MLB catcher, Olympian speaks on the 'mindset of a champion'

Former Major League Baseball catcher, World Series champion, and Olympic athlete Ryan Lavarnway took the stage on Oct. 23 in Schafer Hall Auditorium, offering Eastern athletes insights on succeeding in their athletic careers.

After being introduced by alumni and former student baseball player Glenn Lungarini ‘98, Lavarnway told a short story about landing on a sports team in the first place. In kindergarten, he was called to the principal's office for refusing to share. This led to a cascade of events, ending with his parents signing him to play Little League baseball as a way to learn about teamwork. 

His speech highlighted underdog stories of his time on various baseball teams throughout his career, linking them back to the central point of how he learned to take control of his own destiny in the field of sports. 

One of these stories focused on how he played for eight major league teams over his career, consistently getting called up when primary players were injured, then sent back down to the minors when they returned. This was a true testament to mental strength through hardship, teaching him the skill of being dependable even when it felt as if his skills were unappreciated. 

Despite the immense amount of adversity he faced, he was able to keep himself steadfast and motivated through one simple question: “Why not you?” 

Mental performance coaches on perseverance and mental health 

Following Lavarnway’s remarks, Erin Conner and Katie Wood, mental performance coaches and co-authors of "Bet on YOU Mentality," took a different approach to pursuing success in athletics; they acted as the “how” to Lavarnway’s “why.” 

The duo stressed that thoughts could shift and shape physical bodily responses and overall performance from athletes. 

The pair then hosted a showcase of mental fortitude, interacting with the audience through guided exercises that sought to expand upon the overall theme of mind over matter. 

One exercise had students control a piece of hardware attached to a string by focusing on their subconscious, causing it to swing back and forth and proving the power their brains have over their bodies. 

“This is just the power our thoughts have,” Connor said, “[and] we want to get your thoughts aligned with how you want to perform your best.”