At alma mater ECU, McCullough trades in cap for gown

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough was already a bundle of nerves about giving a commencement speech at his alma mater, East Carolina University, when he was thrown a curveball the morning of the event.

During a breakfast for those part of the procession, McCullough was informed that the teleprompter wasn’t working. That meant his 15-20-page speech would be printed out and placed in a three-ring binder.

Not too soon after, McCullough – in a black gown – stood at the podium. There was no turning back.

“I think it went well,” McCullough said. “I'm really glad that I did it. I was nervous, but once I got going, first couple lines, first bit, and then, I'd gone over it enough and felt prepared enough.”

Cliff Godwin, the head baseball coach at East Carolina and one of McCullough’s best friends, had asked him in August whether he would be interested in giving a fall commencement speech. It quickly dawned on McCullough that this was a big deal, a different tone and direction from speaking to the clubhouse or in baseball meetings.

So McCullough enlisted the help of Marlins vice president of player personnel Sam Mondry-Cohen. They hopped on a video call once a week about five or six times, hammering home themes and stories to share. The final product came together around last month’s Winter Meetings in time for the Dec. 19 commencement.

McCullough credited his public speaking courses in college, his field coordinator role with the Dodgers and his daily media sessions as a manager.

“In my mind, I could tell myself, ‘Hey, slow yourself down,’” McCullough said. “‘Don't use your fillers like you would do so often during the year.’ You never really know. I think everyone seemed pleased with the outcome. My parents were certainly proud.”

The magnitude of the day truly sunk in when students were asked to stand if they were the first in their family to graduate or if they were a mother.

“I was glad when it was over,” said McCullough, whose son Kyle tagged along for the trip. “I wasn't dreading it, but it took a lot of work. There were a couple thousand graduates there, and certainly all their families, a lot of their friends. So there were probably 4,000 people or so at the basketball arena. I was certainly the least academically equipped on that stage.”

McCullough, who was drafted by Cleveland in the 22nd round of the 2002 MLB Draft after his senior year, was two semesters short of graduating. Once his Minor League playing career ended, he returned to school and received his communications degree around the age of 26.

During his 10-minute speech, McCullough imparted wisdom from his playing and coaching days. He used examples from his life, including the time his college head coach told him he was the most disappointing player he had coached. Coasting at the time, it served as a wakeup call to McCullough and taught him the importance of embracing feedback and honesty.

“The main thing was never stop growing, never stop improving,” said McCullough, who was gifted a pirate sword he intends to display in his office. “I did talk a little about my path. My academic path wasn't linear, and even my professional path. Along the way, I had a chance to be around some really great players, and what's stood out the most is that as accomplished as they were, they never settled in and stopped trying to get better. Us in the Marlins are very much viewing things in that same lens, that development never stops and that you're never a finished product.

“It's never a finish line, to enjoy where your feet are, appreciate where you are, and the adversity and setbacks that you're going to experience along the way are important. And then the ability to take feedback.”