Field of Dreams and the Pain of Never Knowing

Field of Dreams and the Pain of Never Knowing

What does a classic baseball movie have to do with the silent heartbreak athletes carry long after their last game?

When an athlete’s career ends—due to injury, timing, or missed opportunity—it rarely ends with closure. There’s no final out. No curtain call. Just a slow fade, and the question that sticks in the back of your mind:
Could I have played there?
Was I actually good enough?

In this clip, Brannon Snead shares a personal connection to a scene from Field of Dreams. And it’s not just about baseball—it’s about identity, clarity, and what it means to walk away without answers.

Have you—or your son—ever wondered what might have happened if you’d gotten just one shot? Would it have changed how you remember your career?
Watch the clip and share your story in the comments.

“I Just Want to Know What It Felt Like”

There’s a scene near the end of Field of Dreams where a character—played by Burt Lancaster—steps off the field, leaving behind the game he once dreamed of. It’s subtle, but heavy. A quiet surrender to the fact that the dream didn’t come true, and never will.

Brannon brings up this moment and how it hit him hard when he saw it in the theater.

“I just want to know what it was like… Was I good enough to play there?”

That feeling haunts a lot of players. Not because they feel robbed. Not because they feel owed. But because they never got the chance to find out.

The Scene That Never Happened

Coach Leo responds with a perspective only a coach—or a fellow athlete—can truly understand:

Some players never get their scene.
They don’t get their inning.
They don’t get to walk off.
They just… stop.

And what’s worse—people on the outside rarely understand that loss. It’s not a stat line. It’s not about ego. It’s about closure. It’s about having the opportunity to walk away with peace, knowing you found out what you were made of.

Talent vs. Opportunity

Brannon also talks about a former opponent—a guy who wasn’t better than him, in his eyes—but who still got his shot. Just three batters in the big leagues.

But those three batters meant everything.

“At least he got to throw to three batters. At least he got to know what it felt like.”

That’s what so many players want—not a full career, not a Hall of Fame speech—just one moment. One answer. One shot.

And once you have that?
No one can take it away from you.

Why This Matters to Sore to Soaring

At Sore to Soaring, we work with athletes who are chasing more than stats—they’re chasing clarity, confidence, and purpose. We know the deepest regret isn’t missing a scholarship or contract—it’s never knowing what you were truly capable of.

That’s why our model focuses on performance, mental readiness, and decision-making. So whether a player makes it or not, they’ll never have to wonder if they left something on the table.

Our job is to help them be ready—when the door opens, or if it never does.

Learn more about our mission and how we prepare athletes for both baseball and beyond at
👉 www.soretosoaring.org

Disclaimer:
The content shared is for informational purposes only. This is not a judgment of any person or program mentioned. All names and events are discussed from personal memory and are not meant to accuse or endorse. The goal is to share insight from lived experience.

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