42 BOSTONIA Summer 2014 The Performance Enhancer

Bob Tewksbury advises Major League players how to keep stress Bostonia: You’ve been on issues where players the job for a month now. didn’t want to go at bay on and offff the field How’s it going so far? through the team Tewksbury: BY JON SURMACZ Things personnel—whether are good. I’m getting it was the employee to meet a lot of new assistance program players. I have had or the sports psych In this summer of 2014, there are many familiar several players reach program—for a variety faces in new spots across . out to me for support of reasons, so they In Boston, Grady Sizemore, a free agent veteran in this first month, and wanted to create who hasn’t played in two years because of injury, I suspect as I continue something in-house has made the Red Sox roster, replacing star center to see more teams and that would make sure fi elder , who left Boston for the New players that number the players got the York Yankees over the winter. may increase. support that they Also missing from the Red Sox program this year needed in the event is Bob Tewksbury (SED’04), who has become the What are baseball people they needed it. new (and fi rst) director of player development for saying about your new the Major League Baseball Players Association. The role? You spent nine years with role is similar to one he held for nine years with the People think it’s good the Red Sox as a mental Red Sox—mental skills coach. Tewksbury will help that there’s another skills coach before taking players deal with the psychological stresses of the resource for the this new position. Why game, hoping to improve their performances on the players specifically leave the World Series fi eld as well as their lives offff the fi eld. related to the psy- champs? A Concord, N.H., native, Tewksbury is uniquely chological aspects First of all, to be part qualififi ed for the position. He pitched 13 years in the of playing Major of a World Series– major leagues, posting 110 wins and 102 losses from League Baseball. winning team is some- his debut in 1986 at age 25 to his retirement in 1998 thing I had never done at 37. The tall, crafty right-hander was an All-Star How did the position before in my 33 years in 1992, when he went 16–5 with a 2.16 ERA for the come about? in pro baseball and St. Louis Cardinals. In short, he is familiar with the The Players Associ- something I will never peaks and valleys of a major league career. After he ation came to me. forget. The Red Sox retired, Tewksbury stayed close to the game, in roles They wanted to create are a great organiza- as a consultant and broadcast commentator. He a new position of sup- tion that values the earned a master’s in sports psychology and coun- port for players. Teams mental aspects of seling at BU, then signed on as the Red Sox mental have existing employee performance. I was skills coach. assistance programs, fortunate to be in Tewksbury works mainly out of his home in Con- such as drug and al- that position for nine cord, but he travels to major league cities through- cohol counseling. years. That said, the out the season. Bostonia caught up with him during Some teams have potential to help a and again in April. sports psychologists or greater number of mental skills coaches, players who may be but not all teams do. looking for assistance What they found with some personal or over the years is that professional issue was sometimes there are a unique and special

ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM McCAULEY Summer 2014 BOSTONIA 43 Baseball is not a linear game, where the harder you try, the better you play

Bob Tewksbury pitched for 13 years and worked as a commentator before getting a master’s in sports psychology.

opportunity, one that how to provide for playing experience or other areas that might was hard to turn down. the program moving your counseling training be issues for them. I forward to build in this role? think it tends to lean What is your vision for the support that we I think my playing more toward playing the position? need for the players experience will open stuff than other stuff, I’m going to introduce based on how this the door for me to but we’ll see. We’ll have myself to the players year goes. This is just do both. It will be a a better idea after this and let them know an educational and blend. I think there’s year for sure. what I do, and then the informative type of a natural tie-in with first year is going to be year for the players, playing experience What are some of the top a trial and see-how-it- and we’ll see how it and the relationship challenges facing players goes type of year. We’ll plays out over the with players. But I do today? see how many players season. think that once trust I think players face a use this resource, is made through that variety of things. Base- what type of problems Do you think you’ll be experience, players can ball is a difficult game. or issues come up, leaning more on your open up and talk about Stress is omnipres-

