Latest / CBN Sports 1-ON-1 / Ep. 7 UCLA Pitcher Chris Grothues
Transcript
- Will Dawson: Welcome to CBN Sports One-on-One, where you'll hear exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in sports right here on the CBN Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host, Will Dawson. If you're like most of us and you love sports, but you're tired of the dark side of sports culture, me-focused athletes, or even organizations that bow to an unbiblical belief system, we think you're gonna love this podcast. There's no yelling, no sensationalism, just great conversations with athletes and coaches who recognize that they're Purpose is bigger than their sport. But we had planned this episode this week, knowing that the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals would be underway. UCLA was the best team all season long. They were the favorites to win the College World Series, and they were unfortunately upset in the regional final. This is why a lot of us love sports. They're unscripted, unpredictable, roller coaster rides. And if you're a fan, you love the highs, and man, you deeply feel those lows. Well, this week we're talking with UCLA pitcher Chris Grotus, who has overcome so much in his life. Last year Chris pitched UCLA to the College World Series. Well, Chris was adopted out of an abusive family as an infant. And those dreams of playing at UCLA and the College World Series, they were nearly derailed. Let's jump right in. First, I want to talk about UCLA and how this was your dream school. Yeah, I remember, I mean, when I was about eight or nine years old. ⁓ I remember watching like some UCLA games as a kid, baseball, basketball, football. ⁓ and I was I remember telling my dad, like, I wanna go here. Cause before that was like Oregon because of the colors. ⁓ I was a big Oregon fan back in the day. And then it kind of just transferred to UCLA where I was like, Man, dad, I wanna go here. And he's like, ⁓ you know your grandpa went here too. I was like, No, I really didn't. And that came became my dream school when I was about eight or nine years old. And then going into high school, that dream was kind of becoming a reality where Coach Savage Started to come watch me as a freshman and I was like, wow, this is just a dream come true. And then right when he right when I got my offer, my sophomore year, I was like, I'm committing on the spot. Why wait for any other colleges when I got my dream school waiting for me to commit? So just going through that whole process and then actually stepping foot on campus my freshman year, I was like, wow, this is awesome. And then eventually going to the College World Series, that was just a dream come true, still kept my wrap my head around it. So I thought it was a really, really cool experience and never thought I would have been here or at the College World Series. Tell me what it was like to put the UCLA uniform on for the first time. I I thought it was just I still can't ra wrap my head around it. Like just wanting this as my dream and then actually playing here and performing, I just felt like wow, that's this is like just a God moment for sure because it's it's just the dream. I mean, who doesn't want to go to UCLA just not for the athletics part, but for the academics part as well. Getting a degree from UCLA can really go a long way. And I feel like this the The school's fit for me. I mean, this team's fit like family. I mean, we all got each other's back. ⁓ we do host bonfires, we do anything with team bonding. So I feel like there's no other team in college baseball where this team actually treats each other like family. And I that's really special to me. It's like having forty other brothers on the team and everyone's close, everyone's our best friend. So it's really, really cool. That's pretty special. When you were in high school, you dealt with some injuries. So much so that you were concerned that you might not, even after getting a scholarship offer, that you know, you you might not even get to live out your dream of playing baseball at UCLA. Will you tell me about that? Yeah, I remember it was junior high school. We were playing Birmingham High School down in LA. And I remember I was warming up, about to get ready for the game. I was getting ready for my start the next the next day, and I went to go jump and I stepped in a hole, heard my ACA heard something in my knee crack. I'm like, huh, that's a pop, whatever. Sometimes that happens. Five seconds later, I'm laying on the ground, like, wow, I just can't play. I can't do anything. And the next day I had to pitch, and it's kind of the funny story. Well, my dad, I told my dad the next day, I was like, hey, like, my knee's a watermelon. Like, I cannot play. And he's like, well, suck it up, buttercup. I'm fishing. Don't bother me pretty much. So I go up, I pitched, four pitches off the backstop, got taken out and go into go get MRI, and ACL was fully blown out. And I just remember like, wow, like UCLA is maybe not a dream for me anymore. Coach Coach Savage is maybe gonna take my scholarship away. ⁓ after not playing sophomore year because of COVID, now this year not playing again. I was kind of scared, like I was scared to call him and say, Hey, I tore my ACL. But he was in loving arms and said, Hey, you'll be good, you'll fight through this, you're gonna be way better than you are right now. And if you really