Athlete Interview Series - Dennis Sarfate

Pro Pitcher | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks - Japan

PMR: Name 3 things an athlete needs to be successful.

Dennis: Drive, mental focus and confidence

PMR: How do you manage adversity or what tools do you use in dealing with adversity?

Dennis - You have to understand you will fail a lot but you it’s how you respond. Don’t point fingers but look in the mirror.

PMR: When it's all said and done and you move on to be successful in the next phase of your life, how would teammates you respected remember you as a teammate?

Dennis: The hardest worker on the field. My thought is if you take a day off the other guy gained a day on you.

PMR: What is the greatest, or one of the greatest lessons you've learned through the process?

Dennis: Dealing with failure

PMR: Knowing what you know now in your career, what do you wish you knew back in high school?

Dennis: Weight training and mental preparations

PMR: Name a coach or teammate over the course of your career that has had the biggest impact on you and why?

Dennis: Jason Standridge. Always showed up ready to work, and never made excuses.

PMR: In order to continually test yourself physically and mentally you must have a strong "why". What is your "why"?

Dennis: I want to be the best that ever played. If you don’t want that then you don’t want it bad enough and this game will spit you out.

Additional Comments

Dennis: When in high school if you are lucky you will play in college. If you are talented you will get drafted, but only if you are determined and make sacrifices will you get to pitch in the Big Leagues.