The Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, hosted by Bryan Eisenberg, has released Episode 86 featuring Matt Kata, a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and is being inducted into the Round Rock Express Hall of Fame on August 14. The episode, titled 'Matt Kata | Inside an MLB Career: Baseball, Mindset & Making It,' explores Kata's journey from a versatile utility player to a commercial lender in Central Texas, highlighting lessons on adaptability, mental toughness, and relationship-building.
Kata, who played seven positions for the Express, reflects on the value of being a 'Swiss Army knife' in baseball, a role that kept him on the roster. He shares an inside account of Randy Johnson's perfect game, recalling the mental discipline required to stay focused. 'From that game it was hit it to me, hit it to me, hit it to me. I could not let space in my mind, you know, with anything negative. So literally, probably a million times, I didn't even care. Even when I was hitting, I was saying, hit it to me,' Kata said, illustrating his technique of positive self-talk to combat negative visualization.
The conversation also delves into youth sports development, drawing on Kata's experience overseeing youth baseball and softball programs with the Cleveland Indians, where he collaborated with former British forces trainer Mark Bennett to create 'the Indians way to coaching excellence.' Kata credits mentors such as Mark Shapiro, Andrew Miller, and the Positive Coaching Alliance for shaping his coaching philosophy. He also praises Round Rock coaches Brandon Janeka and Keith Jackson for their emphasis on discipline and fundamentals, and introduces his ACE framework—Attitude, Concentration, Effort—as the three controllable elements for athletes and professionals.
Kata's father's three quotes, including 'Shoot for the moon' and 'Preparation is always in season,' provided his foundational mindset. He also discusses common parenting mistakes when choosing coaches, stressing that 'a coach's impact is never neutral.' This principle extends to his current role in banking, where he connects character—a key element of the '5 C's of credit'—to the relationship-building skills he learned from MLB players like Tony Clark.
The episode is produced by Round Rock Studio and is available now wherever podcasts are heard. It aligns with Kata's induction into the Round Rock Express Hall of Fame, offering listeners a timely look at the mindset and values that drive success in sports and business.
