Hey, batter… SWING!!! The life of a dedicated athlete amounts to endless perseverance, commitment, and loyalty to the sport. You may not win every game, but it’s the small victories along the way that really make all the difference.

This week we have a special guest interview with college athlete and top baseball pitcher for Arizona State University, Khristian Curtis. Khristian shares the up-and-down rollercoaster journey he has been on with the sport of baseball, the impact of the mentors around him, and what it takes to play at the professional level.

You won’t want to miss this eye-opening podcast episode with our host, Patrick McCalla, and guest, Khristian Curtis as they dive into how the impact of his personal and athletic journey led him to be the man he is today.

The NO GREY AREAS platform is about the power, importance, and complexity of choices. We host motivating and informative interviews with captivating guests from all walks of life about learning and growing through our good and bad choices.

The purpose behind it all derives from the cautionary tale of Joseph N. Gagliano and one of sports’ greatest scandals.

To know more about the true story of Joe Gagliano, check out the link below!

https://www.nogreyareas.com

Be sure to like our podcast, share it with a friend, and leave a review!

You can also watch the video versions on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on the next inspiring and motivating interview!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnC2rjEumGJhqy54qazFFw

Connect with us on social media for more engaging, inspiring, and motivating content.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nogreyareas_gagliano/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoGreyAreas

You can also email us at info@nogreyareas.com

Speaker 1

History is full of older generations complaining about younger generations. But this week's guest on No gray Areas is a young man and you're going to want to hear his story. His life is about to change. You'll hear why. And he gives us much hope about this future generation. Watch. No more gray areas.

Speaker 1

Christian Curtis, thank you so much for being on the No Gray Areas podcast. I'm actually really excited to have you on here and the little bit that I've heard about you, you are proof to all of us older people that are a few decades ahead of you in life. You're proof that that we're we're handing things off to some really good people behind us in the generations behind us.

Speaker 1

So I would love to, in the next moments, unpack a little bit about your life. You're on the verge. This is what's exciting. You're on the verge of doing something that most little boys dream of. I dreamed of it and I worked really hard to get there, and I wasn't good enough to get there. But you're about to.

Speaker 1

So we want to unpack a little bit about who you are, where you grew up, your story, you're your baseball player, but then also tie it to the complexity of human choice and the power of human choice that we have. So, Kristian, first of all, you grew up where.

Speaker 2

I grew up in a town called Groves, Texas. It's really close to the Louisiana border, about 15 minutes east of Beaumont, Texas. It's the biggest town next to it.

Speaker 1

So you're helping us so we can find something about.

Speaker 2

Mountain Sound on the map that's somewhat close to it. Yeah. And so I grew up there. I actually I lived in Tennessee. It's called Inglewood, Tennessee, for about seven, right around six or seven years when I was younger. It's right in between the Chattanooga. Knoxville. Yeah. So it's like 30 minutes for me both. So And you.

Speaker 1

Were telling me you were in Tennessee because your dad's from there. Did having to do with music? My dad has he's, he's a musician.

Speaker 2

Yes. Sorry, he's a musician. He but it was for his work. I think he had an option. We could either stay in Texas or go to Tennessee. And we decided to go to Tennessee with because we had an other family there. So we ended up going back and forth a couple of times.

Speaker 1

But yeah, so would you. What's home is it's Tennessee home or Texas home.

Speaker 2

Texas is home to me. That's where I.

Speaker 1

Warnes Yes. Yeah, you were born there and then you were there from, from then on, from age.

Speaker 2

Ten.

Speaker 1

Until. And then you were just telling me before we turn these mikes on that, that the two small towns they actually combined for a high school, right?

Speaker 2

Correct. Yes.

Speaker 1

Yeah. So pretty big high school. You said it was five.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

Yeah. And then I asked you the question, which is interesting, because I'm from Montana originally. Oh, that's what happens in Montana. But it's mainly because they're tiny little towns where two towns will combine for sports, but only certain sports. So they'll combine for a football team, but not for basketball, which is really interesting because your teammates for one season, they're rivals for another one.

Speaker 1

But that's not your situation.

Speaker 2

No, sorry. Everything. It was all together.

Speaker 1

Oh, so you grew up playing with these guys in baseball and basketball, in these different sports, right?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. Yeah. Even I played for some teams. Like Houston is about an hour and a half from where I'm from. So I would play for some more traveled travel ball teams in Houston as I got older because I wanted to play like at some higher level, some some better competition and just get the bigger name teams. So it kind of helped get my name out there even more.

Speaker 2

And so that was kind of a little situation in the middle even my little brother's in now, so.

Speaker 1

Okay. So let me jump ahead in story a little bit and then we're going to come back because the listeners don't know the back to back story here. So you're playing at ASU right now. You're a pitcher.

Speaker 2

Yes.

Speaker 1

Correct. And then we have the draft coming up. And right now you're listed in like the top 100 players.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir, I am. It's just been a blessing just coming off these last two injury years and just having a couple of good outings and seen your name pop up like that. It's something that I don't really think about much just because I just want to focus on the season to keep improving, making my getting better, my game, my craft, my pitches, everything like that.

Speaker 2

So it's definitely something that down the road I'm very excited about and looking forward to. But right now it's just kind of something that I just kind of put in the back of my head. Just you try to get so much in front of me right here. Yes, sir. Yeah.

