In part two of our conversation with Kevin McNee, the story gets personal. From pitching at Georgetown and Brookdale to blowing out his arm on a pro day with 30 MLB scouts watching, Kevin's baseball journey was defined as much by setbacks as by talent. Add two more Tommy John surgeries, a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis on the eve of a Red Sox workout, and a torn Achilles while training with his own kid — and you've got a masterclass in refusing to quit.

But Kevin didn't just survive the grind. He took it to Austria, coaching and playing baseball in a cornfield on the side of an Alpine mountain, where he also met his wife. He parlayed that experience into a career in finance, landing one of 30 spots at a European investment bank out of 10,000 applicants — and eventually channeling everything he'd learned into co-building Guest Player Connect.

Rob and Jessica dig into what actually keeps you moving forward when life isn't giving you a Rudy moment, and Kevin shares where Guest Player Connect is headed next — from six states to Florida, Cooperstown, Puerto Rico, and beyond.

To learn more or sign up for an event, visit guestplayerconnect.com.

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What if travel baseball didn't have to mean long-term contracts, uneven playing time, and a win-at-all-costs mentality? Rob Semerano and Jessica Curtis sit down with Kevin McNee, former Division I baseball player and partner at Guest Player Connect, to explore a fresh approach to youth travel sports. Kevin shares how the platform — founded by Eric Johnson in 2024 — is giving kids the freedom to play when and where they want, while addressing the biggest pain points families face in the travel ball world.

From elite coaches fresh out of professional organizations to teams made entirely of guest players, Guest Player Connect is building something different. But the conversation goes beyond baseball. Rob, Jessica, and Kevin dig into why developing life skills, handling adversity, and learning to thrive in unfamiliar environments matters far more than any championship hoodie — and why those lessons will follow kids long after they leave the diamond.

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For 25 years, Kurt Decker worked behind the camera at NBC, helping produce some of television’s most iconic late-night moments. In this episode of The Progress Report, Kurt joins Jessica Curtis and Rob Semerano to share how a lifetime around performers—and one unexpected opportunity—led him to the stage performing the timeless music of Frank Sinatra in New York City. It’s a conversation about reinvention, creative courage, and the surprising paths that can lead to a second act.

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