GaryMrMets
06-16-2002, 02:48 PM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sd/news/sd_news.jsp?ymd=20020612&content_id=51568&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp
06/12/2002 10:07 pm ET
Father's Day: Hoffman pursues normalcy
By Sandy Burgin / MLB.com
San Diego Padres Trevor Hoffman, one of the premier closers in baseball, appears happiest when he's at Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz., with his wife, Tracy, and his three boys: Brody, who will be 6 in August; Quinn, who will be 5 in September, and Wyatt, who turned 3 this spring.
The Hoffmans dominate the scene at Spring Training much like Trevor dominates hitters when "Hell's Bells" is played in the ninth inning at the Q. Wherever Trevor Hoffman goes, his family usually follows and that includes a lot of his offseason charity events. As Father's Day approaches, we sat down with the Major Leagues' saves leader over the last decade for a Q & A session on fatherhood.
MLB.com: What changed the most when you became a father? And don't tell us diapers.
Trevor Hoffman: It was a situation where I assessed my time spent at the baseball field before and after the game. First and foremost, you're a father, then a baseball player. For me it was a situation where getting to the park as early as I was wasn't as big a priority. It was more important that I spend time at home with my family and not linger around the ballyard too much after a game. That was one of the bigger changes I had.
MLB.com: How has baseball factored in the time you're with or away from your family?
Hoffman: I think it's a bit excessive either way. You usually get a chance to spend a lot of time with your family in the offseason and not so much during the season. The way we grew up dinner was at 5 and you'd be out playing when the street lights came on. My kids are being raised in a completely different environment than the one I was raised in. And yet we try to fight for normalcy.
I think we are fortunate that we can spend a lot of time in the offseason. We're home in the mornings when the kids wake up in the offseason and when we're on a homestand. But when you're on the road, it's tough making that phone call from the hotel room at night when you're trying to tuck them in bed and they're listening to a phone. It has its pluses and disadvantages.
MLB.com: Tell us about the time you get to spend with your family at Spring Training in Arizona.
Hoffman: Basically my family has been with me at Spring Training since my (first) day with the Padres. It's really grown into a very special time for us over the years. Again, it kind of goes back to that normal lifestyle of living, where you're doing stuff in the afternoon, but by noon you're done with your baseball activities and you have a chance for your family to come up. And this past spring it was an opportunity for our kids to learn how to ride a bike -- a two wheeler, losing the training wheels. That was a pretty big milestone for us. Again, dinner can be served at normal time. And they have an opportunity to be around the baseball fields where as it's a little bit more low-key than when the season starts. It's obviously a business and guys are trying to take things very seriously. But Spring Training is definitely an opportunity for the kids to enjoy baseball at its purist.
MLB.com: Do your kids play baseball or other sports? And how can youth sports be improved?
Hoffman: Tee-ball is kind of something that is a little easier for them to adapt to being around baseball. I think next year my oldest will probably get into soccer. I'd like for them to get into baseball. I think the more sports they are exposed to, the better opportunity they're going to have to be more well-rounded. They really have an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
I think it's important not to put too much pressure on our young children to be wrapped up in winning and losing, you just want them to have fun. I think there is a new program coming out called "Kids First in Sports." It's being run by Jerry Stitt, my old baseball coach at (the University of) Arizona. It's a program that's going to bring back more of the intramural type of scene and take a little emphasis off of winning and losing at a young age.
There are a lot of things going wrong with amateur youth sports with verbal and mental abuse as well as physical abuse kids are going through just to put up wins and losses. Hopefully we can get back to just having fun and playing games.
MLB.com: What influence did your father play in you becoming a Major Leaguer?
Hoffman: My dad produced two Major League ballplayers (brother Glenn played for the Red Sox, Dodgers and Angels) and basically he did it by loving his children and being there to support us. The percentages of kids making it to the big leagues at this level are a bit slim. I don't think there is a specific formula to do that, but I know that my father made sure we enjoyed the game, being supportive, and he was a good example how hard work pays off. He was dedicated to his family and his job that he did with the Postal Service.
Those are types of examples and how you go about being successful in anything you do, whether it's baseball or a lawyer, a doctor or a librarian or any other profession. Nothing is out of anybody's reach, the sky is the limit in dreaming. I think that was one of the things I was shown. Never really give in.
MLB.com: Do you and your brothers share any parenting skills?
Hoffman: My middle brother Glenn has five children and my older brother Greg has one. Most of the time our families spend together is in the offseason at holiday time, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a bit hectic. I think we give our wives a lot of credit for the jobs they do throughout the year, raising our kids when we aren't around, and the many hours that are spent at the baseball field. But it's fun to get the families together."