Speaker 1

But this is what's interesting about it. That's why I wanted to jump ahead in the story. So, so, so our listeners can understand you. You know, barring injury or something that happens, there's a pretty good chance that starting next year you're playing professional ball and that's that is so cool because you know, you know how many young boys or girls but you know where to do so to, you know, I'm a young boys were in their backyard throwing the ball, practicing, going to practice, dreaming of maybe doing what you are about to do, right?

Speaker 1

Yes, sir. That's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. So let's back up then. All right. So now the audience knows that's where you are right now, is you you potentially could be playing professional ball next year. So let's back up a little bit. So you're playing high school. What college was looking at? You coming out of high school.

Speaker 2

So out of high school I had some some pretty big schools offer me is kind of my in almost my tuxedo was my dream school to play at and so I had I was fortunate enough to play with Coach Childress was the head coach at Texas A&M at the time. I played with his son on there called the Bandidos.

Speaker 2

So I was that was one of those teen out of Houston that. Yeah, well playing with when I was 12. And so that already at that age I had a good relationship with Coach Childress, his family and me and his son were really good friends. And we still are to this day. Yeah, they're in Nebraska now. So after my there was a coaching change my freshman year, but so I grew up or not grew up but played with his son Max for a while and just we had a really good relationship and it just kind of kept going on until the point where I was going into my sophomore year of high school.

Speaker 2

They I went out to one of their they invited me out to one of their camps and they ended up offering me that next week. Yeah. So it was definitely I had my first three offers came in two days. So it was your.

Speaker 1

Sophomore year in high school?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

They're like, you're like 15 or 16 years old. You got D1 schools already saying, Hey, we want you.

Speaker 2

I just turned was I is before I turned 16. Yeah.

Speaker 1

So you're 15 then?

Speaker 2

I was 15 years old at the time, and that's kind of how my little brother is now. He just because he just recently committed to Arizona State as well to play baseball. How cool is.

Speaker 1

That? So he's fresh behind you, right? Because this is your this is your last season.

Speaker 2

Yeah, it it could be is or it could be if everything goes Yeah. How goes to the plan and just trust God and let that you know like him do is not like him working.

Speaker 1

Yeah. Yeah. Well let's back up a little bit on that too. So you bring up your brother where you have a couple of siblings, right? Yes. Are you a middle child?

Speaker 2

I'm the second youngest.

Speaker 1

You're the second youngest. Those are three of you.

Speaker 2

Four of you? Yes, I there's three. There's four of us. All three? Yeah. Not including me.

Speaker 1

Yeah. Okay. So you're the second youngest. So you have are they your younger sibling is obviously into sports.

Speaker 2

Where you're old. Yes, sir. My older brother was he played for he went to sit in there in college in Louisiana for for short term. And then he's back. He's back in Texas working now and but finish school. And so he's doing that. And then my older sister is she's got two kids and she's married. She has a eight year old.

Speaker 2

His name's Preston, is easily the best one of all of us. He's he's a freak athlete. Really? Oh, it's it's not.

Speaker 1

Your Uncle Christian.

Speaker 2

Oh, yes, sir. They call me Uncle K k.

Speaker 1

Uncle k k My.

Speaker 2

I have a niece that's think she's about to turn four.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

Yeah. Think about she does turn four. And so I, I love them to death. They're always, every time I come into town or they come here they're, they ought to stay with me. They've got to.

Speaker 1

Are they in Texas.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir, they're in Texas. All my family is back in that one.

Speaker 1

Well, in that area.

Speaker 2

Nature's groves, my area. And also.

Speaker 1

So were you guys, a big sports family? And then and then on on that baseball, Like, were there any other sports you play or you guys all ended and just going like, hey, we just play baseball?

Speaker 2

Well, growing up, me and my brothers, we all played baseball, basketball, football, all the way until high school. Yeah. So my little brother, he was a he played he actually had to quit playing other like contact sports because he's had too many he's had a couple of concussions in the last few years. And so so football was out of the picture.

Speaker 2

And he's had actually more concussions playing basketball than he has as he started. He was of this year, he was a freshman on varsity basketball team and for the baseball teams now. So really. But he had to quit basketball because he Oh, yeah, he's he's not a lot smaller than the kids. He's tall kids, probably six one 6 to 15 years old.

Speaker 2

And so he got elbow to drop down like in his head on the ground. So he thought the doctor said that was that was it for him like that was is Yeah. Last year right. Yes sir.

Speaker 1

Isn't that crazy watching your like your ears seeing this right now. I was an older brother, had a younger brother and you know, the age difference, you kind of dominate them for so many years. But when they start coming into those years where they catch up with you, it's kind of interesting, isn't that you're there now.

Speaker 2

He's getting he's getting there. He's he's definitely the best athlete out of all the all the brothers. So we're out of all of our siblings. So his yeah he's he works hard. He's I guess he seemed like kind of what it took for me to get to where I'm at and he tries to one on me on all everything.

Speaker 2

So I mean it's he's definitely he's in a very good spot and he's the hardest working kid I've ever met before.

Speaker 1

So you seem like you guys are pretty close family.

Speaker 2

Oh, yes, sir. Yes, I. We're very close.

