when he said, “it took listening to my mentors and coaches to learn how to work with different types of people and players to become successful.” One of the best bits of advice that Rosales received was from Coach Jim Hickman who said, pointing to Rosales’ head, “Do you know what this is? It is your filter.” Rosales explained further, “you need to learn how to filter out the stuff you don’t need and filter in the stuff that will help accelerate you to where you need to go.” The message Rosales left with Kutztown University students is that “every level that you go through gets harder and harder, but it is all about your mentality.” This, he emphasized, enables a person to get through each level and advance. “There are different techniques that may or may not work for you,” Rosales explained, “but learn from it and then move on.” As Rosales brought his presentation to a close, he challenged the KU student audience to work hard to excel, both physically and mentally. His words hit home as he opened the floor to questions. His experience as a player, coach, and creator of the Mindful Player resonated with students studying all different majors because it is applicable to all. Adam Rosales sliding into home plate. When focusing on the Mindful Player, Rosales records audio files for young players to listen to while they are practicing. The practice is meant to teach players how to reset their mind and body, monitor their breathing, and keep focus as it introduces them to real-life circumstances to work through. After fourteen years playing pro baseball, Rosales went on to become a minor league coach with the Oakland Athletics’ rookie league affiliate. Going into coaching mode, Rosales stated that “the goal for the next generation is bringing everything down to their level.” He explained that “the delivery needs to be simple and understandable when coaching baseball, and it should always be paired with positive reinforcement.” He knows that it is hard to be patient, but he stresses that a patient, prepared, and positive player is going to make a world of difference. Not just athletes, Rosales noted, but all people in the community can practice this simple mindset. Rosales addressed possible coaching interns in the audience to “keep your eyes and ears open, being observant of the resources around you, and utilizing them.” He confessed that it can be difficult to get along with some mentors along the way, but “their experience is valuable.” “Use patience,” Rosales said, “to seek out what they know.” Someone once told Rosales that just because he played pro baseball didn’t mean he would be a good coach. This annoyed Rosales, but he combated this statement
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