"I get it now, because I have three girls" - When Derek Jeter opened up about what competing with his dad taught him about life as a child

Former New York Yankees Great Derek Jeter & His Daughters

New York Yankees great Derek Jeter was the ultimate competitor. He hated to lose, and he would do his best to make sure that would not happen, whether that was on the field or off of it.

Growing up, Jeter would often watch The Price Is Right with his father. It was here that his competitive nature likely kickstarted as the two would compete against each other while watching the show.

During a 2022 interview with Time Magazine, Jeter reminisced on the competition between him and his father. However, he does note that his father never took it easy on him.

"We'd sit down and we'd watch The Price Is Right. We guessed the prices and my dad would just enjoy beating me [at the game]. As I said in the doc, it could be some form of child abuse," said Jeter.

The former Yankees slugger did not understand why his dad would not take it easy on him until Jeter became a parent himself. He now understands the lesson his dad was trying to teach him by not taking it easy on him.

"I get it now, because I have three girls. You have to teach them, life isn't easy. Nothing is going to be given to you," he added.

Derek Jeter has three daughters, Bella, Story, and River. However, after May 2023, the family welcomed the first son of the household, Kaius.

Derek Jeter has stayed competitive long after hanging up his baseball cleats

New York Yankees - Derek Jeter (Photo via IMAGN)

After an exceptional 20-year career with the Yankees, Derek Jeter decided to hang up his cleats following the 2014 season. However, he still had the competitive itch in him.

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Without baseball, he turned to the sport many players turn to after retirement, golf. He instantly became obsessed with the sport and realized just how hard it was as a whole.

Jeter recently made an appearance at the newly created TGL alongside David Ortiz. This is an indoor golf league hosted by SoFi that groups three golfers on a team. Two teams battle it out on a virtual course with some real-life bunkers and greens.

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Jeter is an investor in the league. He and former Yankees teammate CC Sabathia have put their money into the New York Golf Club. Others who also invested in the league include former NFL great Eli Manning, late night host Jimmy Fallon, and tennis legend John McEnroe.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder