James Lowe AKA Coach Ballgame, on Making Youth Baseball a Great Experience

James Lowe AKA Coach Ballgame, on Making Youth Baseball a Great Experience with Coach Schuman and Coach Depascale

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All right coach what's going on how you Been good good good we got a a a great Guest today we have Coach ball game We're going to talk some Youth Sports We're going to talk some Baseball um you know last week I think We covered was it last week or two weeks Ago we did ba basketball with your buddy From uh uh two weeks two weeks ago got Flying it's crazy so yeah that was two Weeks ago so we're moving around you Know listen we've covered obviously we Always cover football but uh we're not We're now covering baseball we we cover You Sports occasionally we we covered uh Uh the Nathan's uh uh hot dog Champion You know what I mean so we're really We're on everything we Poss lemonade Champion that's right Um so we're going to talk some you Sports I started following coach ball Game on Tik Tok that's where I first saw Him um because my son plays baseball and Uh was really um just you know like Looking for different tips on things and You know development wise and I came Across his uh page and it first of all His voice is very compelling amazing but But the um the first thing I i c c me Out was not just the tips but the Nicknames he had at his camps it was Just so good it was just like I don't Know how he did it he had like a drum And he would go through it and then I

Just started following him and as I Continue to follow him I just you know The tips he gave uh for baseball players Just the tidbits the the little cues to Help the younger kids right so it was Really really just great stuff and so You know we wanted to get him on and and Talk to him some more and he's obviously Very viral he runs camps all over the Country as well so without further Ado Let's bring on Coach ball game what's up Coach wow uh I love it I'm I'm going to Uh I'm gonna need you guys to give me That intro every morning when I wake up And get my my oatmeal and my glass of Milk thanks thanks for having me good to Be here look I appreciate it coach we're Looking forward to it that's for sure It's great to have you on what um so all Right in your oatmeal what do you have In your oatmeal when you when you have In the morning oh we're going there well Let's let's let's uh kick it off hot With almond butter we got uh blueberries We've got milk uh we've got blueberry Flavored oatmeal we've got protein Powder we got this green superfood Powder you know when you hit 40 your Wife starts buying this stuff uh you Know these powders and these things uh To keep you you know keep you tight keep You fit regular That's it man the dad B Rules this p podcast so we're Good so that's it and then you know

Whole bunch of coffee and I'm good to Go that's great I I asked that because I Have oatmeal just about every morning And I put a bunch of different things in There as well I put put this peanut Butter powder I put a little protein Powder put a little honey I put a little Chia seed I put a little hemp seed and I Think back when I was young and I when I Would eat oatmeal it would just be the Flavored oatmeal that was you're like I Got to get out of here let me eat Whatever I can go now we have time to Put it all together you know well Oatmeal no it was it was Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Fruity Pebbles for me back Then that's It that's very very very true that's Very true so so coach uh I I yeah I Touched on the intro um but I want to Let you really kind of go into to your Background and coaching and playing and And how you kind of came on to really Started doing all this stuff and Obviously you're really growing with the Camps as well uh talk talk more about That Yeah I mean I'm almost 42 years old now Father of two I live in Orange County California but it's started in North Carolina um we had a small house in a One horse town in the in the very center Of North Carolina State I had two Brothers Mom and Dad uh the brothers

Taught me all the sports uh my dad Taught me how to laugh and my mom uh Taught me how to be a good person that Was really where they uh Those are those priorities for them and Me and my brothers I was the youngest we Would invite neighbors over friends over And we'd play sports all day long and And we had a basketball court out there We had a swing set horseshoes everything But uh the one that really stuck was Sandlot baseball we'd use a tennis ball Couldn't use a hard ball we'd break the Windows in the house but uh we're out There playing all day long couldn't hit It towards third base there's a big tree There uh if you hit the house it was a Double if you hit the roof it was a Triple if you hit it over the house it Was a home run if you hit it across the Street the dog would eat it uh it was Really Sandlot baseball uh from the Beginning uh played all three Sports Through High School uh we played Basketball we played football we played Baseball uh but by senior year I knew Baseball was the calling so Brown University four years there I am the Proud career hit by pitch record holder At Brown University true story uh Documented and um that's how I Introduced myself whenever I meet famous People um didn't get drafted no pro Teams wanted me so uh I think a lot of

That had to do with my first um and only Uh run against Mr Justin Verlander he Was pitching for Old Dominion this is Back in' 03 I'm baton thir for Brown University he throws a fast ball about 96 and I did not see it uh not clearly Anyway it looked like it had hair on it It was kind of blurry uh strike one next Pitch closed my eyes foul ball good next Pitch was a hammer curve ball uh it Started at the roof and went all the way Down a as it started to dip down into The strike zone I did not throw up but I Did dry heave i i a And uh umpire said strike three you're Out and that was the moment that was the Moment I knew that my plan days were Over and it's time to do something else So uh that's the day I became a youth Coach um from Brown I I traveled out to California where I had a buddy uh Coaching camps for kids and these are Baseball camps and I said well I don't Know what I want to do with my life I I Know what I like I like uh I like music I like acting like writing I like Directing I like entertaining I like art Uh so let's go to Los Angeles California And um that that's where it all began in My 20s chasing what I loved but having This through line of coaching kids um in My 20s and and really learning how to Coach by uh the help of some mentors uh That I'm so thankful I had but um that