Speaker 1

Yeah? Yeah. Why? Why do you think that is?

Speaker 2

I just think it's just our the dynamic of our family. We're all just love to be around each other or people. People? Yeah, everybody's a people person, so, yeah, it's. There's never a dull moment. So it's always. Especially my little brother. He's the clown of all of us, but it's always like, there's never a dull moment. It's always a good time with everybody.

Speaker 2

It's just, Yeah, love being around each other.

Speaker 1

So your parents must've done something, though, to. To. To bring that out?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

I think. Generally Right. What do you think they did.

Speaker 2

Just at a young age? They were always let me always around like sports, just constantly just driving us everywhere. And we they would we we never really had video games growing up like we we had like PlayStation and stuff, but we were never really playing those because they whenever we lived out in Tennessee, we were all it was out in the woods like we had a front yard, was massive.

Speaker 2

So we'd be outside just out throwing baseball, playing football. My dad would be out there with like everybody would play. So it was just kind of like a thing is like, yeah, like a young kid that, yeah, everybody would just do everything together. So yeah, that's just kind of what my, my family's formed. And just still to this day, like my whenever they can, my whole entire family comes out here.

Speaker 1

So you go, you go to Texas A&M, That's the school that you're you go to, but you get it. You have an injury your first year, right?

Speaker 2

Speaker 1

And we were thrown in 92, sometimes in 94 mile an hour ball in high school.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

Wow.

Speaker 2

But that's not even to this day. Like nowadays, that's not even really like there's there's kids that are on 100 in high school. Right now. It's unreal.

Speaker 1

Oh, my goodness.

Speaker 2

But that summer leading into, you know, I was up to I was there's a couple of outings where I was up to 98. And so that put too much stress on my elbow and ended up having some nerve issues with that.

Speaker 1

Was that before you even started playing for Texas A&M? Yes, I'm doing this. Okay. So here.

Speaker 2

I started.

Speaker 1

They they they picked you up. You're going to go play for Texas A&M, but you haven't even you haven't even gotten into a game yet. You end up having this injury.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. So I didn't have the full injury right then. It was I got back to I, I got a you know, and we did a little couple procedure, a PRP injection, just trying to calm that nerve down, the inflammation in my elbow down. And so they went in to do an exploratory surgery. They my nerve was swollen like it was.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I'm fine big time. And then my UCL just happened to be not fully popped off the bone, but it was on one side of it. It was just kind of hanging off the bone. So that was kind of there was no.

Speaker 1

Definitely I can't pitch with that.

Speaker 2

Right. It's they call it like there's no brakes stopping your arm. So in that case, it was just kind of just freak like it was.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

It was uncomfortable. So.

Speaker 1

Okay. Uncomfortable. Yes. I said painful. You said uncomfortable.

Speaker 2

Uncomfortable. It it kind of it didn't really hurt at the time. It just kind of I felt like my arm gave out. Yeah. And that was like the kind of cue for me that, like, there's definitely something up here. And so and on top of the nerve that the nerve didn't feel good at all. So that leads to the the next surgery.

Speaker 2

I saw rehab the back from that first surgery to find out that it was done, it was done wrong, and surgery was done wrong. Yes, sir. So the first.

Speaker 1

Year, how many months have gone by?

Speaker 2

Almost a year. So I.

Speaker 1

Even rehabbing for a.

Speaker 2

Year. I got back to actually throwing bullpens and throwing in game again last season my sophomore year at I know. And so I was one of our starters there and I threw five starts my first like my first outing before the season I was up to 98 again and each week I just there was a little drop in my velocity.

Speaker 2

So week one, I was like 95, week two, I was probably down 92, 93, week three, 91, 92.

Speaker 1

So were you feeling any pain at this time or what was the velocity?

Speaker 2

And I was, I was in a lot of pain like I was.

Speaker 1

So, you know, something's wrong.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. And they they put me on some steroid like steroid packs to ease inflammation. And so they it was my nerve. It was killing me. And so I was just like, there's there's something wrong. I can't I don't know what's going on. The doctors like it. So it's that's normal for this to happen to the nerve. It's still taking time to get used to it because they move the nerve.

Speaker 2

They did the nerve transposition on that first surgery. Okay. So it was they just moved my nerve from under my like in that little groove, the funny bone. Okay. They moved it up above the out of that little slot that typically runs through. Okay. So it was a weird, weird procedure because I did see it's hard to explain.

Speaker 1

Just moving nerves around in your arm.

Speaker 2

It's going to do. It's going to take time to get used to. And so fast forwarding to the second surgery, I or my last outing before my second surgery, I completely lost all feeling my arm. I lost. I couldn't grip the baseball like, well, my velocity was down to a like mid upper 80 miles per hour.

Speaker 1

So explain to someone that doesn't know baseball the difference between you said you were getting caught 98, 99 and now you're down in the high eighties.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

So some of there's no baseball. What does that mean to them?

Speaker 2

Like, that's a huge drop off because like my offspeed like my slower pitches at the beginning of the season were harder than my fastball was at the end of the season, like at the right time. Okay. So going from 98 to 88 is a huge difference. Yeah, fastballs. So it's right right off the bat. Like I knew there was something up as soon as I saw that velocity decrease that quickly.

