“The Neighborhood of Champions”

“The Neighborhood of Champions”

This morning began in the quiet neighborhood that surrounds the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas. Before the sun even thought about showing up, I was already walking. The streets were still, the air had that rare pre-dawn calm, and my feet found rhythm on familiar concrete—worn not just by foot traffic, but by purpose.

I passed by Choctaw Stadium, where echoes of old games seem to hang in the air like morning mist. Just ahead stood Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Then, as if to crown the walk, AT&T Stadium—the house that holds legends—loomed in the distance. I wasn’t walking with a destination. I was walking with intention.

That intention was simple: prepare my mind, steady my breath, listen to what the silence had to say. On days like this, when travel and transitions threaten to scatter your spirit, I’ve learned that clarity comes not from doing more, but from becoming still enough to listen.

Bella had completed her final day of Junior Team USA Camp the day before. Her teammates were already catching shuttles to the airport. It was my turn now—to bring her home. That walk was the last stretch of quiet before the joy of reunion.

We loaded up the car, said goodbye to the hotel, and made the long drive home. It was a travel day—quiet, reflective, ordinary in motion but sacred in meaning. There’s something about long drives that resets the soul. Maybe it’s the distance. Maybe it’s the conversation. Or maybe it’s simply the joy of returning to what you love.

Tonight, we’re home. Bazil and Banana are back at our feet. Barbi is resting peacefully in the garage breeze. Bella’s laughter fills the house again as she bowls strikes on her Xbox. And I’m sitting here, writing—reflecting on a day that started before sunrise and ended in the comfort of everything I hold dear.

That’s the life I want. A rhythm of movement and stillness. Of walking forward and returning home. Of mornings with intention and evenings wrapped in gratitude.

Because that’s the mindset of a champion: stay steady, stay grateful, stay grounded.