That's how this whole thing got started And uh A lot of people are like whoa look at You you're all over the place and I Always say yeah it's an overnight Success 20 years in the making so yeah It works it's a it's a it's a long Journey and I'm proud of the journey but Uh you know that's a little three minute On who I am and where I came from well I Think it's um it's it's incredible how You decided to go I mean obviously you Loveed baseball and love sports in General but you decided to go from Brown He said you know what I'm going to go P Pursue a career in in in acting and art And everything like that instead of the Old career Finance path going right down To uh down to Wall Street like half of Your colleagues probably right oh more Than half yeah more than half 90% of Them and I studied business econ in College because I didn't know what I Wanted to do and everybody didn't know What they wanted to do was studying Business econ and then all my friends Are going to you know Oxford business School and Harvard Law and here I am Like man I fell asleep in those classes But there was this class at Brown Theater Arts that I was excited to go to And luckily I had Parents awesome Parents who are still with us in North Carolina that didn't allow me to settle

Uh they said you know what uh if you Settle into a job that you hate uh it's G to be a Long sad life uh so they pushed me uh to To go find it and around age 30 uh I I Found it I found out how to marry all of My uh loves I loved uh entertaining I Loved baseball I loved music uh so Creating this coach ball game thing Where I can bring a drum and entertain Kids I can tell stories to kids to Engage them and give them nicknames I Can dress up in costumes um and then When the iPhone came around create Content uh uh based on on coaching these Kids uh it's a perfect marriage so glad I didn't settle all thanks to my folks No it's it's it's pretty amazing now the Content creation part uh um is an Incredible skill that you have so you You really do marry all those things and In the new technology World especially Because you're able to get like that Short form Entertainment um and grab a hold of Everybody and then at the same time Really get the powerful message that you Want to get across with respect to Youth Sports and baseball and development as Being the key thing you know for Athletes um especially in you know in The sport that you're focus on but in General you know development of the Athlete the encouragement of them the

The um the positivity right um T talk About how you started to kind of marry Those worlds together and then I Definitely want to dive into the whole Baseball thing but so tell me how you For the people who are watching this Because you've done a master a masterful Job of it um it to me it's one of the Literally of the content creators out There is in sports it's one of the the Very very tippy top best channels there Are out there um and you combine Education you combine into it talk about How you kind of crafted it all together And started putting together from that Standpoint well honored thank you that's Very high praise uh I was a flip phone Guy forever and then in 2016 uh once again there's there's a There's a better half that uh motivated Me to get one of these iPhones and said Hey start setting this camera up on a Bucket while you're coaching these kids Um and and have fun with it so I learned How to edit uh uh you know I found an App called splice that I could edit Things together I also use iMovie um and And I said well here's what I'm noticing What I'm seeing is a lot of skill-based Content uh and it it there's not a lot Of humor to it that's not my voice I I Want to marry Saturday Night Live with Baseball I want to marry art and Baseball so my voice is humor that's

Where I go to first so I said well I'll Just start making some videos where I'm Chatting with these kids uh getting to Know them and and slowly but surely we'd Start getting a little following 100 Followers 200 followers I I downloaded The Facebook app the Instagram uh when Tik Tock came around I started doing That but it's really been a slow burn For eight years now uh but something That really hit was during covid uh the Shutdown where I couldn't coach kids in Person for uh what ended up being about Three or four months but we didn't know How long it was going to be yeah no idea How do I do was right during that spring Season which is probably your Peak kind Of time when guys really start ramping It up right like AB right into summer Like so now it's how like well what do I Do right like what do I do so I mean I Was knocking on doors at Costco and Trader Joe's like do I I go you know I Gotta feed my family I got two daughters Here but I had some motivation uh from Friends that said no you're coach ball Game uh you coach uh kids you got to do That so I went in the backyard and I did An online PE class for 80 straight days And I had my mother-in-law's phone for Facebook live I had my laptop on for YouTube I had my phone for Instagram Live and we started to get a following Around the country that way uh I

Continue to do uh content as far as Skills go and try to make make it funny As well but um that started to catch on And then I get a phone call from a lady I had I had no idea who it was she said My name's Sandy and this is 2021 just on The back end of of covid she says you Don't know me but my husband uh has Loved watching your videos uh he's he Just recently passed after a long fight With cancer but he uh he loved what you Were about character uh fun giving him Nicknames he was a teacher and a coach For 50 years in Li of flowers he said When he passes send money to this coach Ball game guy so I'm going okay this is A this is a a prank call from a friend Really that's funny I get on the phone With her son and he's like there this is Real there's no catch here what's your Venmo $20,000 later from people that used to Be his name's Dave Dave shreen who Passed uh they used to be his students Or uh former players they're like we Don't know you but we trust the shreen Family so here you go me and my wife Were like what do we do with this I had A I had it in my heart well we've Created a bit of a buzz with this online PE class uh around the country let's go Around the country and run free sand Lots for kids let's let's preach this Message of joy and character development

Uh and shine a light on just some Problems with youth sports and how we're Going about it so we went to the Field Of Dreams in Iowa we went to St Louis we Went to Chicago we went to Pennsylvania We went to the Bronx of New York and we Ran free sandlots and that was that was Really the beginning of it all uh you Know talk about the ripple effect of of One act of kindness from this family but Um that was a real Turning Point locally Here in Orange County where I just kind Of went full I went Allin on the coach Ball game thing uh and uh around the Country as well and what I noticed Locally was uh there nobody else was Able to play uh games they couldn't play Soccer football basketball but under my Camp umbrella I was able to uh navigate And able to run my own camps and things So it grew locally as well but uh a Roundabout answer to say you know uh it It it it's been a slow burn but once I Started really leaning into coaching Coaches uh that's when it it really Hit that's amazing that's amazing yeah It just really shows your impact and Like doing something of that nature Where you're literally just doing it for You know in reality for like yourself But you're you know you're looking to Kind of progress along and grow it and Then just by you trusting the process And kind of