44 BOSTONIA Summer 2014 PHOTOGRAPH BY MEG HAMILTON OF RODEO & CO ent, because you are performance-based, What do you tell a player of time that’s a little 3 playing every day. I can tell them stories who’s slumping? We often rough. There are few “off- from my playing ex- hear the expression, he’s days.” The cumulative periences and work trying too hard—what What are the attributes THREE STRIKES effects of stress present with them to develop does that mean? of players who make it AND YOU’RE OUT themselves in various a mental game plan I think the biggest all the way to the big ways: injury, changes designed to improve thing with players is leagues? in sleep patterns, and their performance. that baseball is not a Generally speaking, 1 poor performance. Which is what I’ve linear game, where the players forget Players have With 81 games on done for years work - the harder you try, their failures and to learn how to the road, players also ing with the Red Sox. the better you play. remember their minimize their have to learn how to I have a pretty good So getting the player successes. I should failures and focus manage long-distance idea of how to handle to understand how to say they minimize on what they are relationships and that. control his effort level their failures; they doing well. family issues. Also, If the problems are is the first thing. “Why don’t forget them… managing social me- clinically based, I refer are you trying to do so but they focus on all 2 dia can be stressful them out. For example, much?” Get them to the things that they’ve Players have for players. That’s a player calls and talk about their goals done well. They will to manage something I didn’t says, “I have anxiety and expectations and understand that there long-distance have to deal with 15 and I’m having panic what’s realistic, and are ups and downs. relationships and years ago. attacks,” then I help help them to be aware They’re just mentally family issues. direct him to a clinical of how their self-talk tougher. They ride There are 81 Will you use your own resource in the city he affects their confidence things out better. They games on the experiences—mistakes is in. But if a guy calls and why. Then we work adapt and respond to road. you made or lessons you and says, “I had a bad to change it. Then the things better, for the learned—and pass those game yesterday and confidence is self- most part, and that 3 along? my confidence is low,” talk—what you say to allows them to play Players have to My experiences are then I can say, “OK, yourself. What’s the more consistently. And deal with the what tie me to the well, let’s talk about root of that? Is that consistent play over stresses applied players. I was traded. I it.” I think discerning something that can the course of a baseball by social media, was released. I’ve had what to do is fairly cut- be adjusted? season will keep you in something that two surgeries. I’ve been and-dried. The bigger My whole thing the big leagues. didn’t exist when through about every issue is, if this becomes is: we are what we Tewksbury played experience a player successful, how do you think, and getting the What happens to players 15 years ago. goes through, and I possibly juggle 200 players more aware of who appear to be at the use my stories to give players? their thoughts. Your top of their game one examples and to talk to I don’t think at any thoughts usually affect year and simply lose it the them about things that one time there will be your feelings, which next, and maybe never get I went through, and it 200 players calling affect your behaviors. it back? normalizes it. Players me. I suspect player I kind of work off that Put it this way, I don’t think that whatever calls will be spread out triangle, which also know if anyone knows they’re feeling, no one over the season and works in reverse, and the answer why, but 50 else has felt this before, will come from both get the players to be percent of the players ASK THE when in fact everyone veteran and younger aware of their thoughts who play one year of EXPERT who’s played the game players, although I and corresponding Major League Baseball Through July, has felt the same thing. would suspect the feelings and behaviors never play a second Bob Tewksbury majority of the calls and then tie in some full year. answers How do you plan to ad- will be from younger breathing, tie in some So this game is questions about dress such a wide variety players for a variety goal-setting, tie in hard. Sometimes it’s psychological stresses on and of problems? of reasons. Again, I’m some concentration because of injury and off the field at It’s pretty simple. The speculating. A year exercises, tie in some sometimes a player bu.edu/bostonia. problems are usually from now I may have a imagery and map out can’t sustain the talent on the field (perfor- totally different answer a plan that will help level needed to play mance) or off the field and a totally different them hopefully get MLB for any length (personal). If they are viewpoint on this. through the period of time. p

Summer 2014 BOSTONIA 45