“The habit I am trying to form is just being more positive about life in general. Being more compassionate towards others. Trying to see things from other peoples’ point of view.” – Ryan”China” McCarney
In this episode of Love the Game. Live the Dream., it is my pleasure to introduce you to an incredible young man by the name of Ryan “China” McCarney.
China, as his friends and family call him, is currently the Vice President of Jaeger Sports. He spends his free time attempting to be the change by raising awareness as the founder of an incredible non-profit called Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression (AADF).
He was drafted twice during his playing career. Once out of Vasquez High School in Agua Dulce, CA and the second time after his junior year at Cal State Northridge. China decided not to sign on both occasions. Instead, he pursued his business career by earning a degree in psychology.
After working with arm care expert and mental training guru Alan Jaeger as a pitching prospect in his teens China went to work for Jaeger Sports upon graduating from college. It has been 6 years since his first day of work and now he runs the day to day operations along with Alan and President Jim Vatcher. China is responsible for the persistent actions needed to place Jaeger Bands and the long toss program in all 728 Dick’s Sporting Goods throughout California.
McCarney is yet another baseball player turned businessman and philanthropist that explains how the loving the game has helped him to live the dream.
In this episode China shares:
- How he was drafted not once but twice and chose not to pursue every young player’s dream.
- How he recognized and deals with anxiety and depression on a daily basis in his life.
- The importance of staying in school to him and how it made him love the game more.
- His podcast Pursuit of Perfection and his book Off the Field.
- The inception and mission of his foundation Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression.
- And much, much more.
HOW WE MET
China and I met the first time when he was a college player working as a model for the Jaeger Sports long toss program. He was part of a clinic that Alan Jaeger and Jim Vatcher put on for myself and the coaches and players that were the Oakland A’s Scout Ball team in 2008.
The second time we met was through an order of J-Bands that I placed via email and China was the customer service rep that made sure my order was filled. He was just starting out at the company then.
It wasn’t until our third meeting earlier this year when I saw his first FB post on the foundation he started for AAADF. This is when I felt the strong urge to reach out to him personally and find out exactly what he was doing and how I could get involved. The more I got to know him the more I knew he was a perfect fit for this show.
The rest, as they say, is history.
This interview was recorded from the Bay of Islands Radio studio in Corner Brook, Newfoundland where I was able to get China on the phone from his home in Manhattan Beach, CA.
Enjoy!
Love the Game. Live the Dream