Going through it now all of a sudden Like good things happen right and now You turn around and you could have just Taken that and done whatever you wanted With it but now to reinvest in it and Then grow it I think is ultimately like You know it's it's what a lot of people Should do but I think majority wouldn't Have done so kudos to you for doing that And like and utilizing that to kind of Hey I can really take this to the next Level a little bit faster with this act Of kindness right 100% it was a huge Huge thing because I'm pretty routine Oriented I can be safe and just stay in My own little bubble uh and say okay We're we're paying the rent doing this Little thing but I I have a wife with Big Ideas uh and she's uh she's not Going to give me an ultimatum but she is Definitely uh let know she's gonna P the Envelope I see what we can do here let's Grow and and big thanks to her and Friends who push me along including Strangers like this family who raised $20,000 and and since then I've been to Over 300 different cities coached over 100,000 kids all over not just America But Europe as well right yeah baseball's Big you know International like you know We usually talk football and what not And American football you don't really See outside of America right like it's It's just they try it but it just

Doesn't have the same Buzz that it does Here baseball International I mean You're talking all over the the entire World is baseball so that market itself Opens it up to you know God knows what Absolutely and you know I'm very Fortunate MLB has come along and uh Partnered up with me and given me a job As the ambassador of play ball which is Basically their Youth Department we run Free camps all over the world and I get To run those uh it's really my comfort Zone give me a 100 kids and a microphone And I'm ready to rock and uh we got to Go to London just a few um a few months Ago in June for the Phillies and Mets And what I noticed is not just in Great Britain all over Europe there's a buzz About this game of baseball it is Growing for sure so good on MLB I will Say all thanks to a friend Joe Buck uh He's been a friend for a long time but When he noticed what I was doing he flew New yor heard voice he heard that voice He flew to New York and he said hey Manfred you gotta take a look at this Guy uh he's um he can grow the game to This next Generation so you kind of need Somebody uh pretty loud and uh and and Willing to open the door for you and Then I just said okay Joe I'm Gonna Knock this door down as hard as I can uh Once you open it up so uh again um I Can't really open the door

But folks like Joe Buck and this family The Shrek and go if they just squeak it Open then I can kick it down and that You know uh that's that was the plan Yeah and that that's definitely what Happened as someone who used to run over 100 camps around the country every Single year in in the football space I Can appreciate what it takes to to Really grow the camp Camp business and To be able to really try to reach as Many people as as you can and you're Trying to continue to EXP band your Message um it's it's really really cool The the youth baseball aspect and how Baseball has changed from the time from When you were playing as a kid to when You went to college to now has changed Radically and I would say travel ball And like maybe Elite travel ball versus The whole Recreation Little League uh scenario has Taken hold hugely in especially the last 10 years and I think you know as a Father that's trying to navigate it Myself I find it to be craziness um and Um you know you're you're in one half Trying to get your kid to develop he Loves the game he wants to develop and Then you know you you play little you Play little league and all the kids who Play travel basically dominate little League but little league doesn't want Those kids to leave little league right

So I don't know that it's always so fair To the the kids who really are Developing right and then the travel Ball kids um the the kids who were Traveling travelable they get caught in A whole world where they they're forced To play nine million games and they Don't really you know they they like Being around their friends they like the Aspect of the camaraderie of travel ball Other players that are good maybe are a Little bit better than like you know Maybe other kids so they want a little Bit more but they also don't want I Don't think want to play 9,000 games Right you know so um there there's such A difficult balance in baseball and Their parents are pulled in a lot of Different directions sometimes their own Fault sometimes I would say some level Of of pressure and keeping up with the Joneses and you know maybe even their Kid right sometimes their kid says Hey I Want to do this my friends are doing This I'd like to be on this team too and What are you seeing in Youth Sports and I know you're working hard to really get Things on a better path kind of tell me What you're seeing and what you think Are the The Good Bad and the Ugly and What we could maybe start to do to fix It I know it's probably an hour Conversation right there but but I'll Let you roll yeah yeah that's a whole

Book um yeah I mean it was just starting To uh come to the surface when I was 12 13 14 years old where I I'd get a call Here and there and say hey let's do this Tournament down in Florida um with with Some some of the elite players in our County but I was never driven uh to it When I did try it in the fall I'm like You know what I'm missing football I'm Missing basketball a little bit I'll do Baseball in a different season so that Was my cup of tea was playing all the Different sports and then by the time I Got to college I was all in and I was Ready to go year round uh at that sport Nowadays uh very very prevalent and Here's what I've noticed uh travel ball In every sport uh Club ball I think it's A necessity and I think it's a great Great thing for the elite player but It's very very dependent on the Coach uh I had a kid uh I his nickname Was the show and this is 2016 I'm just Starting camps here in Orange County California he comes up to me he says hey Coach ball game I'm gonna quit Baseball I was like what are you talking About buddy you're a really great player You you you have a Love of the Game he Said yeah my travel ball coach won't let Me play soccer I got to play yearr round Baseball uh or I lose my spot I've Got Friends on this baseball team that I Want to be with but I also have friends

That are playing soccer I also just want To be a kid and hang out with my family I said how old are you he said Seven that was the introduction for me Oh my so so I know incredibly laughable I know so so I I said well that that is One mentally unwell coach and that's a One-off there's no way that could be a Pattern well I start getting more of Those stories in my emails in my uh DMS And at a certain point I go oh this is a Problem there is a problem in Youth Sports and it's not just baseball it's In the hockey culture the soccer culture Softball it's all over And it's coach driven the problem is Coach driven uh why because there are Great opportunities for the elite player To get better to uh face different Challenges and get ready for that next Level that they can't find in Recreation Ball wck ball is amazing it's it's the Best it's what I grew up on and and it's A beautiful Community driving uh deal uh But if you wan to maybe get a little Extra uh jump on that high school tryy Out there's some great things that can Happen from Elite Ball but you've got to Find a coach who's Big Picture oriented Yes uh am I trying to win a game today Am I trying to win a trophy today or am I looking big picture and thinking what Kind of husband is this kid gonna be one Day because of me uh can we extend this