Sandy Burgin covers the Padres for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2002/06/12/Gyxihe8N.jpg
Padres closer and full-time dad Trevor Hoffman with his three sons. (Ric Feld/AP)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/photo/events/fathersday_2002/sd_hoffman_son_428.jpg
06/12/2002 10:07 pm ET
Father's Day: Hoffman pursues normalcy
By Sandy Burgin / MLB.com
San Diego Padres Trevor Hoffman, one of the premier closers in baseball, appears happiest when he's at Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz., with his wife, Tracy, and his three boys: Brody, who will be 6 in August; Quinn, who will be 5 in September, and Wyatt, who turned 3 this spring.
The Hoffmans dominate the scene at Spring Training much like Trevor dominates hitters when "Hell's Bells" is played in the ninth inning at the Q. Wherever Trevor Hoffman goes, his family usually follows and that includes a lot of his offseason charity events. As Father's Day approaches, we sat down with the Major Leagues' saves leader over the last decade for a Q & A session on fatherhood.
MLB.com: What changed the most when you became a father? And don't tell us diapers.
Trevor Hoffman: It was a situation where I assessed my time spent at the baseball field before and after the game. First and foremost, you're a father, then a baseball player. For me it was a situation where getting to the park as early as I was wasn't as big a priority. It was more important that I spend time at home with my family and not linger around the ballyard too much after a game. That was one of the bigger changes I had.
MLB.com: How has baseball factored in the time you're with or away from your family?
Hoffman: I think it's a bit excessive either way. You usually get a chance to spend a lot of time with your family in the offseason and not so much during the season. The way we grew up dinner was at 5 and you'd be out playing when the street lights came on. My kids are being raised in a completely different environment than the one I was raised in. And yet we try to fight for normalcy.
I think we are fortunate that we can spend a lot of time in the offseason. We're home in the mornings when the kids wake up in the offseason and when we're on a homestand. But when you're on the road, it's tough making that phone call from the hotel room at night when you're trying to tuck them in bed and they're listening to a phone. It has its pluses and disadvantages.
MLB.com: Tell us about the time you get to spend with your family at Spring Training in Arizona.
Hoffman: Basically my family has been with me at Spring Training since my (first) day with the Padres. It's really grown into a very special time for us over the years. Again, it kind of goes back to that normal lifestyle of living, where you're doing stuff in the afternoon, but by noon you're done with your baseball activities and you have a chance for your family to come up. And this past spring it was an opportunity for our kids to learn how to ride a bike -- a two wheeler, losing the training wheels. That was a pretty big milestone for us. Again, dinner can be served at normal time. And they have an opportunity to be around the baseball fields where as it's a little bit more low-key than when the season starts. It's obviously a business and guys are trying to take things very seriously. But Spring Training is definitely an opportunity for the kids to enjoy baseball at its purist.
MLB.com: Do your kids play baseball or other sports? And how can youth sports be improved?
Hoffman: Tee-ball is kind of something that is a little easier for them to adapt to being around baseball. I think next year my oldest will probably get into soccer. I'd like for them to get into baseball. I think the more sports they are exposed to, the better opportunity they're going to have to be more well-rounded. They really have an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
I think it's important not to put too much pressure on our young children to be wrapped up in winning and losing, you just want them to have fun. I think there is a new program coming out called "Kids First in Sports." It's being run by Jerry Stitt, my old baseball coach at (the University of) Arizona. It's a program that's going to bring back more of the intramural type of scene and take a little emphasis off of winning and losing at a young age.
There are a lot of things going wrong with amateur youth sports with verbal and mental abuse as well as physical abuse kids are going through just to put up wins and losses. Hopefully we can get back to just having fun and playing games.
MLB.com: What influence did your father play in you becoming a Major Leaguer?
Hoffman: My dad produced two Major League ballplayers (brother Glenn played for the Red Sox, Dodgers and Angels) and basically he did it by loving his children and being there to support us. The percentages of kids making it to the big leagues at this level are a bit slim. I don't think there is a specific formula to do that, but I know that my father made sure we enjoyed the game, being supportive, and he was a good example how hard work pays off. He was dedicated to his family and his job that he did with the Postal Service.
Those are types of examples and how you go about being successful in anything you do, whether it's baseball or a lawyer, a doctor or a librarian or any other profession. Nothing is out of anybody's reach, the sky is the limit in dreaming. I think that was one of the things I was shown. Never really give in.
MLB.com: Do you and your brothers share any parenting skills?
Hoffman: My middle brother Glenn has five children and my older brother Greg has one. Most of the time our families spend together is in the offseason at holiday time, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a bit hectic. I think we give our wives a lot of credit for the jobs they do throughout the year, raising our kids when we aren't around, and the many hours that are spent at the baseball field. But it's fun to get the families together."
Sandy Burgin covers the Padres for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/images/2002/06/12/Gyxihe8N.jpg
Padres closer and full-time dad Trevor Hoffman with his three sons. (Ric Feld/AP)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/photo/events/fathersday_2002/sd_hoffman_son_428.jpg