With origins dating back to the ancient Greeks suspending conflicts to host festivals and contests of athleticism, poetry and dance, the modern-day Olympics have turned into an expression of patriotism and government, as well as culture.
“I have always wanted to do something for an entity bigger than myself,” says Max Clark.
Clark is a player on the U-18 National Team representing the United States in Sunday’s World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Medal Round Game that will conclude September’s International Olympic Committee-recognized World Cup in baseball.
Clark, as well as teammate Aidan Miller, who is appearing for the third time on a national team roster, explained to Benzinga that the Olympics offer athletes an opportunity to represent their country and personal values, on common ground.
Players participating are of the highest caliber and the physical differences are little; there’s a lot of meaning to the Olympics beyond the jerseys worn and physical performance.
As Miller says, it’s also a display of Kaizen, which is Japanese for continuous improvement. It is the dominant force that drives him, as “there is always something new to learn in baseball, even if you think you have it all figured out.”
Life Is Baseball: The two players are far from natural-born talents. Instead, they found baseball early in life and stuck with it.
Miller’s foray into the sport began when he started to walk. It was a “second nature” given that his dad was a catcher for the Texas Rangers and his brother a player for the Cincinnati Reds.
Clark added that baseball turned into a lifestyle “on the transition from age 12 to 13,” near the time he “switched over to the Indiana Bulls’ national program.” This provided “resources to get better at the game at a very young age.”
From thereon, it was “hitting” experiences with MLB scouting directors and “pitching” lessons with AAA relievers that helped Clark secure, by the end of the 7th grade, “two Division I offers.”
The Motivations: Besides improving their skills continuously, Clark and Miller draw significant motivation from family.
Miller puts forth that sports families, like his, make many “sacrifices” and are deserving of, as Clark puts it, “a dream life” with “no worries ever again.”
In addition, negative experiences are used as reinforcement and fuel to survive in the sport. In Clark’s case, “getting cut from the National Team at 15” was a life-long dream shattered.
Notwithstanding, he made it his mission to return and “play with red, white, and blue, … the only momentum you will ever need in order to win the gold medal.”
Miller responded in agreement with Clark, adding that his “only goal is to win the gold medal, and stand over the podium, hearing the national anthem playing.”
“That is, essentially, the only motivation I need.”
The State Of Play: On Friday night, the USA U-18 National Team fought off Mexico and won 7-5 in its second Super Round Game. It was “huge defensive plays by Max Clark and Aidan Miller” that “helped secure” the 7-5 victory.
Coming up, the U-18 US National Team is set to face Japan on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EDT, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.
When asked about longevity, as well as getting through to Sunday’s concluding games, Clark says he wants “to focus on what is in front,” with Miller echoing he is “focused on the now.”
Previously, the USA U-18 National Team won eight consecutive international tournaments from 2011 to 2018. The ongoing WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup is the sixth tournament held in the U.S., with the last one occurring in 1995.
When asked about what will carry them through Sunday, Miller responded first, noting that when he shows off “energy and confidence,” that will give his teammates a boost to succeed.
“I think the best feature of my game is passion and an obsession for wanting to be the best at what I do,” Clark added about his unparalleled work ethic, further validating what an unnamed source told Benzinga over a series of exclusive messages this week.
“Max Clark is the definition of 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% percent pleasure, 50% pain, and a 100% reason to remember the name, because goddamn everyone will know the name, Max Clark.”
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