Kid's career uh to where he's going to Learn more life lessons uh you have to Be A Life Lesson oriented person to be a Great coach a good coach will change a Game but a great one changes a life so If you co go about it the right way Where this kid's gonna be a father one Day this kid might date my daughter one Day and I want to make sure they're a Good person uh I also want them to love The game if you're prioritizing joy and Character over wins then that's a great Coach and that's the coach you want to Join uh in whatever sport you want to Become Elite at uh but when you have to Win that game well the right fielder Who's getting no attention uh because You have to win that game they're going To walk away from from whatever sport You're playing they're not going to Learn all those life lessons down the Road they're going to go do something Else that pitcher that you're overusing Because you have to win that game They're gonna burn out they're gonna Have Tommy John and mentally they're G To be like I'm done by the time I I get To College this has been a job for six Years playing in 50 tournaments a year I'm I'm over this I've seen it in person Uh many many times by the time you are Starting at uh NC State uh you want to Quit because all you've been driven to Do your whole uh childhood life is to go

Further harder better um so the the lens That coaches uh need to put on is how Can we make him a great human and and I I'm hopeful that what I'm trying to do And what I'm seeing from uh college Coaches Major League uh coaches and Managers major league players as I'm Able to interview some of them and some Of them are starting their own podcasts On Youth Sports and how do we how do we Fix it uh I'm seeing guys like Jeff Franor and Greg Olen uh come out and say Hey what what happened to my sport uh What happened to this culture what Happened to playing multiple Sports and Becoming a really well-rounded athlete That way when you're asked in 10th Grade To move from your normal position of Short stop to center field because There's a senior at shortstop and he's Not losing his job um did you play Football were you a free safety did you Play basketball were you able to move Those feet the way we need you to uh When when it gets hard when everybody's A little bit better than you when you Get to College have you learned those uh Social skills and those life lessons From a different sport that makes you Tough and gives you that ability to Overcome adversity I mean one of the Worst things you can do for a player is Turn them into a one-trick pony so as as As you ask any college coach what are

They looking for I need a kid who loves The game with all their heart right That's not burn out and I need a a Person of good High character I'll teach Him how to throw a curveball I'll teach Him how to play a certain position uh But I I can't I don't have time to teach Him to be a good human uh or to love the Game so um that that travel ball world Uh I I think it's great and I've never Dipped my toe into it until this past Year I'm working with some friends to Create this organization called the Flying pigs where we're going to put ATT A boy and AD a girl on the back of the Jerseys and it's G to be ball game meets Travel ball uh it's about character it's About long game it's about big picture It's about teaching love of play and We're really just trying to inject a Little positivity and common sense into That world uh who have thought that' be Novel but it it is well who would have Thought we we would even have to be Coaching that right like or who would Have thought that that would ever be you Know what I mean like it started like The passion and the and the for the game That's the that's the minimum like you Have to have that you have to want to do That but you also have to create an Environment where That can only grow more so as the child Or the kid grows within the sport itself

And and we talk about it all the time About multisport guys and it's it's like You know go play other sports because Like you said not only the physical Development that goes along with it Learning other skills or you know this Or that but the the just the mental side Of it like you might be the best Football player but you go play Basketball maybe you're not the best B Basketball player now you have to deal With not being the guy or you know that Type of thing that just develops and and By the time you're done with all of that You get to high school now you're a Well-rounded just human in general and I Think a lot of times like that's parents Either don't understand that part of it Or you know what I mean or we need to do A better job communicating that that This is the this is the goal of this It's not just you know how many points Jimmy can score or how many hits he can Get there's there's so much more to it You know socially and emotionally than There is any of the on the field stuff And uh I I really don't know that any Kid I coach and I've already coached Over 100,000 kids uh in my entire Lifetime I might not coach one kid that Makes it to Major League Baseball think Of that think of the numbers think of All the different faces but every single One of them will be an an adult one day

The math tells us that all every kid you Coaching football this season next Season uh whatever sport you're coaching The likelihood of them playing college Uh Athletics is very very low playing Professionally uh almost zero but They'll all have a tough decision to Make in a dark moment one one day and They might think of you and go you know What that coach taught me this life Lesson that coach taught me how to how To attack this uh this adversity in in a Good way and and so that's that's the Whole point of coaching uh even to the To the you think of Doc Roberts for the Dodgers John Wooden for UCLA I'm reading These books that they're all writing It's the same thing up there Dusty Baker Who's the players manager just won a Couple of World Series in a row uh he's Known to be a svant of people before he Ever coaches the player he is getting to Know the person and he wants to mold That person into a a good human being a Server of their Community one day and That's at the highest level that's what You win with that's how you win you win With people the ex's no stuff the sport Itself all that's the int I can teach You to catch a ball I can teach you to Do all those things but like you said The the when you link up and create a Sense of comfort within the players Themselves now they buy in now they're

All in once they're all in and and Understand that my coach is behind me 100% And and doesn't only care about Whether I go three for four on the day Or whether I have this many strikeouts When he knows like that when I come to The ballpark what could hey you good What's going on is there a problem let's Talk about this how can we handle this When when those players understand that This coach want cares more than me more For me about that type of stuff the off The field stuff now I feel like the the The actual sport itself is the easy part Right absolutely I see a lot of first Time coaches and they're so obsessed With uh with the skill development and And you know what I saw on YouTube to Help fix this swing or make them throw Better um there's a lot of important Stuff that you got to do first and Involves the person how about you find Out his name find out what uh he or she Loves to do what do they love to eat for Breakfast find a nickname based off Something that they love paint a picture Of who they are as a person because if You show the the child that you care for Them as a person they'll love that sport More and then they will listen to you When you teach them how to tackle or how To shoot a free throw or how to hit a Ball to the opposite Gap um but you gota You gotta win the heart uh before you uh

