Michael Crouse and Tyson Gillies, former professional baseball players, have now turned their attention to mentoring the next generation of athletes. As founders of T21 Performance, their organization is committed to developing young athletes' skills while promoting core values such as teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Through camps, clinics, and mentorship programs, Crouse and Gillies are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of baseball players and helping them compete on a global stage. Their experience as pro athletes, combined with the challenges they’ve faced, makes them relatable and inspiring mentors.
Q: What inspired you both to transition from professional baseball to mentoring young athletes through T21 Performance?
Michael Crouse & Tyson Gillies: Since 2012, we’ve always returned home to Vancouver and taught the game of baseball for a few months before heading back to the States for spring training. Fast forward six years, and here we are with our own business, adding to the infrastructure for the next generation. Once you possess knowledge in any field, it would be a shame not to share it. It was a no-brainer for us to pass along what we’ve learned about the game and life, especially when the opportunity presented itself.
Q: How do your personal experiences as professional athletes influence the way you approach mentoring and coaching the next generation?
Crouse & Gillies: As professional athletes, you learn a wide variety of skills to navigate life both on and off the field—discipline, accountability, humility, confidence, perseverance. We’ve incorporated these lessons into our teaching, focusing on developing these traits in the young athletes in our community.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment from your time as professional players that you now use as a teaching point in your mentorship programs?
Crouse & Gillies: One moment that stands out is when we both had the chance to play for Team Canada in the 2019 Pan American Games. At this point in our careers, we had each been playing professionally for over a decade and had traveled all over the world—just not on the same team. The teaching point here is that we can all go down different paths and still end up at the same destination. Enjoy your journey because, at the end of the day, no one else will know it as well as you.
Q: What are the core values and skills that T21 Performance emphasizes in its training programs, and why are they important for young athletes today?
Crouse & Gillies: Discipline, accountability, and work ethic are the core values we try to instill in our athletes. These values are the building blocks of not only a great athlete but also a well-rounded person.
Q: How do you balance the physical and mental aspects of athlete development in your programs?
Crouse & Gillies: We emphasize the importance of having a strong mindset to go with physical training. Teaching quality reps over quantity is key—this only happens when athletes have a clear understanding of the drills they’re working on. It’s about developing an approach to everything they do, both physically and mentally.
Q: What challenges did you face while starting T21 Performance, and how did you overcome them?
Crouse & Gillies: One big challenge happened during the first two weeks of training in 2019—we didn’t have a baseball cage! We had to put one up ourselves with the help of Tyson’s dad, Tony, just three days before our first session. We managed by focusing on infield work for the first two weeks. By week three, we had the cage up, and we’ve since built three more!
Q: How has your competitive spirit from baseball translated into your experience on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA?
Crouse & Gillies: The grind of a 162-game season, with its ups and downs, certainly helped with our competitive spirit. On THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, we had to pick each other up with positive energy while pushing each other to do better. It’s fast-paced, and we relied on the skills we developed in baseball to succeed.
Q: What has been the most surprising or challenging aspect of participating in THE AMAZING RACE CANADA?
Crouse & Gillies: We always knew the race wouldn’t be easy, but we were surprised at just how demanding it was both physically and mentally. Traveling across Canada in such a short time while doing fast-paced challenges, forming alliances, and telling your story all at once was intense! We joked that hitting a 95mph fastball was easier! But we would do it all over again—it was hands down one of the best experiences we’ve ever had.
Q: How do you hope T21 Performance will evolve in the next five years, and what impact do you want it to have on the sports community?
Crouse & Gillies: We hope to continue building baseball infrastructure in BC to create more opportunities for our athletes. If we can do that, we’ll see more college scholarships and professional contracts being signed. The future of baseball in BC is bright.
Q: For young athletes looking up to you, what advice would you give them about pursuing their dreams both on and off the field?
Crouse & Gillies: Whatever your dream is, explore it, but understand the work that goes into achieving it. Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t do it. Instead, understand that 99% of people don’t want to put in the work required to make it happen. Focus on the little things and set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. By going down the road less traveled, you earn your seat at the table.
Final Thoughts Michael Crouse and Tyson Gillies have taken their experiences from the pro baseball field and are now paying it forward through T21 Performance. Their dedication to mentoring young athletes and the values they instill—both on and off the field—are helping to shape the future of baseball in BC. Whether through their mentorship programs or their time on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, Crouse and Gillies continue to inspire the next generation of athletes.
Photo Credit - T21 Performance