Speaker 2

And so that led to me like at the my last outing, I lost all feeling in my arm, couldn't grip the baseball. My strength was there was no strength at all, my arm. And so they ended up I ended up having some nerve conduction test they like hooked me up to machine, like put needles in my arm and started pretty much shock in my arm to see like where the where the nerve was responding, I guess stuff like that.

Speaker 2

Speaker 1

So coming up on a year year ago.

Speaker 2

Yes they're coming up on a year ago. And so I went in for surgery and immediately the surgeon, they opened up my arm surgeon came out and told my parents, like, we don't know if he's ever gonna be able to use his arm again. Like there's something is his nerve is like pretty much not torn through. But from the first surgeon left sutures in my nerve.

Speaker 2

And so it was cutting away at my nerve the whole time. I was really good. So that eventually led to me losing all feeling my arm. And so they were like they they called in a nerve trauma specialist. They they got luckily, he was able to save the nerve. He pretty much re he put an extra barrier around the nerve to, like, make sure nothing like else happens to it, keeps it in line.

Speaker 2

And where it's going to it. It was like stuck in one spot because of the sutures. Yeah. So now it can move freely, like with the way it should be. Yeah. And so that happened. And they were going to let me come back right away after the surgery anyway. So they went ahead. And since I my UCL was perfectly fine in that, in that procedure everything looked good, but they went ahead and they call it a hybrid.

Speaker 2

Tommy John They don't really, they didn't reconstruct the UCL, they just reinforced it. Okay, So they took a tendon out of my wrist and put it in the elbow to just kind of reinforce and pretty much make it stronger. Yeah. And so that.

Speaker 1

Was major surgery.

Speaker 2

You go, Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

Now, so when you get out of the surgery, like he came out during the surgery and said, this is bad, right?

Speaker 2

It was.

Speaker 1

You don't know if he's going to use his arm again. When you came out of surgery, was it still like we got to see or was there a little more hope now?

Speaker 2

There was. There was hope. They ended up coming back out like later towards the end of the surgery was like he was able to save his nerve. There's he's like, we don't know if he's have permanent nerve damage or not. But it's there's a good chance he does. And so they were like, get the news. He'll be able to use his arm, he'll be able to pitch, he'll be able to do everything.

Speaker 2

So that was a big relief for my parents because they were whenever they came out the first time, they were freaking out. And so they. It.

Speaker 1

But you didn't know that he didn't tell you that?

Speaker 2

No, sir.

Speaker 1

Your parents told you later?

Speaker 2

Speaker 2

I got really sick. I couldn't breathe. I was sweating. And so I was just I guess or I guess there was the medication. The medication, my blood sugar, as they said, it was just because I needed these. I needed to.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

Use the bathroom. But whenever I did use the restroom, everything just went back to normal. So it was kind of a weird situation. That's the only thing I remember from like, waking up is Yeah, yeah, the way I felt.

Speaker 1

So you had to be, though. That had to be pretty discouraging. So you're you have an injury, you have surgery, you come back rehab for a year, and then you only play in a few games and you find out they messed up the surgery and now you're back to having to rehab again. And you have no idea. I mean, they're telling you it's hopeful.

Speaker 1

Were you pretty discouraged at this time or what were you feeling?

Speaker 2

It was kind of odd, mixed emotions. I was just like, it's just another step, not just another bump in the road of like my goals and dreams. So, yeah, it was kind of disheartening and kind of it was tough mentally getting just like, why? Like, why is this happening again? So I just kept praying and kept thanking God, just for blessed me to be able to play the game.

Speaker 2

And so I just kept working, kept rehabbing, just yeah, never, never had that mindset of like, this is it like, I can't play anymore. So I've worked my way back and fully healthy now and no pain at all. I haven't had any pain since I woke up from that first the second surgery.

Speaker 1

So really, So you're rehabbing everything you're doing. You're not feeling the pain that you were. You know, you said something, though, Christian, that I think is really interesting. First of all, I see that you tend to have a really positive attitude.

Speaker 2

You are a.

Speaker 1

Really positive person. And I mean, psychologists have proven that helps tremendously. And that's really important, especially in athletics. Just having that positive. But you also talked about having this this attitude of gratitude that you you you were just thanking God that you could still play, that you're thanking God like you don't know what's going to happen for sure.

Speaker 1

Right? But you're just thankful. Yes, sir. Like those two things seem like they had an effect then on you.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. Just growing up. I mean, my whole family is just my grandfather was a pastor. He pastor a church. He traveled all over the country with my dad when my dad was younger, just church to church, like. And so they went from all the way from California, all the way to Mississippi. That's where they kind of.

Speaker 1

You you kind of grew.

Speaker 2

Up in.

Speaker 1

A hearing about God and. Yes, sir. Yeah. Yeah. When when did you make your faith your own like you've mentioned a couple of things in this podcast that clearly you're a person of faith. Yes, sir. When did that become your own? Because I grew up I grew up to going to church. And most people that do, at some point in your life, you have to go, This isn't my mom and dad's.

Speaker 1

This is mine. I'm going to own this faith. When was that for you?

Speaker 2

It was I want to say it was my seventh grade year In seventh grade is whenever I am off to Christ, to my youth pastor back in Texas. He was like, we were very close, like really good relationship with my family. And he was on the baptized me and my brothers all together. So it was it was really cool experience And I mean, it was it was unreal, the amount of like support and like the family we had there.