You go to the skills or or the wins any Of that stuff I I think that's the one Of the biggest things that's Changed um from the time you know I'm I'm 50 you know when when I was a kid And maybe when you you was a kid and Even Derek um dereck's in his you're in What late 30s Derek I think so uh I Think the biggest thing that's changed Is you know it used to be coaches were a Certain way they did they were part of Your Community you had good coaches and bad Coaches but they were part of your Community kind of knew you a little bit Better and I I I think about it from a Football and baseball standpoint when Even when I was growing up those guy Those High School coaches came down and Saw you you know when you they came down To the little league they came down to The youth football uh practices and got To know you um and and the coaches in Your community really got to know you You have some of that still but what you Have that's different is um you have Coaches and I don't want to say I don't Want to use the word bad coaches but you You have coaches of all different skill Levels okay from really really good Coaches to to to bad coaches to caring Coaches to not caring coaches is to Demanding coaches to not demanding Coaches right and everything in between

And what has been very difficult I think For parents in the old days used to say Oh that parent a pain in the butt right And and sometimes obviously there's Parents are still pains in the butts Here and there right um uh they could be They could be issues and have to be Managed but what I think has changed Also which I think I'm getting it's Harder for me to get used to because I Coach you know I coached High School Football for 20 years now I coach son And some of his youth stuff and then I Also sit back and watch other coaches Coach him and you know in other sports Right um and I think the thing that's Changed is that W wide spectrum of Coaches and navigating the coaches and You brought that up how important the Coach is I think that somehow we've Forgotten how important getting in with The right people like when kids come and Play for me and in in in football for Example or if I'm coaching basketball I Tell them you know they're going to come Out with a great experience yeah we're Trying to do well we're we're trying to Develop you but you're going to come out With a good experience That's My overall Goal you know there are some days that Aren't great there are some days that Are wonderful and there's everything in Between but we want to come out with an Overall good experience that's that's

What we're trying to do um but I see so Many coaches that have not and I've had My my kid on teams where they were and They're at on some teams when they Weren't and I've had coaches say some Really really interesting things along The lines uh of what you said like in in Travel baseball oh your son's a very Really good athlete but you know I don't Know how much he's he plays you know Three sport four Sports you know because He does track too and uh but he's a Football baseball basketball guy and uh You know I don't know how much he's Dedicated football my son's nine mind You okay so at the time they were saying This was he was eight at the time they Were saying and he just it was his first Year doing any kind of travel right so So I I found that like so shocking I I Was and I'm a guy who's coached for a Long time I played at division one level Of football you know so I was so shocked By that I was I was shocked I almost Didn't really like have a response per Se because it was something that was Difficult for me to process you know Like and we've always the sports are all Year round basically all year round now Like every Sport's all year round in Some capacity so you're kind of picking And choosing okay I can do you want to Do football and some baseball in the Fall you know like but football is your

Priority that's what we we try to say Okay well when you're a winner if you Want to do another sport you're welcome To you don't have to okay but you like Basketball basketball is your priority Football and baseball are not the Priority in the winner so if we got to Choose something we're going to choose Basketball right and so and then when we Get the baseball Seasons the same thing If you're doing baseball and and and You're running track we want those to be The priorities over the other stuff Right so but it's I was shocked so it's Funny when you brought up the story of The seven-year-old thing because I was Not shocked hearing that because I they Didn't put it the same way that that Coach put it to him but they put it a Little more subtly in the sense that Like here's the reason why we have you Know you you're the three sport athletes In the Outfield let's say per se here's Why you guys are in the Outfield because You're playing three Sports you know so I think the coach you brought up such a Valuable point there is how your child Gets with certain coaches and Investigating that not necessarily from Performance standpoint but how he's Going to treat the kids and uh talk About what you think parents should kind Of evaluate for themselves when joining A team and what kind of Coach you think

Should be the right fit for them yeah I Think there's a priority list that you Got to set uh a is this coach uh going To breed a Love of the Game in my child That's going to make them want to play For the next four five six seven eight Years two uh is this coach every time They're around them uh going to make Them a better person uh are they going To lead by example uh are they GNA uh Treat failures with unconditional love And and detach uh their Joy from the Results are they process oriented uh are They uh wanting to make this person a Good human uh and then the byproducts Become skill development and WIS uh that That's got to be the priorities that a Parent looks for uh in their coach can a Coach um communicate well I I think one Of the first pieces of advice I give Coaches is you want to be able to Communicate to the players and the Parents so throw a barbecue at the Beginning of the season Make some burgers absolutely and talk to These parents and and let let them uh in And and just listen to their Journey uh You know how long's your kid been Playing what's your story because when Those parents trust you as a coach then When you drop that email that says we're Going to go about this the right way We're going to build character we're Going to create love of play uh the wins

May happen they may not but that's not Not uh the number one priority uh it's Going to be a byproduct well then when You drop that email that truth bomb you Know what uh the parents are are a Little negative a little toxic you're Not you're not gonna not going to be Able to yell at umpires and and show Kids that it is okay to be disrespectful To other people uh we're not going to Micromanage our kids from the sidelines That's unproductive they don't perform Well when they're looking over their Shoulder uh for your approval uh when You need to drop all of these dimes on Them they need to have built that trust First so that barbecue is is a huge deal And from the parents point of view uh if You've got a coach that that has that Heart uh for the big picture and the Long game and what kind of human am I Creating and how long can we make this Career um then then that's the one That's the one you want to look for so Be picky be picky with your coaches Because there's a lot of them out there That are going to be subtle in their Sarcasm and they're going to have a Motive uh of hey well you know great Athlete great player but he's GNA play Center field because he's he's doing Other sports we we're hitting it with my 10-year-old daughter she's big into Dance just loves it so much but wanted

