Benton Yaun is one of my former baseball training clients. He was 8 years old or so when I started coaching him through high school. He is a successful adult now. The relationship started one way, and we have remained in touch over the years. Today we are friends.
It is important to understand that before the word coach was ever used in the context of sports, it was solely used in the context of transportation. There was a horse and a coachman who stirred the horse(s). The coach was the compartment that people rested in until they reached their destination.
I am a Coach. I help get people to the place(s) that they should be.
For several days, Benton and I have had some deep dialogue, which allows us to learn from each other so that we can be the salt of the earth, and use our spiritual gifts and earthly talents to fight systemic racism.
Here are the three “Should Ask Questions” (SAQs) that he had for me today:
- From your perspective, what is the first thing we should change when it comes to the way policing should happen?
- Did you see the voter suppression that was happening in Georgia recently? If so, what are your thoughts about that?
- What would you like to see from small business owners when it comes to equality in the work place?
No. 1 — C.J. walked me through the history of how the police started. After slavery was abolished, the police were essentially created as a legal form of enforcing the same ideals of slavery. White people created the police to make sure African Americans were free, but did not rebel against their oppressors.
The biggest takeaway: Policing starts with the community. Policing should be representative of the community it is trying to police. There is no hierarchy when it comes to policing people and policing should not include superior force, but superior communication.
No. 2 — Right now, the issue is still being investigated. There are not enough facts are out regarding who is to blame. We do need to find out who was at fault so we can rectify these mistakes.
The biggest takeaway: Regardless of fault, corrective action and ownership should and will be taken by the leaders of Fulton County. If someone messed up and voter suppression was the result of that mistake, quick, decisive actions must be met with accountability. No matter the race, everyone must be held to the same standards by leaders.
No. 3 — Right now in America, opportunities are not being provided to the black community—not the same ones that are being given to white people with less or equal talent. Talent is something innate that you are naturally gifted with and you do not have to work at. Mastering a skillset to become a professional is done through repetitions and having the opportunity to fail. Growth comes from being provided an opportunity that you are not yet ready for, and mastering a skill set happens when you repeat that skill over and over under pressure. How can the black community succeed if they are not given the opportunity to fail and grow from failures?
The biggest takeaway: Small businesses must actively seek out members in the black community who have the same talent as their white counterparts. Opportunities and support from their leaders to fail are integral in the path to mastering a skill. The black community has not been offered opportunities, nor the support system. If we can pair these two together by actively seeking out the black community in our small businesses, we can start to forge a pathway toward equality.
To help keep your skills sharp, we have introduced a new type of Skill Build—our Virtual Skill Build, where I can help you develop hitting skills anytime, anywhere using anything. Check it out.
Remember: Intelligence tops being smart.
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C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an area scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 12 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and track record of success that can work for you.
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