In 2009, just his second full season in Major League Baseball, Oakland Athletics outfielder Ryan Sweeney finished second on the team with a .293 batting average while hitting six home runs, recording 58 RBI’s and stealing six bags. He was a human highlight reel, collecting many a web gem and leaving numerous batters gap-jawed as he robbed them of potential home runs while patrolling spacious right field at McAfee Coliseum.
Just like former NBA MVP Steve Nash, Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian and NBA baller Hasheem Thabeet, Sweeney is involved with the sports social networking site makeitpro.com. I recenty had a chance to chat with Ryan about the site, his days off and what other professional sports he’d like to try out.
TFL:How did you get involved with Makeitpro.com?
Sweeney: My agents over at Reynolds Sports Management knew I was looking for a way to connect with kids and when they brought me the opportunity with MakeItpro.com I felt it was exactly what I was looking for.
TFL: What is your involvement with the site?
Sweeney: The site is a great way to give kids of all athletic abilities and ages an insight into what it takes to make the most of their abilities and talents. I like to keep MakeItpro users updated on what’s going on with me both on and off the field and interact with them when I have the time to do so.
TFL: Are you involved in any other ventures like this or charities?
Sweeney: Not at the moment. I want to establish myself on the field first. I definitely want to be very involved in the community and give my time off the field to helping others but I’d like to take care of what needs to be taken care of on the field and when I find something I am passionate about I will be very active in that way. MakeItPro is also a good way to network and meet people of all walks of life so who knows who I may meet and become involved with.
TFL: How would a resource like Makeitpro.com have helped you when you were getting started in baseball?
Sweeney: I think MakeItPro would have been a great resource for me if it were around when I was getting started in baseball. To have access to some of the most respected people in sports medicine and nutrition would have been a great help.
TFL: You don’t have a lot of days off during the season, what do you do on those not-so-often days off?
Sweeney: I just like to relax on my days off and do a whole lot of nothing. The baseball season is a grind and with all the travel and late night flights when I get a day off I need to give my body a rest so I don’t do much to be honest.
TFL: You’ve been in the league for a few years, when did it hit you that you “made it”?
Sweeney: I don’t think I have “made it”. I’ll never feel that way. Every day you can learn something new and everyday you can get better in this game so I’ll never feel like I have made it or allow myself to relax.
TFL: What do you do to stay in shape in the off season? Do you play any other sports for fun to stay in baseball shape?
Sweeney: I work out in the off-season back home in Iowa. I give myself a few weeks off to let my body and mind recover from the long season but I get back at it and begin my off season workouts pretty soon after the season ends.
TFL: If you could play any other professional sport what would it be?
Sweeney: It would be a tough choice between golf and basketball. 
Title image credit: Kimberly*
30 year old freelance writer and The Father Life‘s resident beer columnist and sports editor. He also writes about fine beverages for drinkingmadeeasy.com and Chilled Magazine. On top of that, he writes about college and professional lacrosse for insidelacrosse.com. He’s also written for Genesee Valley Parenting Magazine, the Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper and ESPN.com. “Osburn on Tap” appears monthly in THE FATHER LIFE. For questions, comments, or if you have a story idea for Chris, throw him an email cosburn@thefatherlife.com. Also, follow him on twitter http://www.twitter.com/chrisosburn
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