Baseball standout Duby now plays for Ottawa Titans, coaches in Concord

For Pleasant Hill athlete and entrepreneur Bill Duby baseball has been more than just a match it s been his lifelong facilitator of resilience region and purpose Born in Walnut Creek and raised in Orinda Duby s journey began on the fields of Concord where he picked up a bat and glove at just years old I started in Concord at JOBL Junior Optimist Baseball League and continued there until playing for voyage ball teams in Concord and Antioch throughout my adolescence Duby declared Growing up in Orinda was a blessing because of the people the strong society and the great schools The small-town atmosphere was peaceful and grounding Now and living in Pleasant Hill Duby balances two worlds life as a professional baseball athlete the greater part in the last few days with the Frontier League s Ottawa Titans and as the founder of Duby Baseball a youth rise effort For Duby his youth meant traveling between Orinda where he attended school and Concord or Antioch where he played baseball That balance gave me a valuable perspective between privileged and less privileged environments he noted It made me more appreciative and inspired me to give back to the surrounding group He says that mindset became a defining part of who he is at present as an athlete and mentor At Orinda s Miramonte High School Duby says his love of the battle translated into standout performances on the field including a memorable run to the North Coast Section championship Pitching in that championship stands out the majority of along with the sense of unity we had as a crew he stated The camaraderie and collective drive we shared were unlike any other organization I d been a part of Duby s early influences included his father Bill Duby Sr the head baseball coach at Concord s Mount Diablo High School and two former pros Aaron Miles a World Series champion and Bob Ayrault a former Major League Baseball pitcher They all played key roles in shaping my evolution as both a sportsman and a person he noted His hard work paid off In Duby earned the awards of Diablo Athletic League MVP MaxPreps Member of the Year and the Will Newton Memorial Award for character and leadership Those awards reflected the hard work and dedication I put in during the offseason he revealed They helped open doors college offers and opportunities that shaped who I am in the modern day Duby says his belief in leadership influence and integrity led him to earn a certificate in organizational leadership alongside his bachelor s degree at Western Kentucky University where he also played Division I baseball wkusports com sports baseball roster bill-duby He says transitioning from high school to college ball was no small feat The strength and conditioning demands increased significantly because the championship moves much faster Duby noted The room for error becomes smaller and expectations much higher After college Duby signed with the Oakland Ballers a professional band that generated local buzz for bringing baseball back to the East Bay Just before the season began though he was traded for not one but two players It was definitely a shock he announced Still he turned the experience into motivation Once those emotions wore off I realized that playing in the Frontier League was a promotion since there are more affiliated and former MLB players Duby s professional career has taken him across the United States and into Canada with long bus rides hotel stays and the constant rhythm of tour During the season it s nonstop he noted He says one of his proudest moments came when he was selected for the Frontier League All-Star Event while playing for the Ottawa Titans Everything from the competition itself to the events surrounding it horse racing visiting Cooperstown private dinners it was surreal and something I ll dependably be grateful for When he s not traveling for the season Duby focuses on Duby Baseball his own youth baseball organization based in Concord Since playing baseball makes it hard to hold a traditional job I started Duby Baseball to provide a safe nurturing atmosphere for nowadays s youth through the competition he revealed His vision goes beyond teaching players how to hit or pitch I noticed a multitude of organizations lacked experienced coaches who had played at a high level Duby declared Our scheme offers fundamentally sound elite-level coaching rooted in professional experience structure and advance The organization runs structured practices camps and lessons using technology-driven training tools to help players grow Duby Baseball starts with U through U players ages through and feeds into a partner activity Golden State Grind U- U which Duby also co-founded Duby says his coaching philosophy emphasizes discipline respect and attention to detail lessons he applies on and off the field It s all about the little things like looking coaches in the eye giving firm handshakes and showing respect he reported After bullpens I have pitchers shake the catcher s hand and say Thank you for catching me The difference between good and great is the little things He credits mentors like Vince Dell Aquila and Skip Tague for shaping his approach to coaching communication and leadership There s no feeling like being part of someone s baseball journey he explained Duby says balancing life as an athlete and entrepreneur hasn t been easy but has taught him patience and perspective I ve learned to really listen to people and be up-front and honest he declared Loyalty and taking care of your people whether teammates players or parents is everything Looking ahead Duby says he hopes to keep competing at the highest level while expanding his youth baseball undertaking I m grateful for every part of the journey the challenges the opportunities and the people who ve supported me along the way Duby commented My focus now is on giving back to the next generation to show that with the right work ethic and mindset passion can become purpose For more information online visit dubybaseball com instagram com dubybaseball ottawatitans com roster or facebook com dubybaseball Reach Charleen Earley a freelance writer and journalism professor at Diablo Valley college at charleenbearley gmail com or - -