What's Your "Y" is an interview series dedicated to documenting the incredible athletes that we meet and their stories. Where did they come from? What challenges have they overcome? How did they get to be a part of Team YOLKED? These individuals may range from college athletes to extreme athletes but they all have unique and engaging stories to tell.

What's Your "Y"

Interview with Nicholas Trabacchi, Professional Baseball Player for Idaho Falls Chukars

My name is Nicholas Trabacchi. I’m a professional baseball player and I’m currently a pitcher for the Idaho Falls Chukars in the Pioneer League.

Give us a brief background of how your fitness/sport journey has evolved?

I played 2 years of DI baseball at UMBC from 2017-2019 and following the 2019 season I had. Change of heart for what I was going to school for. I suffered from a serious back injury my freshman year that required me to redshirt and following my sophomore year I needed hip surgery. It made me realize that I wanted to study exercise science and be able to help athletes the way I was being helped. I transferred to a DII school, Shepherd University and studied Exercise Science. I played there from 2020-2022 and following the 2022 season I signed with the Bakersfield Train Robbers in the Pecos League and got my contract picked up by the Idaho Falls Chukars.

 

What (or who) has been your main source of motivation over the years? Where do you find more motivation: doubters or supporters?

My main sources of motivation over the years would undoubtedly be my parents for one. Seeing all the sacrifices they’ve made for me to be able to play the game I love and get to the point I am today is a piece of what drives me. I wouldn’t be half the player or the man I am today without them.

Another source of motivation for me is my strength coach back home, Russ Tavares. He has been my physical therapist and strength coach for over 10 years and has helped me physically and mentally to incredible lengths. That’s another person that’s helped me become the player and man I am today. He is also part of the reason I decided to change my major because I look up to him and admire how he helps not only me but every athlete that walks through the door of the facility mentally and physically.

With that being said, I find all my motivation in supporters, not doubters. I block out doubters for the pure reason of the negative energy they bring. I put my headspace in the company of supporters because they’ve seen all the work I’ve put into what I do and believe in me, sometimes maybe a little more than I do myself and I wouldn’t trade that support for anything.

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

The biggest mental challenge I’ve had to face in my sport has easily been my injuries. My senior year of high school I had foot surgery, freshman year of college I fractured a vertebra in my back, sophomore year of college I had hip surgery, and junior year of college I had elbow surgery and shoulder surgery 3 months apart.

At the time of all of them it was easy to feel defeated but being able to get through all of those injuries, crush the rehab processes, and come out the other side and be able to perform the way I am today has taught me valuable life lessons and instilled in me a type of work ethic and mental toughness when facing adversity that I would’ve never acquired without those injuries.

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

Making sure I’m checking off every box during the week leading up to my starts helps me mentally and physically prepare for competition.

Taking care of my nutrition every day, hydrating along with getting my lifts in, being consistent with my supplements, locking in for my throwing during the day, being deliberate with my meditation, and proper sleep every night prepares me not only physically but mentally for my next start.

By taking care of the physical aspect of performance it allows me to lock in mentally and I know when I step on the mound every 5th day that I did everything I could in preparation for my outing.

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

After I lift every day, I make sure I get my protein in and take YOLKED. Following my elbow and shoulder injuries I started to do a lot of research and buckle down on my recovery to try my best to prevent another injury from happening.

At that point I started taking YOLKED and luckily, I’ve been healthy since. I look and feel the best I have in my competitive playing career, and I firmly believe it has something to do with YOLKED.

 

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

My “Y” is 3 parted.

The first is because I love what I do, and I want to be able to go as far as I am capable in this game for as long as I can.

Secondly, I saw and continue to see all the sacrifices my parents make for me, and I want to be able to give back to them and have them. By my side every step of the way.

Lastly, I want to be able to use this game to give back to younger athletes and make a difference the way some guys were able to do for me when I was younger.