Name of Business: Teamesquerra
Business Type: Baseball Academy
Location: Venezuela
On April 13, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, I decided to start my baseball and player development program on my porch and in my garage. I started with two young players, 20 baseballs, one bat, and 12 leads. Activating those leads, I managed to find eight players.
In the beginning, we did not have the freedom to move to a different location due to COVID restrictions. That did not stop me. I used the garage of my house, patios of the players, or covered courts. Any place became an opportunity to train.
At the same time, I could not acquire all the equipment I needed, so I made do with what I had at my disposal to train my baseball players. There were many things I was up against, but each time a new challenge appeared, the solutions came to my mind.
I was motivated by several things. I didn’t want to work for others, and during the pandemic, there weren’t many options. I’ve been passionate about baseball since I was a child, so I decided to trust in the Lord and in myself.
When I was old enough to go on a mission, I also had the opportunity to be signed as a professional baseball player, but I decided to be a full-time missionary. Although I don’t currently play professional baseball, I know I’m hitting many home runs guiding, preparing, training, motivating, and empowering my children and young people within my program. It fills me with joy to continue serving and be part of their progress and achievements, like when they are recruited by an academy or scholarship agency to study and play baseball. I love helping to make their dreams come true. In fact, several of my players have signed with the MLB.
Teamesuerra is about to turn five years old. There have been so many lessons learned. I feel grateful. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to learn otherwise, and I love knowing that I will continue to grow through these challenges. I have already changed my workplace.
I often share how the Academy’s 25 Rules of Thumb are for the benefit and care of my business. Being able to participate in the courses offered by the self-reliance program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been wonderful for my business, for my family (my wife and five children), and for me.
Without a doubt, I’m not the same man I was five years ago. I think, speak, interact, feel, and react completely differently. I’ve discovered I can achieve great things. I’m currently in a much more confident place when it comes to making decisions. I have no doubt I’ll succeed in creating a powerful academy for baseball in my country.