What's Your "Y"

Josh Tols, Philadelphia Phillies/Team Australia

How has your sport journey evolved?

I think the longer I’ve played, the crazier my goals have gotten. I started my journey in 2008 when I left Australia to go to junior college in the United States. My goal has always been to keep moving forward and keep on playing. I never imagined I’d make it this far.

What (or who) has been your main source of motivation or inspiration?

Definitely my family. They have been so supportive and encouraging throughout my whole career. I would not be playing today if it wasn’t for their love and support.

Where do you find more motivation, doubters or supporters?

Definitely supporters for me. I’ve had so many influential coaches and teammates in my career and they push me to keep on going. I want to be successful for my family - moreso than myself.

What is the biggest mental challenge you've had to face in your sport and how have you conquered that?

Injuries. I tore my oblique twice last year and it was tough to see all the work I put in just disappear in an instant. There’s a lot of doubt that comes with getting injured.

Something that helped my conquer those negative feelings was just worrying about the things I could control and focusing on coming back stronger.

What do you do to make sure you're physically and mentally prepared for competition?

I like to monitor my daily activities and have a solid routine. It’s easier to be confident when you know you’ve put in the work.

Mentally, I like to work do breathing exercises and meditations before a game. I like to have a clear and focused mind before I pitch.

Describe your recovery strategies. How do you know if those recovery strategies are working?

Recovery has become a large part of my routine as I’ve gotten older. I spend a lot more time stretching and working on my mobility now than I ever have before. My gear bag is now filled with a lot of new recovery tools.

I have also started taking a few more natural products such as CBD, turmeric and YOLKED! I can tell these changes are working because I feel healthy, strong and confident.

What's Your "Y"? What keeps you going and training as hard as you do?

The support from my family and the goal of being the absolute best pitcher I can be.

Where do you see yourself as an athlete in 5 years?

In the MLB

Favorite quote.

"Play every game as if it’s your last one."


YOLKED has helped me become more confident in my workouts and recovery. I know that I can push myself on the field and during workouts and trust that I will be 100% the next day or game. Since taking YOLKED I am throwing harder, lifting more weight and recovering faster than before.