Toronto, On– As we continue our Alumni Series, we look back at Stony Brook University grad Maxx Tissenbaum. Tissenbaum was drafted in the 43rd round by the Toronto Blue Jays out of York Mills Collegiate Institute in 2009. He turned down the Jays and committed to Stony Brook University, where he would go on to participate in the 2012 NCAA College World Series. After the schools dramatic run to the College World Series, Tissenbaum would here is name called in the MLB Draft once again. This time, the San Diego Padres used their 11thround pick to draft the Toronto native. 

Deciding to go to Stony Brook after completing his career as a Toronto Met, was definitely the right decision for Tissenbaum. “Having the opportunity to immediately have a group of brothers who you get to spend your career living, learning, training and competing with is the best part of being a student athlete, explains Maxx.”  He goes on to add, “I wanted to find a school that balanced a high-level academic program, and a high-level baseball program. I wanted my degree to open doors for me after my playing career was over, without sacrificing any opportunities to develop and eventually turn pro.” 

Being recruited is a very exciting time for all high school athletes. Choosing where to go, can turn the excitement into stress. Maxx is quick to pass on this advice to the current and future crop of Mets Prospects. “Don’t get caught up in the “brand name” of the school. It’s easy to get a letter from a school like UCLA or Coastal Carolina and feel like that is 100% the right way to go. Find a school that fits for you academically, athletically, and a place that will give you an opportunity to succeed. Don’t fall into the trap of wanting to wear the “sexy” logo and spending two to three years watching from the dugout.” 

After committing to a school, often you will hear coaches say, “now the real work begins,” a cliché perhaps, but what does that mean? What do you have to do to find success once you get there? Maxx has this to say on the topic. “Don’t take for granted the opportunity that is being put in front of you. Having access to world class coaches, academic support staff, facilities etc is a special privilege. Do not lose site of the fact that this is a privilege and not a right. If you take it for granted, there will be a kid somewhere who doesn’t, and you’ll find yourself on the outside looking in. It can be the best three or four years of your life if you dive in and take advantage of everything you are presented with.” 

Great advice from someone who has experienced the ups and downs of the Student Athlete life. Maxx talks about how he dealt with the being away from family and friends. “I just took it as a fact of life as an athlete that I’d have to be away from home. I made sure to call my parents and grandparents every day walking between classes or practice, so I kept them in the loop and stayed current with everything back home. I really only got home for Thanksgiving break and Christmas break. FaceTime is a great tool to keep contact as well. As scary as the thought was leaving them all at home and going away, family was always there for me, so I felt like I never was disconnected. Having a steady support system at home is a huge help in focusing on what’s important at school.”

As is the case with all high school student athletes, it is important to have a strong support system. Tissenbaum credits his family as being the ones who supported him. “My parents, sister and grandparents. I knew I could trust them all with anything. Knowing they had my best interests at heart allowed me to just focus on what I could control.” 

Staying focussed and organized is definitely a key in finding success in the classroom. “Having a calendar or a date book is huge. Every class gives out a syllabus, and it was critically important to my academic success to have the dates of all my quizzes, tests, projects and exams mapped out. With the amount of time that is dedicated to practice and strength/conditioning, it’s so important to use your time wisely to get everything done. Being able to see when busy periods were, was really important for me, not having teachers be all over me about deadlines and work was an adjustment. Everything is much more self-directed.” 

Tissenbaum having success as a Student Athlete and eventually a pro is no surprise to Honsing Leung who coached Maxx as a Toronto Met. “Not only is Maxx one of our most accomplished Mets ever, he is also one of the most passionate about the game of baseball that I have ever met.  Success didn't come easy for him, he had to work hard at it from the time he was a North York Blue Rookie baller through his professional baseball life.   Being a baseball rat allowed him to be one step in front of the competition and his knowledge of the game presented opportunities for him to advance in this sport.  To this day, when he is in town, he always makes time to reach out to see if he can come help or chat with current Mets players to pass along his knowledge.” 

Bob Roberts, former coach of the Toronto Mets had this to say about the Toronto Mets grad. “I've known Maxx and his family since he was a Mosquito player at North York. Unfortunately, I never coached Maxx during his time with the Mets. Maxx did however, attend a number of workouts for my 16-year-old team, when he was at college and when he played pro ball. Maxx had a tremendous ability to convey his message to 16-year-old ball players. It's rewarding to have former Met players such as Maxx, remember their roots and offer their time, experiences and talent, so young ball players who aspire to do what Maxx accomplished, know what it takes, to succeed at the next level."

Walking onto a College or University campus as a freshman can be intimidating for everyone. The highest touted recruits are going to have some level of fear and anxiety entering their first year. “As a senior,” Tissenbaum explains, “once you’ve committed, find a guy on the team and pick his brain. Ask about living on campus, about money, classes, practices etc. You can go in with a huge head start if you have a bit of an inside perspective from somebody already there. Anything you are worried about going to college, chances are he was too. We all go through it, just ask so you’re not worried when you step on campus day one, you’ll be ready to compete on the field and in the classroom.”

Thank you Maxx, thank you for your dedication to be a student athlete. Thank you for your determination to becoming a professional baseball player, and thank you for your willingness to give back, and most off all, thank you for showing the current and future athletes what it means to be a Toronto Met.

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