To try softball thankfully we found a Dance Community where the uh teacher Says hey we want your child to have a Full uh a full childhood so yes you can Miss this class on Tuesday so you can do Softball practice and vice versa the Softball coach is doing the same thing Hey we we have daughters doing multiple Things as well you've got to find those Coaches you got to find those cultures If you if you see red flags Run for the Hills there's other places to go simple As that uh but uh when you sniff out That when itall cost or that Specialization style coach just know That coach is doing it for them they're Not they're not in it for the kids um so Sniff out those red flags and move on That that that's fantastic um I I'm also Curious about because you obviously have Done so many videos on different Techniques and batting and catching and I I love your cues that you have um I Wish I could remember them all so I Could spit them back at you but they're They're they're so phenomenal they're Simple to to to the point what what are Your thoughts on Uh kids going and getting training Versus just going out there and like hey Man like I I think it might have been But you to talked about it you know just Hitting in the yard man and hitting the Ball to yourself like that's going to

Teach you that that hand ey coordination You know like one of the things that Because my son always wants to go out With me which I I can do Mo most of the Time but but I say to him you know you Could sit on your back and throw the Ball to yourself over and over again When I was a kid like I didn't I you Know video games came in play around Like 10 11 years old you know it wasn't I would just sit on the back you know Back my back and just throw the ball Like I was watching TV just throw the Ball to myself because I like catching The ball right and so I remember you Talking about how they could just sit And hit and and and and and with a Whiffle ball whatever it is right um What what are your thoughts on should Kids go for de development with training With coaches when is that Necessary um because baseball is a high Fail sport right um and there's great Lessons with that but it's a high fail Sport and uh learning how to get better At those individual skills are so Important in the overall development From a baseball spoint which I think is Very unique you know me and Derek Coached football for a long time one of The things we always love about football Is you know if you come out for football You're freshman year and you're a great Athlete we we pretty much and Derek

Probably agree with me on this if if You're to stick your nose in there we Probably can make you a pretty good Football player fairly quickly you know You know I mean but baseball I would Gather that if I came in their freshman Year and I never hit a ball before it's GNA be hard to just even make the team You even if you had the chance to be Good you're never gonna get there from a Skill standpoint so what talk about when You think those things should start to Happen what they can do on their own as Well yeah baseball golf uh a little bit Different where it is more hand ey Coordin a little little more a lot a lot Of skill set I saw it with my daughter Yesterday first softball practice ever We've played catch in the backyard and I've tossed her Whiffle balls but I Noticed she was struggling with a few Things like hitting a pitch that's Coming in pretty fast she's underneath Every single one so I paid the rent by Doing private lessons for a decade while I was waiting tables while I was trying To build this coach ball game thing and What I noticed was in the game of Baseball and softball uh it it Definitely helps as long as it's not Overdone uh I think once a week meeting With somebody who can work on one skill Per week that's enough uh now I Definitely had 84 different things going

On in my brain on why that kid's not Hitting that ball and what they need to Know but in the brain of an Eight-year-old they need one word only Maybe two words maybe three uh and That's enough for a whole week of Consumption so when you are teaching the Skills try to break it down into its Most simple form uh so they can chew on It and they can learn from it so um yes I I think one on one private skill Development uh it it definitely helps a Kid fall in love with the game more Again that's priority one for me how can I get them to fall in love with the game Well if they keep swinging and missing Or they keep making that bad throw They're not going to fall in love with The game they're going to feel like a Failure and want to walk away so that Improvement of the skills is a huge part Of my priority one but um you don't want To overdo it you know you you want to go To that baseball lesson on Wednesday Nights and then we've got swim on Thursdays then it's family night on Fridays Balance common sense is Everything so um I'm excited to uh work On one word per week with my daughter Get her a little bit better at hitting So she'll maybe want to play a little Bit more um but I'm also very excited to Watch her dance uh tomorrow and see how She can uh you know keep pursuing that

Passion as Well I also think hearing it from a Different voice right like just you know He just different coaches obviously all Bring you can have multiple coaches with The same you know end in in mind but Just hearing things from a different Just voice in general can also create You know more of a positive outlook on Things like if each guy is all aligned For the same you know we're all crossing The same Finish Line but we're not all Going to get there the same way and and Listen each kid is different what what What what what one guy might be great For one kid might not be great for Another kid so like you said with Parents like look like do your due Diligence do your homework just find the Right whatever works for you doesn't Have to be you know the guy that's Worked with seven of these other people Because maybe that approach isn't your Child's approach absolutely and and for The coaches out there don't take it Personal when a kid leaves your program You can't look think think of how much Better you're setting that kid up for The future when you allow them to hear a Different voice or you allow them to Play a different sport you you allow Them to uh see it from a different angle When they do uh try and get this job and Corporate America 20 years down the road

And you know it it's it's a different Voice than you have you got to you got To open them up diversify their Portfolio and I always uh say that to Coaches and I felt it early on in Coaching I take it a little personally Oh you're gonna go try this guy Teritorial as coaches right absolutely Teritorial as coach there's a Controlling thing there and and then you My little this is my like he's mine Don't beever I would go inward as a Failure too like how failing you as a Coach uh meanwhile why am I making it About me this isn't about me right this Is about the child this is about the Student and and growing so um I'm all I'm always growing I I I started as a Bad coach I'm writing a book right now I've I've created a Playbook as well and Kind of a starter kit for all coaches on How to do these important things before They they try and win games or teach Skills and the first line of the book is Is uh I used to be a bad coach because I Was I I came at it from an angle of uh Let's wean out the non- elite player if A kid is not the eight-year-old version Of of me who was crazy about this sport Ah then send them to the door and let Them try something else um luckily I had Mentors who put their arm around me and Said you have the energy of 30 humans But that kid hates baseball now because