Speaker 2

And so it was it was awesome.

Speaker 1

So, so you make that decision and this is perfect because this podcast is all about the power of choice, human choice, and complexity of choice. That was a choice you made in seventh grade. How has that choice to become a follower of Jesus? How has that affected the other choices you've made? And these last I don't know, what is that eight years of your life or whatever?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. I mean, it's been a huge like factor in all decisions I make. Like, as you know, I could go out, do all this stuff like a bunch of other people do, like party drink, and that's just not me as a person. That's not who I am. I'm like, I'm I think about my future before I think about the present.

Speaker 2

Like, I'd like if I could be doing something that could be bettering my future, I'll do that instead of something that could possibly harm it. My dad's taught me that ever since, you know, at a young kid young age, sorry.

Speaker 1

About thinking about future of present, that is huge. That is massive. You know, one of the signs of wisdom is that you don't have to go through experiences to actually learn. Right. You know, all of us do. We all make mistakes in life and we all go through experiences. But you're 20 years old. Yes, sir. Correct. And you've already recognized that.

Speaker 1

I don't need to go experience these things to understand that they may not be good for me right now. Be good decisions. That's wisdom. But I love what you're you're so your dad taught you from a young age. That is very important as you're making decisions or choices to think about your future over the present.

Speaker 2

Is sorry, it's.

Speaker 1

Oh my.

Speaker 2

God. That's definitely been especially in baseball, because like, you got to learn, like to listen to your body because that's they said if I were to get thrown in that last game that my arm would probably be done for good. Because then they said it could have been one throw, it could have been 100 throws pitches.

Speaker 1

Well, that's so interesting what you're saying, Christian, because you're not just talking about moral decisions, you know, and decisions of integrity. You're saying that when you were throwing you were listening to your body, you knew something was wrong with your arm, but if you wouldn't have paid attention to that and thought about your future over the present, you might have just said, I'm going to finish this game out or I'm going to.

Speaker 1

And you could have damaged your arm for good, right?

Speaker 2

Right. There was a big chance that I that nerve gets completely just cut and like, yeah, cut in half. So it wasn't hanging on by a thread, but it was yeah, it was pretty cut. It was cut through deep. Yeah. And so it was through that outer that the thicker barrier of the nerve and it was working its way to the center of it.

Speaker 2

And once it gets to the center of the nerve, it's shot like it's done.

Speaker 1

This is the nerve they moved.

Speaker 2

Yes.

Speaker 1

Is that correct?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

So I've actually never heard of that. That's so interesting. When you said, Yeah, they just moved a nerve. So. Okay, so. But you were listening. You were paying attention to that. So really, that advice that your dad gave you as a young as a young boy has has played out well for you in everything from your integrity, morals, even your physical health and and where you are as an athlete right now.

Speaker 1

Like, you may not be playing baseball anymore if you didn't follow that advice, right? Yes. Our attention. That's fascinating. Fascinating. Okay. So you leave A&M. How do you leave A&M or how do you end up over here at ASU?

Speaker 2

So there was some.

Speaker 1

Let's say here because we're sitting in like.

Speaker 2

There are some disagreements between what the coaching staff and the new coaching staff. You they wanted to do with my scholarship and with me.

Speaker 1

So they were, we say, new coaching staff because you played this guy you played baseball with his dad was the coach and that was the big reason you wanted to go. Yes, sir. Texas A&M.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. Okay. After my freshman year, there was a coaching change so that after my first surgery there was a coaching coaching change and this new coaching staff came over to A&M. And honestly, I was not going to stay there until I, I was going to enter the transfer portal and I ended up having to talk with the coaching staff and they told me what I wanted to hear.

Speaker 2

And so I ended up staying and honestly, I probably would have made a better decision, just went. I had entered the transfer portal, but now that I think about it, but it's definitely like something that.

Speaker 1

Led me.

Speaker 2

To joining.

Speaker 1

Right? Right. But it did. Okay. So that was one of the things that ended up leading you here. If you would have gone into transport portal, you may not be here, correct? Transfer. Yeah. So how did you end up in they as you A&M?

Speaker 2

They wanted to take my scholarship. They were pretty much calling me a liability that they didn't think I was going to come back as good as I as I was before. Pretty much just kind of making me. I didn't feel wanted at all once I heard like any of that. So I talked to my family. I was like, first off, my parents, whenever they heard that they were taking my scholarship, they were they're like, right.

Speaker 2

That just like you need to get out of there, you know? Kids. Yeah, Yeah.

Speaker 1

Did did you let me ask you let me pause you for just a moment. Did that give you any doubts or were you still like. I knew I knew I was going to get back? Or did you have any doubts when the college you're playing for is doubting you?

Speaker 2

I didn't doubt myself. It just put a chip on my shoulder. Okay. So it was one of those like those kind of things where, like I said, screw this, I'm going to I'm going somewhere else and I'm going to make a name for myself. And a.

Speaker 1

Little bit of I'll show you.

Speaker 2

Right. I'll prove myself to you. That was my mindset going into this, this whole portal process. And so ASU, the first thing they told me on the phone was, you're a you're an asset. So if we get you. So it was.