grind in your physical therapy and actually don't take each day for granted, you'll come out on top. And I listened to him and came out on top and then now here at UCLA performing the way I do. Most of us grow in our faith. And so we're very different in college how we were in high school. And we're different post college as we than we were in college. We just continue to grow. That's generally the trajectory for for people on their spiritual maturity. Was it like that for you? What was going on in your life spiritually as a high school student? I mean, I was in the world for sure. ⁓ not doing going out, parties, all that, just not just living for the world and not for Christ. And then I remember right when it happened, I tore my ACL. I'm like, wow, like I just this can't be real. And I remember just going on my knees, like crying, like, Lord, what do you what are you trying to do with me right now? I've performed well, I thought I gave glory to you, which I really wasn't. And it was kinda like a reset, like, Lord, you can take baseball away from me whenever you want. And if you don't want me to play anymore, you don't have to let me play anymore. And Just praying about it and got through got through it and it really that first injury was like a wake up call to have my foundation in Christ and just live by his word daily. And it was an like I said, a total reset and then from then on it was like, All right, Lord, you can give and you can also take away and you can open doors and close doors. So that mindset for me was really, really special to me. That's a great perspective. When you When your coach, when you called UCLA and you told him about your knee injury and you said you were scared, you know, it's possible that dream could have ended. It sounds like maybe you prayed through that. And what was your response when he said, Hey man, we still we still want you here? Yeah, right before my parents actually told me to call ⁓ I was scared. And they're like, Well, just pray about it before you call him. And I prayed, I was like, Lord, just give me the words to say and Whatever whatever happens, I know it's for you. It's for your glory. And if that's not playing baseball anymore, it's not playing baseball. Just give me the strength and courage just to talk to Coach Savage and not be scared and just tell him up front what happened. And I called him and he was calm. He was like, Hey, you're gonna get through this, you're fine. And sure enough, I was. So going through that first cause that was my my first f actual phone call with him. So it was kinda like scary. I don't know like how he was, but he's a loyal guy. I mean There's no one like him. He's a very loyal coach, and that's why I play for him. And considering and thinking about the entirety of your career at UCLA so far, you still have two years? I still have two years left. So so in your sophomore season, you go to the college world series, correct? Yes. What was your freshman year like ⁓ as far as growth and maturity and your faith and and and with your teammate before we your teammates before we get to the special season? Yes, I remember walking into UCLA my freshman year. You know, I was doing well and then didn't pitch until the last game of the season. And that was just a kind of like a downfall for me because I like, Well, am I good enough to even be here anymore? And I remember getting sent the summer ball and then tore my ace tore my UCL and my got Tommy John. And that was like a total reset. Well, co is Coach Savage just gonna kick me off the team or what is he gonna do? And everyone on this team supported me, whether that was, you know, Saying, hey, you'll be all right, whether to give me Bible verses like a couple of the guys did, and that helped me get me through it. And then going in for a redshirt sophomore season like like this year, never thought up would ever happen to me. And if it wasn't for the Lord and the support of my teammates, I would not be here right now. So you pitch the last game of the season, freshman season, ⁓ you're injured, and then you come back this past year and have the most amazing ⁓ a amazing season that you could imagine. It it's the top of the top, the pinnacle for anyone who's who's played college baseball. Tell me what that was like, both on the field and then tell me what it was like for you also spiritually as well. Yeah, on the field, I mean this year I wasn't pitching much until about second week I pitch, third week I pitch against Maryland. And then on a Tuesday night round when we're about about to play UCI, ⁓ I was warming up in the bullpen, about to get ready to the game, heard my meniscus pop again. And I was like, gosh, you gotta be kidding me. I told Coach Savage, hey, give me five minutes, this happens a lot. Whatever. Five minutes go by, can't do it, can't land on it. Remember going up to training room, training was like, Hey, you'll be all right. And within I get my surgery a week after, and then three weeks after that I was playing again. And then a couple other guys started going down. So that kinda gave me the opportunity to prove myself. And then from then on, from March from April first to end of the season, I was pitching twice a week, which I never would have thought. And it was just the Lord just opening doors. Yeah, he closed the door to start, you know, and then three weeks later he gives me a gives me a bullpen roll