Of you because of your Tone because of your Self-righteousness uh because of your Passive Aggressive body language because I made It about myself exactly right so um all The things I've learned all the failures I've made uh I'm ashamed to say it that You know I've definitely made kids walk Away from the game uh but I have to Learn from it and I try and share it With with coaches and there's going to Be a new crop of coaches coming in every Year who have never played football or Basketball or baseball they're like man My tool pouch is empty I need some help So I'm happy to be that guy I think the Biggest thing too as coaches is you Continue to you continue you're always Gonna make mistakes right and yeah not To get I think the self-righteous point Is a big deal like we're coaches in General in order to be to become a a Decent good coach just to be get to a Decent level you have to have a level of Self-righteousness and to think that you Can actually help get someone better Right but it's also your downfall as Well because you feel like you have a Skill set that you could teach kids to Become better and then you're also Become self-important because of it Because you think you have that skill Set and that is something that has to be

Managed and I I you know I could I could Say listen I coach High School guys for Many years we we used to run Elite Camps Of football I've coached four or five Heisman Trophy winners and I could tell You when I coach uh young kids now Because my son is coming through Those kids humble you every single day Like I could tell you I'm like Jesus Every day I thought I was a good coach And now I'm coaching niney olds and They're not understanding what I'm Trying to explain to them you know and Because you have to change the way you Talk to them you have to change the Learning environment you have to change How you know they learn differently than A high school kid or a a college kid Would learn and um you have to talk to Them differently if you're upset with Them you you can't stay upset with them You have to come back to to a an even Spot so they see you at an even spot and Realize that it's okay because they will Get upset if you're upset and they'll Think it's something that they did right And you have to explain that to them I Think of it like a a fruit basket where You know okay I'm working with Four-year-olds today that that that's an Apple all right let's chew on this apple Right here it the expectations are make Sure nobody gets hurt and we did our job I'm working with five year olds today

Okay that's a that's a peach uh what are We working on there still the Expectations are quite low uh and we're Not going to shame anybody if they're Playing in the dirt or not listening uh We're going to try and get them to want To come back tomorrow and maybe that Means water balloons uh or or acting uh Like one of their favorite superheroes Or or TV characters uh then you get to The nine-year-olds and and you're you're Chewing on an orange you get to the high School kids and and that's a pair you Just have to treat them as different Books uh as as the ages change and that Takes time took took me a lot of time Watching other great coaches uh watching Kindergarten teachers work with that That four or five year old age uh Watching great mentors work with the 12y Olds okay so we can have a little Different tone here we can challenge a Little more we can be firm when need be But I think the most important thing of All and I I mean if if I had only one Word to uh teach coaches how a coach That word would be listen because you Have to uh meet every kid on their own Playing field uh you have to meet every Kid uh in their own personality type you Got to find each kid's love language do They respond to words of affirmation uh Do they respond to humor do they respond To me being firm uh do they respond to a

Consequence do they respond to me giving A baseball card to somebody else who's Making a good choice and then they go oh I want that card uh do they want that Prize so um become a savant of Personalities and people um That notice we haven't talked X's and O's at all in in about an hour here it's So much more it's it's therapy session It's psychology of coaching so that's Why I uh most of my content is is this Because it it's so so important no doubt The um the prizing and and Derek's Worked a lot of camps with me and we we Always uh he loves it I I'm I I'm like The prize King right because I run this Um and and I was love I love that you do That by the way that's one of the things I love you know when you do when you Give out the cards and stuff and um we Run summer camps uh football camps it's Instruction all it's an all instruction Camp we run a lot of different things But this one's just all instruction Right and every day we get we give Different prizes well you know we have Like a football club and we have flag Football leagues and and we have all These different stuff so over the course Of a year you know we have gloves we Have I mean all kinds of you name it you Name it we have all these uni actually Uniforms that everything that's Basically around at the end is all there

Right and so we have these two bins that Are just a basically it's like going to The the uh what do you call TJ Maxx you Know what I'm saying and and and it's All this different stuff and when we First started doing it we didn't we we Didn't know it would be a hit you know But we the kids think it it love it more Than any it's been the biggest draw of Getting kids back to the camp They Come Away with gloves you give out prize each Day for different things they love it I And parents always say how much they Enjoy the camp but I always say you know A a small token that you appreci a Really small token it it goes so far With them because they realize wow he Does know that I'm working hard like or I'm trying my best and and and it's Funny when when we we see coaches that Are stingy with that stuff because we're Like you know what are you worried about You give an extra prize away that means That's one more kid that's happy that's All that means and that tomorrow he's Goingon to give you uh some more hard Work because of that probably work a Little bit harder and and and figure out What you know there's a balance to it All right you don't want to you want you Don't want to give someone awarded in Earn and I guess but but you want to Give kids the opportunity to work so I Love I love the prize thing and I think

That it's it's it's an overall you're Right it's a psychology thing it's it's Important for kids to feel like they Want to come back and they want to go Through the tough part because I always Say like hey sometimes practice I said This to my son all the time sometimes Practice is not as exciting as you would Like it to be you're going to have to Deal with that when you're Fielding 50 Ground balls you know know I I get it When you get to 30 and you've thrown 30 Of them perfectly I get it you're ready To go be done you know and uh I started Developing this thing with my own son And I we try to do it as much in young Kids I coach whereas I'm gonna tell you How many reps and how long we're going For and if I go over it's on it's my Fault right and you have to agree to me Going over meaning we didn't do a good Job like it just wasn't good like those Five reps or those 10 reps you think we Should do a couple more and usually you Know what amazingly they say yes they Say yes because they know okay some of Those reps really weren't that good they Want they really do want to do it but if If you keep them out there forever and They no ended sight you you're you're You're you're gonna you're you're gonna Lose them and I think some of those Things are important and and I want your Comment on this but I'll leave you one

