Dan Novak

If you saw me my first 3 years in high school, you never would’ve guessed I’d end up playing in the World Series. But I made three mental shifts that completely changed my path — and they can do the same for you. Shift #1: From Winning → Becoming a Winner. Early on, everything was about the scoreboard — hits, stats, trophies. But chasing winning left me empty and inconsistent. The real breakthrough came when I started focusing on becoming a winner — showing up with discipline, effort, and integrity no matter the results. When you focus on who you’re becoming, the “wins” take care of themselves. Shift #2: From Uncontrollables → Controllables. I used to waste so much energy on things I couldn’t control — other people, umpires, outcomes, etc. All it did was drain me. Everything changed when I started locking in on what I could control — my breath, my body language, my effort, my responses. That’s where real power lives. Shift #3: From Victim → Victor. There were times I’d blame bad luck, bad hops, or bad breaks. But that mindset kept me stuck. The day I took full ownership — of my attitude, my preparation, my path — I stopped being a victim and started becoming a victor. Life doesn’t happen TO YOU; it happens FOR YOU, if you choose to see it that way. Those three shifts — identity, control, and ownership — turned a below-average high school player into a Big Leaguer. And the truth is… those same shifts are available to you.

Mountain Pokes are on the climb. Buy stock now. Jore Volk re-enters the lineup and is an immediate champ contender at 125. Returning AA Joey Novak is in a cleared out 197. Cole Brooks, Gabe Willochell, and Jared Hill packs a ton of punch in the middle of the lineup. Eddie Neitenbach will build on a R16 appearance in his true freshman season. @Branch9497 hopefully finds a heavyweight in the portal and could see him qualifying all 8-10 guys.