as, you know, a long relief guy. So that was kind of cool. And then spiritually I just remember, you know, right when the my torment meniscus, I was like, man, like I'm thinking just gonna hang up the cleats. I'm injury guy. Back to back years where I'm getting injured. I just wanna stop at this point. And then from a couple of guys from my team, like Cash Duggar and Landon Stump, who Cash is a catcher. Landon's one of our starting pitchers. They told me, Hey, you'll be all right. Pray about it. They gave me Proverbs 3, 5 and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, only not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he'll make straight your path. So I kind of just took that and I was actually reading it. And it's like, Lord, like, I trust you. Whatever's going on, I trust you. I'm giving everything to you. Just help me get through this injury. And he did. And then since I honored him, he honored me by giving me one of the one of the bullpen jobs and I loved it. I just couldn't ask for a better dream and then eventually getting a pitch in front of thirty thousand people. I mean, that was just a really dream come true. What is the typical recovery time for a meniscus tear, surgery, all of that? So they told me originally six six months. And then I was like, I need to go to another doctor. I really want to play this season. Just see what another doctor has to say. And I went to another doctor, so he's like, hey, you can either just cut it out and it'll be six weeks, or we can try to repair it and it won't be good as new, probably. And you can take that risk for six months. But I would recommend just cutting it out and be back in six weeks. And I was like, I'll do that one. I don't, he's like, but the only downside is you'll have knee sur you'll have like knee pain when you're like 40 and 50. I said, I don't care. I don't care. I'm but I'm playing baseball right now. Might as well just live up to the best. And if I have knee pain when I'm 40, I have knee pain when I'm 40. I get to say I put pitched in a College World Series. I, you know, I had a bunch of accomplishments at UCLA, so I might as well just keep going. And then that six weeks turned into three weeks. And my trainers are like, hey, there's no way you can get this done in three weeks. And I said, yeah, what pretty much watch me. Like, you don't know my work ethic. Got it done in three weeks, and three weeks to the day, I'm pitching like here on a Friday night against Washington. And I was like, wow, this is awesome. Like my work really paid off and never looked back on it. And you attribute that also to God speeding it up, the healing and all of that. Hundred percent, 'cause they didn't think I was gonna come back and with the Lord and then actually training hard in the physical therapy room, whether that was three hours a day or six hours a day, I was in there trying to get better and trying to prove everyone else wrong. And the Lord helped me do that. Let's let's back up to little Chris now. So ⁓ you know, one thing I actually talked to Aaron Judge about this, asking him because he was adopted as well. saying that the Bible is full of adoption imagery, does it help you understand God's love more knowing that you weren't part of his family and he brought you in, considering your own background? Hundred percent. I mean, yeah, I remember my parents telling me as a kid, yeah, you're adopted, you know, now growing up with him and told me I was in a grew up in a bad household and you know, I had abusive parents, you know. My birth mother lost custody of me and had to give me up for adoption. My grandma calls my mom now and she's like, Hey, we got a kid on the way, do you want him? And my mom's like a hundred percent Lord's answering prayers and going down the line, you know, my parents were telling me about adoption, like what the Bible says about adoption and what it really says is, you know, when you become born again, you're adopted into Christ's family. And that really hit me. And I just like I remember I remember telling my mom when I was seven, I I want a brother. And Sure enough, like a week later, she's like, pray about it. A week later goes by, get a get a phone call from one of my mom's friends. It's like, hey, we got a another kid in Lansing, Michigan. Like, do you want him? And I was like, this can't be real. And sure enough, it's real. We went to go get them from Michigan. We're seven years apart and now we both live together and just do brotherly things together. So I think that's really, really cool. I love that you have a better understanding of what God's family looks like. It doesn't necessarily have to be flesh and blood, but you're you're brought together by by your relationship to and your your partnership with with Christ. 