The Moment I Realized What Big-League Contact Really Looks Like
Every competitive athlete thinks they’re good—until they face someone who’s played at the highest level. In this story, Brannon Snead shares the day he faced Reggie Jefferson and walked away with a lesson that changed how he saw the game forever.
Coach Leo Young
11/8/20252 min read
You Think You’re Ready—Then You Face a Pro
Brannon Snead remembers the day clearly.
He threw a filthy curve and had Reggie Jefferson completely fooled.
“He was nowhere close—I was pumped.”
Next pitch? A fastball.
Reggie crushed it.
“The ball came straight back. When I picked it up, it wasn’t round anymore.”
That ball was brand new.
Now it was oval.
Have you or your athlete ever had a moment where someone else’s level exposed your own? How did you respond? Drop your story in the comments.
That’s When It Got Real
Brannon had played ball at a high level.
He knew what it meant to compete.
But this was different.
“I had played all kinds of ball—but I had never seen that before. You couldn’t use that ball again.”
It wasn’t just power—it was efficiency.
It was clean. Precise. On time.
Reggie didn’t look like a beast.
He looked like a guy you might underestimate—until you pitched to him.
Reality Checks Are Part of Development
There’s a moment in every athlete’s journey where confidence meets reality.
It humbles you—but it also sharpens you.
Brannon didn’t walk away embarrassed.
He walked away aware.
“That’s why he played over a decade in the bigs.”
Why This Matters to Sore to Soaring
At Sore to Soaring, we build more than strong athletes—we build self-aware ones.
We train players to:
Embrace reality checks as growth moments
Respect the game and those who’ve mastered it
Learn from getting beat, not avoid it
The goal isn’t to win every rep.
It’s to take something from every rep—especially the ones that humble you.
👉 Learn how we train athletes to level up, not just show up:
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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