Speaker 1

Almost the opposite.

Speaker 2

Actually opposite of complete opposite of what I was being told at my previous school. And so as soon as I said that it clicked and I fell in love with the coaching staff, the school, the the guys, the players like, we've all gelled together really well. I couldn't have asked for a better Yeah, a better alternative. Like, not alternative but like a fresh start.

Speaker 2

Yeah. So it was, it was it's been awesome so far. And now that my little brother's falling behind me and that's.

Speaker 1

The coach is he's coming to. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2

The coaches said they want the Curtis legacy to keep on going.

Speaker 1

So nice.

Speaker 2

That's definitely been something that I'm going to be more proud of that.

Speaker 1

So when did you transfer to ASU? Like, what? Do you remember what month that was?

Speaker 2

July of July of this year. Okay. Yeah, sure.

Speaker 1

Yeah, just last.

Speaker 2

July.

Speaker 1

Sir. So I was on. And when did you show up here and start practicing with the team?

Speaker 2

We couldn't practice with the team until August, since like, when school starts, we can't do anything beforehand. Yeah, so once school starts, there's like, we have, it's called individual, like individual stuff. So you, like, you can work with your position coach. You can't work as a 14. Yeah. So we would work with the pitching coach just like it's called like pitch peas.

Speaker 2

It's just us pitchers fielding practice. Yeah. And so it's just us like covering bases, like fielding ground balls back to us, getting it like the easy, the simple place that should be made. Yeah, So we do that kind of stuff. But it was late August, early September, whenever we started, like for practices and stuff.

Speaker 1

So side question here, how did you think how did you feel when you landed in Phenix? Because you had you ever been here before?

Speaker 2

So I've been here once before. It was actually I came.

Speaker 1

In July or August. Like, did you feel like you showed up in hell?

Speaker 2

It was September. It was. It was September. Whenever I came here my junior year of high school, I played for a baseball team called Ibo Shield, Cain's National, and we had to turn them out. Here in Phenix, we're playing playing Forget which spring training facility it was. Yeah, but it was actually when I first met my advisor or my agent at the time, and that's what we had.

Speaker 2

We were connected before then, but it was whenever I got to Phenix that they saw me and they were like, All right, we want this. Like, we want this kid. Yeah. So that's whenever we, like made that the verbal dream because I can't sign anything until I, once I'm done, like with ASU. So I can't sign any, like contracts or with that agency until then.

Speaker 2

Okay. But they saw me whenever I was 16, 17 years old, and they really they really liked me. So I was actually came out here.

Speaker 1

You were on their radar for a while then?

Speaker 2

Yes. Aren't you, sir? And so I came to ASU for a we were here in Phenix for that tournament and ASU was playing Colorado and football. So we were and it was one of ASU. They were, they were ranked at the time. So we were like, All right, let's go. So I mean, some a couple of buddies on the team, we all just kind of got up and got to Uber to the football stadium and yeah, we watched the game and I was like this this is sick.

Speaker 2

Just like the scenery, the. Yeah, You like it? Oh yeah, I loved everything about it. So that was my first taste of ASU. And I was, I told my parents like that that night. I was like, if anything ever happened to, you know, my I know where I want to go. And so this was interesting.

Speaker 1

Back up and look at that.

Speaker 2

Speaker 2

And it's crazy like to see that how this you so it's. Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

Yeah, that is interesting. So you just mentioned something that's that's interesting, too. And a lot of our audience may know there's a lot of rules for you as an athlete, like what you can and can't do. And as a collegiate athlete. Right. But some of that stuff has changed recently to like the now.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

What does that name what does that same name, Name.

Speaker 2

Name, image and likeness.

Speaker 1

Yeah. Yeah. That's changed fairly recently. Right. Right. So how is that for you as you're making choices and decisions, you're saying that you can't even really talk to that, that your agent.

Speaker 2

I'm allowed to communicate with you. We can't. I just can't sign any papers for, like, your advisors. So they're not considered our agents until. Yeah, they actually work for us.

Speaker 1

Yeah. So to be done.

Speaker 2

With playing done playing college baseball. Yeah.

Speaker 1

And then you. And you sent them. Yes. But what are your thoughts on that? The whole Neil College athletes paid. I mean I know you're you're 20 you're not looking back on life with this right now. You're in the midst of it. But what are your thoughts on that? Because there's a lot of there's people think real positively about it and something to think negatively about it.

Speaker 1

My son and I argue about it all the time.

Speaker 2

I think it's I think it's cool if it's not abuse. Like, I feel like there's some ways that it's being abused in sports, like you see, like all the football stuff, Like people go into schools just for the money. Like it's my thoughts were whenever, like because I don't, I don't get in. I owe money here. I did it, you know, but I don't hear I was.

Speaker 1

So interesting You were getting at A&M, but you're not getting it.

Speaker 2

Here. Yes, sir. Okay. I was in it for baseball. I wasn't really in it for the checks, like each month, like in I or deals. And I was just one the fresh start. I didn't care about money. I was just wanting to be able to play and, yeah, put my name back out there and.

Speaker 1

Well, you know, and sorry to interrupt you, but Christian, you can I can just hear it in your voice that I didn't know that, that you had had that at A&M and you don't now, but it was clear from the way you describe this, it is just like almost a rebirth for you in your sporting career.

