Reid Baseball

🤝 𝘽𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚.

My wife, Hayley, completed a 20km open water swim across the Rottnest Channel, from mainland Western Australia to Rottnest Island.

Open ocean. No shortcuts. Just preparation, courage, and commitment.

This wasn’t her first time taking on the channel — she completed the crossing in 2021, and I had the privilege of paddling for her then, and again for this journey — a role built on responsibility, trust, patience, and focus.

As the paddler, my job was simple in theory, but critical in ex*****on:

Guide the swimmer so they can stay locked into their rhythm.
Stay disciplined with the feeding schedule.
Maintain clear water and space around them.
Hold alignment with the boat navigating the path ahead.

This effort is never individual.

Alongside us was a skipper guiding the boat, two crew members managing feeds and support, and another paddler — Hayley’s brother Ryan — supporting a second swimmer, our good friend Jade, who was taking on the same challenge in tandem.

I didn’t swim the distance, but I helped make it possible — along with the rest of the crew.

Sometimes you’re the one in the spotlight.
Sometimes you’re in the role that helps make it possible.

Both matter.

Be a great teammate, no matter which role you’re in.

🙌🏼

🌊 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩.

Ocean swims.

Rock scrambles in and out of the water.

Beach and trail runs along some of the most beautiful coastline on this planet.

That was the adventure.

I completed the Trans Cape SwimRun in Western Australia’s southwest with my longtime swim coach and friend from Singapore, Coach Flo.

The course covered just over 27km — 22km of running across 10 runs and 5km of swimming across 9 swims — completed in 5 hours and 22 minutes.

Our former (and much-missed) triathlon coach Derek Cross used to say that SwimRun isn’t about rushing through the course — it’s about embracing the adventure and taking in where you are.

That felt pretty fitting out there.

So the day became exactly that — swimming in our shoes, navigating ocean currents and chop, scrambling over rocks, running stretches of sand and trail, and then heading back into the Indian Ocean again.

It wouldn’t be an adventure without a few battle scars — dozens of jellyfish stings and a couple of solid spills on the rocks that left a bit of flesh and blood behind.

And nature certainly made its presence felt too — fish, stingrays, kangaroos, and even a shark sighting.

What made the experience even more meaningful was the journey that led to it.

Much of the preparation happened on the other side of the world — sunrise runs in the desert in Saudi Arabia and swims in the Red Sea.

It also meant a lot to share the experience with Hayley, Liam, and Lila — along with Coach Flo’s husband Tet, who were there supporting and cheering along the way — and for Liam and Lila to see Papá chase challenges with a positive attitude, prepare for them with discipline, and see them through with effort and focus.

Moments like this remind me how fortunate I am to challenge myself in nature and share experiences like this with the people who matter most.

Sunburned and scraped, yet still smiling.





📸

🧠 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨.

Before the gear.
Before the session begins.
Before the reps.

How we show up — mentally and physically — sets the standard.

Confidence isn’t given. It’s built through readiness.

And when preparation meets commitment, it shows.

In how we connect.
In how we carry ourselves.
In how we compete.

That lesson goes beyond baseball.





Qatar Little League

🌍 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. ⚾️

A winter morning. Sun coming up.

Backyard practice — helmet on, bat in hand.

Father pitching to son.

The family dog nearby.

A ballplayer enjoying the moment.

I’m watching from the other side of the world — offering encouragement, an occasional cue, and steady belief.

This is how we give back to the game — investing time, showing up with positivity, supporting ballplayers wherever they are.

😮 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨.

A ballplayer I’ve had the privilege to work with internationally went online, found a baseball card of me, bought it, held onto it, and then asked me to sign it.

That card is from a chapter of my life — the Alaska Baseball League in 2007 — that feels a lifetime ago.

But the meaning of this moment? Very much present.

It’s a reminder that the game gives us far more than innings and outcomes.

It gives us relationships, shared journeys, and moments that stay with us.

I am truly grateful for this one.

🐢 193 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙡𝙙.

Jonathan the tortoise has seen nearly two centuries of change here on Saint Helena.

No rush.
No shortcuts.
No obsession with speed.

Just movement. Consistency. Curiosity.
And a life built on simple, healthy habits over time.

There’s a lesson here for all of us — especially in sport.

Longevity isn’t built by doing everything fast.
It’s built by doing the right things, repeatedly, with patience and perspective.

Move your body.
Care for your mental and physical health.
Enjoy the journey.

And don’t take life — or yourself — too seriously.