Brett Milazzo
Episode 276
13 MAY 2024
He is an outfielder with the Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League, which is a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball. Last year in 78 games played he batted .300 and had a .995 fielding percentage. After playing collegiately at the University of Minnesota-Duluth he went on to play double A ball with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association. He had started his college career at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He also trains youth baseball players at a local facility. On the faith side he has a reversion story that he shares during this interview.
Notable guest quotes:
“Growing up, we were a Catholic family. My mom is Catholic, dad’s Catholic, I’ve received all the sacraments as part of my formation… I did go to Catholic high school at Carmel Catholic in Mundelein.”
“I definitely had the best coach ever in my dad, growing up. He was a part of all of my teams up until high school… I’m super grateful for my dad as a coach and how he’s always kind of just supported me in what I chose to do, but then held me accountable for the things that I said that I would do.”
“I was pretty much going into my sophomore year at that point or, my red shirt sophomore year, really without a home, not really knowing where I was gonna go, kind of at a low place with baseball, not knowing what the future had in store.”
“There was a guy who is Catholic and heavily involved with different ministries on campus and wanted to go deeper with our team… and he started a Bible study, and he must have seen a cross that I wear on my neck and was like, ‘Alright, he’s Christian,’ and just asked me if I wanted to come to the Bible study.”
“He was actually cut from the team… but he came up to me without saying much and just said, ‘Hey, like, I need you to lead this Bible study or keep it going,’ and I probably laughed, I don’t remember, but I felt like that was something that I wasn’t really qualified to do by any means… but, I said Yes… and that went on for about two years.”
“I was pretty astounded by the pastor of the Newman Center, which, I think a lot of people are familiar with, it’s Father Mike Schmitz… and I was just pretty blown away by his speaking and how much he seemed to love what he was doing.”
“I remember grabbing dinner one time with Father Mike and just being astounded that this guy is really, like, he is who he is, kind of thing, and he seemed happier than me when I seemed to have everything that I thought I wanted, which was the college baseball experience.”
“God was patient with me and just kept calling me to confession, which eventually led to me saying yes to going on a retreat during the fall break.”
“It was during a night of adoration that I just remember God really calling me to trust Him and to give myself over to Him and what He has in store for me.”
“I think God’s led me exactly where I’m supposed to be, and He’s used every ounce of it to try to draw as many people close to himself and draw me closer as well.”
