06/06/2025
This is Assaf Lowengart. The first Israeli-born baseball player to sign an American professional contract. Olympic competitor for Israeli national baseball Tokyo 2020. Assaf played his first year with the New York Boulders of the Frontier League. Entering his second pro season he was signed to Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the higher-level American League. Unfortunately, about 2 weeks into spring training he was bumped off the roster unexpectedly.
I first started training him as the head strength coach during his time at Mansfield University. Since we both left, I've trained him virtually for almost 3 years now. The first actual GSP athlete. I've met very few other athletes as dedicated to their craft, as hardworking, and as disciplined as Assaf. Leading up to this spring training period, he asked for a big block of 2-a-day workouts to pack on some size and work capacity before the long season. I wrote the biggest program I've ever written - 2 workouts a day, 6 days a week - and he crushed it for 6 weeks straight.
When Assaf returned to his home base in Florida after being released by the Blue Crabs, he simply resumed training, waiting for the call to fly out and join a new team. While we've dropped our training load to more of a "stay ready" dose so he can run off to play at the drop of a hat, he's still gringing 6 days a week to be as prepared as possible when the call comes in.
Moral of the story for young athletes - pro sports isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very competitive environment and it's a cut-throat business at the end of the day. BUT, don't ever let that fact deter you from maximizing your potential every chance you get, putting in the grind hours off the field, and being just as dedicated to your development as you are to the game you play.
Assaf allowed me to share his story as a taste of perspective, but for me it's also a glimpse into the mindset of a professional - constantly looking to improve, sharpen, refine, find an edge any way possible. He's been a shining example of how to model your preparation.
