This interview first appeared in the Sports Edition of Fat Nugs Magazine, released May 2024.
Matt Henderson is a natural-born athlete, but his work ethic and mental toughness make him a force to be reckoned with.
As I write this, he has a 92-day streak of running two miles or more, averaging 100 miles a month for the past three months. You can imagine the strength, nutrition, dedication, and endurance that entails, but Matt has a secret weapon that he’s used long before he found a love for running: weed.
I had the pleasure of interviewing him about his relationship with athletics and cannabis. Having initially been introduced to weed by his older brother to elevate his mood and party, his relationship with the plant began to evolve as he was re-introduced to it by a baseball teammate who shared the benefits from an educational and sports-focused standpoint.
His teammate explained how he used it for recovery, better sleep and to feel refreshed for practices and games. There was a feeling of enlightenment that sparked as Matt lit up a bowl that afternoon after practice. His team had a game the following day and he said he woke up feeling refreshed and remembers playing lights out that game. “…I went 3 for 4 at bat, had a stolen base, and crushed defense. From there I saw it [cannabis] as a benefit and tool to elevate my sports and athletics rather than a party drug.”
The superstitions of baseball players run deep, so Matt had to get to the bottom of what affected his play in that game. After some reflecting and game recapping, he began to understand the power of cannabis. He happily said, “Baseball players are superstitious and although I didn’t think it was the only reason I played well, it felt like it was worth exploring as a benefit to my future and sports career.”
Baseball & Cannabis: The Early Days
Matt grew up in Chico, CA, a small town in the northern part of the state, where it was fairly normalized for adults to consume. Not so much for the younger generation, but it quickly became commonplace in Matt’s life as he entered high school.
“There was an overarching stigma around kids using cannabis. Using cannabis and playing baseball–I always had to hide it. I never consumed before a game, but did before and after practice and after games for recovery. I felt shameful and unable to fully express myself to my elders, coaches, and peers. When I transitioned to college, I aligned with more people that were like-minded and surrounded myself with other teammates who smoked with the intention of recovery and slowing things down the next day. I found my tribe in that and felt comfortable and confident with my cannabis consumption.”
During Matt’s senior year in high school, he was caught smoking with a buddy off campus. He got a misdemeanor for a Minor In Possession charge (MIP) and was taken back to school, straight to the principal’s office. Matt felt the judgment from his coaches and teachers but went on to say, “The coaches in Northern CA, in my mind, were smokin’ pot too, so my penalties on the field were less severe. They wanted me to play and felt my punishment should take place off the field.”
Cannabis & Baseball After High School
After high school, Matt moved to Southern California to play baseball at Santa Barbara City College. There, he achieved Male Student Athlete of the Year, made an appearance on the President’s Honor Roll, earned a WSC Gold Glove, and was chosen for the All-Southern CA team. There was no drug testing at the city college level, which allowed him to consume how he wanted, and his play and accomplishments certainly reflected that.
Things changed when he was recruited to play baseball at Florida State University. There, he was a scholarship athlete and felt the added pressure and duty to perform. Due to the frequency of NCAA drug tests, Matt completely stopped consuming cannabis during his first year at FSU and didn’t pick it back up until summer ball season, where, interestingly enough, he said, “My play picked up, my performance picked up, my mood picked up, my workouts picked up, and my muscular frame got bigger. I was seeing beneficial changes that I hadn’t been seeing the previous year of not consuming at FSU.”
During college, he failed a drug test performed by FSU, not the NCAA directive, which was very lucky because the penalties put out by the school were much different than NCAA penalties.
I cannot speak to the current rules and regulations, but at the time, Florida State University’s Athletic Department had a 3-strike policy in athletics, with every strike came a call home and enrollment in a counseling program to talk through usage and future plans.
Matt said, “It was my senior year, second semester….baseball season. It happened 3 weeks before the season. I was benched for 2 games and suspended from practice for a week, but the school put me into the Drug Counseling program. I had an awesome counselor, one who understood my story and my intentions for consuming cannabis. After hearing my story and understanding some of the research and science that was starting to come out in 2016/2017, she let me into a secret about that program. If you relapsed or had a “hot” drug test during the program, while you were in the program, relapses were okay.”
Matt’s ears perked up, and he asked his counselor, “Are you telling me I can consume while I’m in this program and have protection?” and she said, “Yes, absolutely.”
Matt’s play had been suffering the two weeks leading up to being able to smoke, so he was looking for a way to re-boost his performance. He started consuming again and ended up hitting .350 for the remainder of the season, helping the team go onto an ACC championship and make an appearance at the 2017 College World Series. Matt says, “Cannabis played a huge part in that so I feel grateful that I was caught and thrown into that scenario.”
Starting on a Division 1 Team
As a starting 2nd baseman on a Division 1 team, Matt held himself to a high standard in the classroom, on the field, and everywhere he went. His attitude and character on and off the field played a large role in why his coaches saw him as a good human and a good baseball player, and that cannabis was part of his life, not a mistake or bad habit that he was indulging in.
Being caught two times and still continuing to indulge, I asked what he thought his life would’ve been like if he hadn’t smoked weed.
“I don’t know that I would have continued to play,” Matt said. “I think I would have burned out because it got pretty overwhelming. I took a big step back in my sophomore year of high school after playing 10 seasons in a row to reset and have more of a recreational summer. I consumed more and played less and it seemed to bring the passion back to me. When I returned I played lights out and really committed to playing baseball for as long as I could. I always had a dream since I was a little kid playing t-ball and playing with my brother that I could get to the highest level of at least amateur baseball, and that definitely didn’t change when I started consuming cannabis.”
Matt’s Closing Words
For those of you who may be going through a similar experience, here are a few closing words from Matt.
“I think the rules and regulations are changing for the better for all athletes and humans in general. Plant medicine is becoming more accessible, and the research is showing why. There are benefits to the athlete and overall human performance. Continue to follow your own path and do your own research and hold what’s close to you to your heart because that’s all that’s going to matter in the end.”
I hope this article inspires you to fight for what you believe in. Until next time, my friends.