100%. And looking back, how old were you when you were adopted? I was about one. Okay. So you don't have much memory of the house that you were in? Not much. All I really know is I had four sisters and a brother and they all moved out of that house because and it was an abuse of family. So right when they turned 18, they moved out, couldn't stand him anymore as as I was told. And then my brother, I don't know what he's doing now. But the only person I keep contact with is my middle sister that actually reaches out. And she's a Christ follower now. She loves Jesus. So I think that's really cool as the other three sisters are calling kind of falling down the wrong path per se. But I'm glad I at least have one person in that family that I can talk to just any about anything with, whether that's the adoption process I went through or how bad the family was. So I think that's really cool. And then You know, now living with my brother full time has really, really been cool. My oldest son was three years old. ⁓ my wife was married previously and he his his biological dad was in he was in a really bad situation. And so I ended up adopting him right after he turned four years old. He doesn't he was one and a half when he was removed from that situation. So he doesn't have like you more than likely doesn't have a a lot of memories, just kinda like shadows and that sort of thing. ⁓ But there have been times in his life where he starts, it's easy now to look back and be like, I'm in a great situation. God bless me with the family that he blessed me with. I couldn't be happier. However, there's still like this lingering, like, why? Why did that happen? And just being a human, like what was it about me that, you know, you cared more about the other things going on in your life? Is that true in your life as well? I would say yeah, a hundred percent. I mean I mean you hit on the head but everything you said is basically what I went through. So I don't I mean I don't remember much, but just the stories I've been told, it's like, wow, God saved me and whether I don't know where I'd be if I was still in that family. I mean I wouldn't be here for sure. no shot and not just the Lord just bring me a new family. And I really don't take that for granted every day because I would not be here if it weren't for him. He adopted me into a Christ loving family and then seven years later getting have a brother so I wasn't lonely. I mean now I mean now looking back on it, it's like every day's a blessing. Whether I perform well on the field or not, or whether you know, I strike out three hitters or, you know, off seven runs in an inning or whatever that is, I mean, I'm just blessed to be here. I I really love it here. And Try to not take any day for granted. You're a young guy, you've got your whole future in front of you, but the amount of bumps and I guess even a roller coaster ride that you've been on this journey of playing baseball, what what does your story tell you about God's faithfulness to you? I mean, he's really faithful. I mean, I remember reading the book of Job not too long ago. And just reading how, you know, Job had everything. He had everything, he had money, and then, you know, Satan or God allowing Satan just to take everything away at one point. And that I feel like that kinda relates to me where, you know, Tommy John for sixteen months, Meniscus, I mean every baseball was taken away from me. And then God restored it plentyfold. And I mean, Joe Job had as much money as he ever wanted after that, gave him oxen, gave him everything. And really blessed him and I feel like he's blessed me kind of that same way where yeah he took everything away from me for a year and a half, two years of my life. But then he had the bigger plan for me and not just pitching here, but pitching in a College World Series and sharing my f my testimony in front of thousands of viewers that were watching on social media. So can't make that up. And he had all that planned out for a reason, like Jeremiah 29, 11 says. I mean, for I know the plans I have for you declares alert, plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope in a future. So kind of just looking through that and really applying that to my life where if something's not really going my way, I just look to that and like, you know what, God, your plans are better than mine. I'm just gonna trust you through the process. This stadium is beautiful. ⁓ and playing here, like you said, is a dream come true. But there's something different about stepping out onto Charles Schwab field in Omaha. Just kind of take me through what that meant to you, not just to walk out into the field and look around, but man being getting the call ⁓ from your coach to come out and take the mound in the w in the college world series. Yeah, I remember like Thursday at practice or Friday, one of those days we practicing on the field and we're walking through the stadium, through the clubhouse underground. I was like, ⁓ this is cool, whatever. And then just stepping foot on Charles Schwab, I was like, wow, I made it. Like this is what I wanted for The longest time I remember, 15 years or whatever it's been, and then getting a random text from my dad's friend where he's like, Hey, look, a 2015 picture of you in Omaha with your teammates watching a College World Series. And you know, I had a little College World Series shirt on, repping all the teams, you know, been wanting to go here. Sure enough, it happened and that dream became reality. And then pitching in front of 30,000 people, and then I was warming up against LSU. And I remember I'm about to go in and he called my name. He's like Goose, which is my nickname, hey, you're in. And going out of the bullpen, I took a second, like, just to look around, I was like, Wow, this is unreal. Like I cannot write this up myself if I wanted to. And pitching in front of L SU and then striking out the side against L SU. I was like, Wow, this is just unbelievable. And then just do that and then to for their for there to be them na the national champions, I mean Kinda cool. You've got another year coming up. I mean, with the team that you feel like you've got a good chance possibly to go back. In your biological family, are is there anybody that you know of that was an athlete? No. And so it's interesting that May maybe one. Okay. I think one. His name was Patrick Green. He played with the he played in Triple A for the Angels. But that's about it. Okay. The only person I can think of. But other than that, nothing. In consideration of what your future holds, ⁓ I would say one of two things. You're either gonna make it happen, you're gonna make it to the big leagues, and God is gonna be faithful and continuing to give you the desires of your heart in that regard. And maybe ministry comes along with that, or or it doesn't happen. ⁓ maybe, you know, hopefully hopefully injury doesn't continue to plague you. ⁓ but but who knows what the future holds. He knows what the future holds. What does your relationship with Jesus mean to you regardless of what that future is. It means everything to me. I mean I've one thing that's really helped shape my growth in Christianity is going to FCA. FCA is a fellowship of Christian athletes for people that don't know and kind of just, you know, not only thinking about baseball, it's shaping shaping your role in Christ and your faith in Christ. And not only on the field but off the field as well. And I just remember going to some camps this last summer to just coach and Just coach these little kids and you know, just seeing the smiles on their faces, the broken homes they're in, ⁓ and really get to share my testimony with them in the PG version, of course, because a a lot of people are go kinda going through that broken home aspect and just seeing the smiles on their faces and you would never know they're going through that. And then they're straight up with you. And the one family that really helped me grow in my faith, besides my family, is they're the Bush family, and they're really They they've took me in like I'm their sec like their fifth kid and they really like a kind of like they say they adopted me 'cause I mean it's they said they adopted me because I mean the way that I was like being a role model to their kids. And, you know, I just got I just went to the beach with them last week. Like that's really helped my faith journey too. Cause they always are telling me, Hey, baseball is a fun game, but it can be a terrible god. And So like God had set all these obstacles in your life to not only grow you as a person, but to grow you to grow your faith and just kind of shape he's molding and shaping your life where he wants you to be, not what you want to be. And kind of not what I want to be because you know I want to pitch in the big leagues one day, but is that God's plan? Maybe. I don't know. But kind of just trusting his process and whatever happens, happens. So yeah. And then ultimately, again, just To reiterate what your relationship with Jesus means to you. It what it means to me is I mean, it's everything to me. I mean, I just remember, you know, going to Sunday school as a kid, kinda taking it for granted. And then white when high school came, I was all in and then kind of sophomore year, kinda took a toll, thought I was the hot shot, and then junior came along, tearing my ACL. And that was like a wake up call for me, like Lord, you can give and you can also take away, like I said. And that really helped mold my faith too. And just remember like God is should be above everything else. And when I start putting baseball or other things before God, He's gonna He's gonna say, Hey, wake up, like I'm first and whatever family or whatever can come second, but I should always be first in your life. And then going through college, my parents telling me, Hey, like UCLA could take you down the wrong path. I mean it's a secular school and really make sure your faith is in Christ. And the Bush family and my family now are telling me to read Ephesians six. And just putting on the whole armor of God and you know, the just make sure you're ready for for spiritual war every day and people are gonna try to take you down and just really live by that. And I think that's really helped mold my faith too. Is God good only when he grants us what we want? For athletes, did God bless you only in victories? Well, Chris would say no way. Sometimes his kindness isn't not letting us have what we want. Or again, for athletes, it's suffering injuries or defeat. God teaches us that the greatest good is knowing him, and we can trust him because he is good. He'll do what's best for us. That's what happened with Chris, both in bringing him back from injury and even what he's learning in the upset loss in the regionals. If you're in Christ, this promise belongs to you. Romans 8.28 says God works all things, not some things, all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purposes. We hope you'll continue following along with us during the Super Regionals. We're headed back to Omaha to the College World Series, where we'll bring you some one-on-one interviews with some believing young men who want to proclaim their love for Christ, the gospel. Well, if you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with a friend, a family member, a coworker. Our goal is to reach the world with the gospel through sports. We'll see you next week.