Chris Bates sits down with coach Aaron “Apples” Applefield, a Californian baseballer who made Australia home. Now a coach for the Brisbane Bandits and Windsor Royals, Aaron chats to Chris about how technology and smarter coaching have reshaped Australian baseball, why culture beats slogans, and what it really takes to turn talent into a durable career. From Rapsodo numbers to bullpen grind, Aaron shows how daily habits, humility, and shared language create a high‑performance environment that kids and pros can feel.

 Aaron’s college story at Concordia University Irvine—featuring an injury redshirt that became his best classroom—highlights the value of staying the course, learning while you wait, and becoming the catcher pitchers trust. He makes a compelling case for starting at US college as the smartest route: world‑class facilities, academic support, and coaches who care, all while keeping a professional future as a possible option for the future. The keyword is fit - finding the right fit college for yourself and your odds of success rise fast.

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