Speaker 2

Yes, I'm.

Speaker 1

ASU and how much you're loving it and the connection, everything. But you actually lost money doing that?

Speaker 2

Actually, I gained I got a bigger scholarship from an issue than I did, you know. Yeah. So my school, everything's paid for. I just pretty much pay for my housing. Yeah. And so it was. It was. I mean, that was that's huge for my family, especially the the cost of living here is a lot more than it is in College Station.

Speaker 2

So it was that was the only like, downside. Yeah. Not only even in the downside but they're paying less either way. Yeah. Or we're paying less either way of me here than I was there. So it was definitely I was getting money through and I owe there, which would help like I would help pay for my stuff. But I, I mean, it's pretty much it's going to be the same either way now.

Speaker 2

So then I wasn't really the reason for my decision of where I went to school and stuff like that. So it was, yeah, just really specific baseball reasons only.

Speaker 1

Well, and I hear you saying the negative part of it that you see is that some people are making a decision solely based on money, sometimes at a pretty young age then, right? Yes, We're seeing in the news now people are 16, 17 years old that are being offered all of these things to go to a certain school.

Speaker 1

That's a pretty young age to be making decisions like that, isn't it?

Speaker 2

Yes, sir. Yes. Yeah. Especially just based off money, because they can pull that is, whenever they want. Like an IOU is not guaranteed. Scholarships are guaranteed. But and I was just I.

Speaker 1

Didn't realize that. So they could you could make a decision go to a school. You didn't make that decision based on the coaches things that you should really look at. It was purely on the nickel and then they could just pull that midway through your freshman year.

Speaker 2

From what I understand, like you can't sign it and I'll deal until you are at that school. Okay? So they can promise you and I'll all they want. And before you even get there to that on campus and then you get there and it's not what they say it is. Yeah. So that's you. You'll see that everywhere. Like it's I don't know if it's I mean, I think it actually happened to a quarterback that was committed to Florida.

Speaker 2

Yeah. They, they promised him a certain amount of money and he decommitted and then you know, he's at ASU now. He just he was a freshman or he's a freshman this coming up here. So you see that happen.

Speaker 1

And it was the same time you had for a lot of years. You had schools were making an enormous amount of money off of players and they were making nothing. And some of them, you know, were playing and maybe didn't have good scholarships. And they're barely eating. They're eating ramen noodles or something. So it's like any any any anything really in life.

Speaker 1

It's complex, isn't it? There's no right. You know, when I worked with the issue of poverty or human trafficking or I think even with this issue, I always likened it to an onion. There's layer after layer. You peel back a layer and there's another layer, peel back layer, there's another layer. It's a complex issue, right?

Speaker 2

And I'm not I'm not against and I like it. It helps people out like that or any like the guys that you're saying, like that reading ramen noodles, like if they're able to get their deals, it helps big time. And so it's definitely something that like I like every now and then I'll kind of look into it just kind of just, just kind of see how the how like I don't really pay I don't pay attention to it, but I'll look and see like what's going on in the whole stuff.

Speaker 2

And just kind of because I know there's like some guys on my team that get in my own money and I'm just like, don't really care about it, does it?

Speaker 1

Does it cause issues on teams? Like if you have some players getting it, some that are does it have you seen that or.

Speaker 2

No, sir, I isn't causing trouble because they are all they reach out themselves and they get the deals themselves. So I, I could but it's just not a priority to me to reach out and like to get the big and I owe deals and stuff whenever I'm just trying to focus on like my task at hand, just get better and stronger and just keep going out and competing every every Saturday.

Speaker 1

So. Okay, so let's jump back to baseball for just a split second. Then I want to get into the complexity of choice and human choice, because you're on the verge of maybe having some things that are absolutely life changing for you and maybe generationally life changing for you. So I want to jump into that moment. But just back to baseball for a second.

Speaker 1

So you went through these surgeries, you felt like, man, I can play at this level. I know I can get back to this level in rehab. But you are now right. So you were talking about you went from a 98, 99 mile an hour fastball back down to the high eighties. Where are you at now?

Speaker 2

I've been back up to the upper nineties. I've been up to 99 opening weekend here. So it was definitely a bit like a big sigh and like sigh of relief to know that I can still do it. Like it's like I never, never quit doing it. So it's all and everything. It came back 20 times better than it was before, like the movement of the pitches.

Speaker 1

So it's all coming together now?

Speaker 2

Yes, it's it's, it's good stuff. And I've there's been some big league clubs that are like this is top level stuff like just keep trusting that it doesn't they don't really pay attention to your numbers because I mean, I've had a couple of rocky starts like it doesn't really show like my, my stuff. You know I I've had some issues with control the last few weeks and so I'm like Saturday I made a big, big positive step forward and threw more strikes, a lot more strikes.

Speaker 2

And so it it's definitely like small, like the small I call it like a small win. There's just like each week getting better or something. And just those small like achievement add up and the at the end, you know, it's kind of something that I think about like don't think about the, the past. Just keep building.

Speaker 1

Keep.

Speaker 2

Moving, keep building off the past, the the future.

