What do Bryce Harper and the ABC program have in common?   Like many of you I watched the 2013 All-Star home run derby and All-Star game. I found myself lost in my own head wondering "what is the secret"? How many are born with "IT" and how many have a work ethic and drive that refuses to settle for anything short of their dreams? I started to dig a little and I came across article after article about several of the MLB All-Stars. The common thread was work ethic; having a program; a routine; a partner; a mentor. I want to share with you a few data points from an article I found in the Washington Post on Bryce Harper. Who can argue that he has become one of the most polarizing individuals in major league baseball. A true phenom. His list of "firsts" goes on and on. Two things I learned as I read this article that I want to share:    #1 Bryce Harper and his dad have an incredible, healthy, respectful relationship. He and his dad hug and he and his dad tell each other "I love You".   #2 Bryce Harper tells us front and center the secret to his success (quote below from Washington Post article):   Bryce could not fathom how many soft tosses or batting practice pitches his father threw him. "Millions," he said. "Absolutely millions....but it is God-given," Harper said. "I don't know how I got my swing or what I did. I know I worked every single day. I know I did as much as I could with my dad. But I never really looked at anything mechanical. There was nothing really like, 'Oh, put your hands here.' It was, 'Where are you comfortable? You're comfortable here, hit from there."   So what or where is the common ground? #1 Ball players (and families) who choose the Austin Baseball Club become part of a family. God has blessed each one of the ABC staff and we take pride in the opportunity to mentor and develop a healthy respectful relationship with each individual ball player and family. Communication is paramount and we have an open door policy. Soli Deo Gloria.   #2 We challenge ABC ball players to take the Million Swing challenge. Success at the plate is a combination of allot of things....but it all starts with hard work and a plan. Ball players in the ABC organization have access to the resources to help them literally take One Million Swings.