Eric Rataczak is Forging His Own Path

Eric Rataczak is the embodiment of the phrase “a diagnosis can change your life.”

Before he was 19, Minnesota-native Rataczak didn’t think playing pro ball was in the cards for him. Having gotten no offers out of high school, he went to the University of San Diego and played club hockey and baseball for fun. Later on in his first semester, he ended up getting diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

“When I was diagnosed, it was super unsettling [and my] mind went to the worst thing. I didn't know if I could play sports,” Rataczak said. “Looking back, that was a turning point for my career. So, hopefully I can show people put in a similar situation that there’s nothing to be afraid of and that they can still do everything they want to do”

After he started receiving proper treatment, Rataczak started developing rapidly. The training he’s been doing his whole life finally began to stick, and he began to level up quickly.

“When I got diagnosed and got proper medication, all of the strength work really caught up with me,” Rataczak said. “From there, it became a whole new game. I was playing club ball at San Diego and all of a sudden balls were jumping off my bat the way they hadn’t before.”

His second semester, COVID-19 hit and he ended up taking a break from his studies, realizing that he was now entering a second wind for his baseball career. He joined a post-graduate team, which he refers to as his “re-entry” into the world of baseball. He would continue to play at several different levels, from post-graduate, clubs teams, junior college, and NCAA Division 1 athletics.

Through it all, the biggest thing his diagnosis has taught him is the importance of routine. He changed his entire lifestyle to stay healthy and live his life, but the biggest things that make a difference are eating consistently and well, and getting good sleep. He has become more aware of his body and what helps him versus what hurts him, and that’s something he’s trying to spread about Type 1 Diabetes.

“People hear [diabetes] and think poor eating habits, poor wellness habits, when that’s not the case at all for Type 1 Diabetics,” Rataczak said when asked about why he started his Instagram account, @athletic_diabetic. “I just want people to know that the kids who grew up with that are probably in great shape, but they also are way more physically in tune with their health than most people because they have to be.”

Along with creating positive awareness for diabetes in athletics, Rataczak also plays for another reason: his late grandmother, Judy.

“She was a true baseball fan,” Rataczak said. “She just loved it.”

Judy never missed a Minnesota Twins game, or any of Rataczak’s games for that matter. She always said that if she could’ve, she would’ve played.

Another big inspiration for Rataczak is his father. He graduated from Notre Dame with a Masters in biology and went on to teach at a graduate level. Eventually, he would move on to being a professional artist. His dad’s decision to follow his own dreams encouraged Rataczak to pursue his own dream of baseball, even though it seemed strange to some.

“His decision to fully go all in on being a painter despite what most people would say is super inspiring,” Rataczak said. “I was always a better student than I was a baseball player so my story didn’t make a lot of sense to people. His dedication to what he does and doing it because he loves it is super inspiring.”

Eric Rataczak is on a roll and not slowing down anytime soon. Keep up with him and the rest of the Jupiter Hammerheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.