Speaker 1

So you know what I wish I could do? I didn't play baseball. I played a lot of different sports times growing up, but never baseball. I wish I could just stand in the because when you talk about a 99 mile an hour fastball and again, some of our listeners, maybe you've never played sports or baseball, I wish I could just stand in the batter's box pretending like I'm batting and and just see what that's like.

Speaker 1

That's got to be awesome to have 99 mile an hour ball come in and just just got to hit the glove for the catcher in a certain way. Right?

Speaker 2

The just the pass is it's nice It's especially we have great catchers here at ASU so they know how to catch the ball properly that every time they do it it as that that's satisfying like the bang so yeah and it's it's definitely cool but there's there's like that if you watched that Nolan Ryan documentary or it's like the OC or some Netflix documentary.

Speaker 2

Yeah that's really cool that's guy the.

Speaker 1

Nolan Ryan.

Speaker 2

The fastball is like 100 miles per hour and like so it's it's definitely something cool if yeah if you're not really into baseball and I don't know much about the fastball then that's definitely cool Yeah. Documentary or nothing.

Speaker 1

Oh I can look that up. Nolan Ryan Okay, so the complexity of choice, the power of choice is what this, this podcast all about. You're going to be making some pretty big choices you already have, but you may be making some massive choices. What are you doing right now to prepare for that? Like, you could be signing a contract with a professional team.

Speaker 1

What are you doing to prepare for those changes in your life so far?

Speaker 2

Actually, I'm just trying to make wise decisions with my money. Like so whenever I if I do sign this year, just knowing what to do with it and like putting it away, not touching it like my girlfriend's dad played in the NFL for quite a while and so he's he's been through all that, this process that I'm going through.

Speaker 1

And so you you have mentors having your life really to helping you with this.

Speaker 2

Right. And he financially he did a really good job with the way he handled his like when he signed Yeah. So I'm a look at like look up to him in that aspect and get advice from him and have him help me. Like where I need to invest my money into like what I need to do to just for it to build and without you really having to touch it.

Speaker 2

So that's definitely something that I have. I have the assets and the the help that I need to in order to do that. So that's definitely a huge help for me. You know.

Speaker 1

You and you just interviewing you here, I've seen this as something that you've touched on a few times almost accidentally, but you've you have some good people in your life, don't you? Like. Yes, you have a good family. And but what I would suggest to someone, if you don't have a good family, you can still go find a mentor.

Speaker 1

But now your girlfriend's dad is someone who's mentoring you and you've had some good coaches and such an important part of life in decision making Isn't is happiness ventures in their life?

Speaker 2

It is. It is. Even though they're they're, you know, fans, my girlfriend's family, they are they are still they come out here every week and then I pitch all they all support me. They are huge. I, I love them death like they're they're awesome to be around And so so definitely.

Speaker 1

They're from Texas then, sir.

Speaker 2

Yes, sir, they are.

Speaker 1

Okay. Oh, Chris, you're.

Speaker 2

Made it.

Speaker 1

Worse. We are so excited for you. And I'm going to try to catch your game here in the next couple of weeks. So I know you already gave me a date for Turn the mikes on. I'm going to try to come there, watch you play, but really excited for you. And, you know, clearly just doing this interview and things.

Speaker 1

I've heard you're an amazing young man and I would just encourage you the little things that you've shared with us as an audience and keep going down that path. You know, you have mentors in your life, and I love what your dad taught you that that think of your future, not just the present. One of the dumbest things we do as humans is, is when we make decisions, not thinking about the future, correct?

Speaker 2

Correct. Yes, sir. Yeah.

Speaker 1

Yeah. So. And you? I'm excited about your future and can't wait to watch you. And thanks. Thanks for being on here. But we got to finish with this. I would do this for all our guests. It's ironic. We're no gray areas, but I'm going to ask you to lie to us. So the audience has heard you. I've been talking with you here for about 40, 45 minutes.

Speaker 1

Two truths and a lie. Now, I'm not going to be I think you wrote something down, so I'm not going to speak. I don't want to cheat here. See if you can stump us.

Speaker 2

I've never been out of country.

Speaker 1

Okay?

Speaker 2

I'm a left handed pitcher, okay? And I have a golden retriever.

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

No, I've. I've never been in our country.

Speaker 1

So I got it.

Speaker 2

So that that is. No, that's the truth.

Speaker 1

Oh, that's the truth.

Speaker 2

I've never out.

Speaker 1

You don't have a goal. You, the golden Retrievers.

Speaker 2

You have a go. Oh, no. So I'm not a left handed pitcher. That's the lie. So I said I'm a left handed pitcher.

Speaker 1

Oh, I missed that. I missed that. Okay. I thought you said I. Oh, I got it. I got mixed up, so. Okay. All right. Well, I got it. I failed it. I failed it. The audience might have heard you correctly and guessed right, but I just heard it incorrectly, so. All right. Well, hey, Christian, thanks again for being on here.

Speaker 1

We're really excited about your future. And man, just stay on the straight and narrow and keep fighting the fight, my friend.

Speaker 2

It's our Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you, sir.

Speaker 1

Incredible interview with Christian Curtis. What an amazing young man. The thing that stuck out to me the most was when he talked about focusing on your future over present. Take that away with you and we would love to hear comments. You can leave them below or you can email me at info at no gray areas dot com info at no gray areas dot com.

Speaker 1

Remember to like follow and subscribe No gray areas.