Bob Tewksbury educating young players

Focus and flow…good stuff from “Tewks”.

When he is not at baseball’s rookie camp or working at the Red Sox’ session in January, Tewksbury is roaming through the Red Sox’ farm system, working with players who are struggling with either on-the-field or off-the-field problems.

“My job is to help the players by educating them on the importance of the mental part of the game, and to work through anything that is preventing them from playing their best,” Tewksbury said. “A lot of the perception of the players is ‘Why do I have to do this?’ It’s like dealing with a teenager. ‘What do you mean I have to wear my seat belt?’ Three years later they get in a fender-bender and they say, ‘I’m glad I was wearing my seat belt.’”

As long as baseball is played, Tewsbury knows there will be a need for people to do what he is doing. But if the day comes for another challenge, he also has that waiting at the other end of the baseball spectrum—working with former major league players as they transition from playing in the majors to life out of the game.

“Maybe that’s my next mission,” Tewksbury said. “It’s so difficult, and players go through various stages. A player thinks, ‘I’ve got a million dollars in the bank, what am I worried about? So why do I feel like crap?’ Who does an ex-player talk to about that? You can’t talk to a regular guy because he will say, ‘You’ve got a million dollars in the bank, I’d be happy as hell.’ The issue is about self-worth, and self-image, and having a purpose in your life.”

That’s not an issue Tewksbury has to worry about.