, or a person who shaped your opinion.
Landen Wallace:I would definitely say like I had a lot of different role models that shaped my opinion. Yeah, I would definitely say obviously my college coaches. Now I would say definitely my high school coaches and just my parents. My parents really have been really supportive of me always, no matter what I do, they really strive to give me the best life. As far as sports goes and outside of sports, yeah, that's awesome.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:It's so funny. You hit on that because, like I say, I had that professional soccer player in here and that's the one thing he said is that his parents, no matter what he wanted to do, they aspired for him to do more and more and more, like if he wanted to quit soccer today they'd be like, okay, why? But we support your decision.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, it's huge to have your parents in your corner. It okay why, but we support your decision. Yeah, it's huge to have your parents in your corner. It's always huge because not everybody is going to be in your corner. Yeah, but that's just part of life in general, like if your parents are in your corner, it's always going to be good.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, I think more successful people have a better outcome when they have people pushing them period 100%, 100%.
Landen Wallace:You know, they stay driven.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, meaning you can't do it on your own. And those who do, their mentality is just that they have to keep going. They have to be driven because nobody else is helping them do it.
Landen Wallace:It's hard to stay driven when you're the only person that cares about your career. Yeah, it's hard.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Absolutely is yeah. So what advice would you give any athletes aspiring to play in your position?
Landen Wallace:right now.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:So let's say you're leaving JUCO and you're going into D1. Who wants your position? Tell them right now what they need to get geared up and be ready for.
Landen Wallace:I would definitely say, as it's your uh, as far as the physical aspects go, get in the weight room, get your conditioning done, um, get your body right, because injuries can set you back, yep, a long time, yeah if you don't take care of your body that's right, that's exactly right.
Landen Wallace:And then I would definitely uh consider you know the mental. The mental side of it. I mean, sports is very taxing on the mind, so you always want to have somebody that you can talk to about how your day went when you were at practice or something like that. Like I'd sit down with my mom for an hour just talk about practice. And it really helped me out because it cleared my mind.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Helps you deal load for the day.
Landen Wallace:Yeah it does.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I mean that's taxing to play ball. You know a lot of people going oh, these kids are just getting to have fun. Yeah, it is fun, but at the end of the day it's a job.
Landen Wallace:Yeah, especially when you get to a higher level, it starts to become a job Like if you don't handle your business you won't be there.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Yeah, that's exactly right. You can't be first baseman and playing on your phone. No, and playing on your phone? No, can't be a catcher. Looking in the stands Nope, you know what I'm saying. So I've got this little fun segment that I like to do that I just started. It's called Rapid Fire, okay. So on these questions, I've got five of them for you. I just want you to answer right off the top of your head okay, okay, I'm ready. He said okay, I'm ready. What's your go-to pregame ritual or superstition?
Landen Wallace:I'd definitely say, listening to the same song, yeah, like having success with that same song, because you know us being baseball players, we're superstitious.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I know.
Landen Wallace:Superstitious, superstitious, very, that's what I would say about that one, okay, okay.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Who's the toughest opponent you've ever faced?
Landen Wallace:on the field Logan.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Forsythe. Okay, logan, if you're listening to this, you've got to help a buddy out. Get him up there and let him play with you again. I think that would be awesome. Go catch.
Landen Wallace:If you weren't a collegiate baseball player, what would you be doing? Definitely just pursuing my sports medicine career.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Okay yeah, so what do you want to?
Landen Wallace:do what you're sitting here doing right now. Okay.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:All right Well.
Landen Wallace:I can help you there?
Dr. Brandon Hardin:There you go. What one skill on the field are you still working to?
Landen Wallace:improve being more vocal. Yeah, communicate with my teammates, because if they can trust you and you can trust them, everything's going to roll a lot smoother on the field, especially with you and your pitcher. Yeah, you gotta trust each other. I mean your brother's out there. You gotta have each other back, no matter what yeah, absolutely.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I'm gonna give you a little piece of advice there too. You ever want to get married uh, One day yeah. Communication is key. Start now. That's one thing that will save you your journey as far as athletics and marriage. There you go. What's your favorite memory? This is your last question. What's your favorite memory from baseball so far?
Landen Wallace:I definitely would say, my first varsity game under the lights 7 pm, my sophomore year in high school. Yeah, yeah, it was a coming to realization like okay, it's starting to get real.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:you know, isn't that so much fun, man, when you're in the spotlight? This is your position, this is what you've been going for, this is what you've been training for. And you finally get out there and you're like look, I'm getting goosebumps right now.
Landen Wallace:Dude, it is there's no, there's no better feeling, no it's not you.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:I was doing bodybuilding and that's one thing. Like I had freaking COVID man and I remember those last nine days before I got on stage, I was like I'm dying, literally I'm dying. I'm having to do cardio every day. I'm still lifting, I have COVID, I have these waves of am I going to throw up? Am I going to pass out? You know, it's just like that in any sport without COVID. You have those same feelings you know, and then you get there and you're like there's no better feeling when it pays off.
Landen Wallace:It's glorious right? Yeah, man, Nothing better.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:No, I love that, bro. Hey, Landen, I appreciate you coming on the show and I'm just appreciative of your time. I'm proud of you, man. Stay motivated and healthy through your career and, like you told our audience, you guys listen, if you need anything, Hardin Sports Medicine I promise you you won't regret it. If it's something that we can take care of which are most things we got you if it's something that we can't, then we're honest and we'll tell you hey, we need you to go get this evaluated somewhere else. But the one thing I can guarantee you is that through sport it's ever-evolving and there are always going to be new ventures for young guys like yourself. And if there are coaches out there who are listening to this right now, you're going to want the guys I have on this show because they are very committed individuals, individuals and they work very hard. So again, landon, I wanted to tell you that you're always welcome here at Hardin Sports Medicine. I appreciate you coming on the show. We look forward to seeing you at a D1 school after you finish up with your JUCO career and we look forward to seeing you on January 25th.
Dr. Brandon Hardin:Sounds good, yeah, man. Yeah, man, uh, like I always say, you know sports is ever changing. Stick with it, stick to the plan, stay consistent and be safe. Everybody appreciate it.