One last thing and I want you to to Comment kind of your final thoughts When my son was three I think he was Three years old there's like a thing Called soccer shots I don't know if You've heard of it but it's it's on the East coast they have like they take Little kids from I think from the time They're like one they can go and like Run around and kick soccer balls around Well I think my son was three we we were Like okay we'll bring them there you Know signed them up and everything and Paid whatever and go do soccer shots Well there was a field there and next to The field was a Playground my son walked into the the Soccer Circle you know he didn't know Need the kids he went to the soccer Circle and they broke the kids out into Groups to start kicking the ball right Up the field my son kicked the ball two Times to the sideline went across right Onto the playground and went right onto The slide and every we looked at each Other we're like well I guess we're not Ready for soccer let's let him enjoy Himself on the playground and if he Wants to go back we'll bring him back But he he he wanted to go to the Playground and he came back and brought Him back and time he went to the Playground we said you know we'll do it Again next year when you know if he

Wants to do it but he wants to still go That's what he's looking forward to Doing he's going to the playground let Him play in the playground and um you Know I so that taught me a long time ago Last Derek has a young baby right now That eventually will be doing some of These things as a girl and um so I'm Just curious your thoughts about you Know just overall what what you'd like To advise parents and coaches um when Their approaches Sport and baseball and And how you think is the best way to Think about Things yeah I I think the this is a good Topic to end on as well because it's It's so important uh and it's a topic That comes up everywhere I go when I run These sand lots around the country we Have a a coaches and parents meeting After it's probably your number one Question right and it's the number one Question how do I coach my own child how Do I parent my own Child I I have a podast I I think we had A good long form conversation on it um It's an episode with a guy named Duke Baxter who's a jersey guy as well and uh He has a great uh saying he he says you Know what parents the best thing you can Say is Hey kid what kind of fan do you Need me to be for you uh right now let's Say it's a a middle of a game and I'm The third base coach and I'm your dad uh

What what kind of fan do you need me to Be in that big moment do you like it When I clap do you like it when I'm Quiet do you like it when I'm loud uh You got to create this two-way street With them uh the car ride home is Another topic on parenting and uh having A kid playing you got to let them start The conversation uh maybe you jot some Notes down on a notepad uh of why they Struck out or why they're missing that Catch whatever it might be uh but you're Going to allow them to be the one to say Hey why did I strike out Dad how can I Get better uh if you're just force Feeding uh your self-righteousness on Them it's a lose lose they're going to Lose the Love of the Game because They're burned out right they can't uh Match up to what their parents hoping For and then you're going to lose the Relationship at home you want that Relationship to thrive uh I had a a Fireman in Texas just a few weeks ago I Was coaching a camp and he said hey just Want to let you know I used to be that Dad I would uh cling to the fence and I Would micromanage and I would yell and The car ride home was miserable I Watched a couple of your videos and uh Changed my ways and now me and my son we Love hanging out our relationship is Thriving so um I I think that's the Ticket is is can you create a two-way

Street and can you allow them to uh to To drive the car so to speak uh I'll end With this as there's a lawnmower going Crazy Downstairs uh my favorite thing to say To my daughters before a big uh event is I love watching you play the game well Whatever that game is I love watching You play the game that what is Underneath that that means I love Watching you fail I love watching you Succeed I love watching you overcome Adversity I love it all um create that Dynamic because at the end of the day They're probably not going to make it to The Olympics uh or the pros but they're Going to be your son or daughter for the Rest of your life and you want them to Open up and and be vulnerable and and be Free to to chat with you about anything I'll I'll I'll say this to close the Apology is powerful uh I used to be Insecure and and think oh if I apologize For overreacting or or doing something Wrong then I'm gonna show my warts and All and and be weak it's not a sign of Weakness it's a sign of strength when I Overreact uh uh and then I can come into My room uh my daughter's room and she's Very strong willed she doesn't like to Submit and I can say you know what I Spoke out of anger there I apologize I'm Human I'm flawed uh forgive me those are The moments when she'll meet me halfway

And say you know what I could have done Better too Dad uh so make sure that Apology is uh uh is is done and and be Vulnerable enough to do that do that With your team too if you uh if you need To they'll never forget It coach absolute pleasure having you on Thank you so much I'm assuming they Could go to Coach ball game to find Everything right website sure can main Hub coach ball game.com it's got it all And then the social medias uh are at Coach ball game uh if you're interested In that that Playbook that I've written It's a thre Day online course to give You tools you need to Wrangle kids and Engage them and run effective practices And teach love of play uh and teach the Skills in a in a fun effective way then You've got my coach ball game Playbook And um hey uh I'm gonna finish this book I'm writing a uh kind of a memoir but More of just a my pillars of coaching Book uh and how I got there um that that Should be out pretty soon too great Coach thank you so much appreciate it Awesome Absolutely abely awesome can't can't Thank you enough we see soon check out Coach coach ball game and um I'm Certainly I can't wait till your Coaching book comes out as well because I want to get a copy looking forward to It coach appreciate you out of boys have

Have a great day that that was fantastic Absolutely lot of tidbits a lot of Different things I think ultimately what You take away from it is doesn't matter What the sport is that when you coach The player and the person rather than The skill and all that other stuff I Think you you come home and you get more With that you know what I mean like Coach character you know and that other Stuff it will become easier to Coach well said perfectly said on that Note we'll we'll see you I guess uh next Week we probably I'm sure Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday that's right Friday We're back that's right uh athletic Director from Valley seg Valley all Right until till next time another great Episode we'll see you guys soon

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Dave Schuman

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