Overpromised w/ Covino & Rich - Coach Ballgame's Words of Wisdom

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Patrick Show Episode: Overpromised w/ Covino & Rich - Coach Ballgame's Words of Wisdom
Release Date: April 14, 2025

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Introduction to Overpromised with Covino & Rich

In this special episode of The Dan Patrick Show, hosts Covino and Rich welcome their special guest, Coach Ballgame. Known for his unique coaching style and impactful approach to youth baseball, Coach Ballgame shares his journey, philosophies, and invaluable advice for both coaches and parents involved in youth sports.

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Coach Ballgame’s Journey and Background

Coach Ballgame, whose real name is James Low, delves into his deep-rooted passion for baseball that began in North Carolina. Growing up, he played extensively with his family and neighbors, fostering a love for the game with just a broomstick and a tennis ball in a small backyard. His commitment led him to Brown University, where he played baseball and set a school record for being hit by pitches.

However, an unexpected encounter with future MLB star Justin Verlander, where a curveball led to a pivotal moment, shifted his path from playing to coaching. Relocating to California, James faced initial challenges, admitting, “I was a really bad coach for about five years. But I had really good mentors that showed me how to engage, how to teach love of play” (03:58).

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Philosophy: Building Trust and Teaching Life Lessons

A cornerstone of Coach Ballgame’s coaching philosophy is building trust with his young players. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each child’s individuality and interests to foster a supportive environment.

Coach Ballgame (09:50): “The first thing I do is build trust. They’re not going to listen to anything I say, especially if they’re picking their nose or chewing their glove. I let them know I’m here to listen and interested in them as people.”

He believes that coaching is not just about improving baseball skills but shaping character and life skills. By prioritizing qualities like teamwork, perseverance, and kindness, he ensures that his players develop into well-rounded individuals.

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Unique Coaching Tools: Fedora and Conga Drum

Distinctive elements of Coach Ballgame’s approach include his choice of attire and unique tools during coaching sessions. Instead of the traditional baseball cap, he opts for a fedora, a nod to his Puerto Rican heritage and cultural influences.

Coach Ballgame (07:33): “My mom’s side of the family is from Puerto Rico, so I had a grandpa who introduced me to that culture. Roberto Clemente. It’s music, dancing, party vibe.”

Additionally, he incorporates a conga drum into his coaching, using it to engage players and create a lively, energetic atmosphere. This approach not only captures the kids' attention but also makes learning fun and memorable.

Coach Ballgame (08:53): “I’ve got a conga and I call it the on-deck drum. I bring it everywhere I go.”

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Influence and Collaboration with MLB Legends

Coach Ballgame has had the privilege of interacting with numerous MLB stars, further enriching his coaching repertoire. He shares anecdotes of meeting legends like Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and Francisco Lindor, highlighting their dedication to mentoring young athletes.

Coach Ballgame (27:39): “Derek Jeter was incredibly present with these kids. He was a top-shelf player and an even better individual. He was communicating life lessons to these kids naturally.”

Such interactions reinforce his belief in the profound impact that professional athletes can have on youth, inspiring them to pursue excellence both on and off the field.

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Modern Coaching Techniques and Positive Reinforcement

Acknowledging the evolution of coaching methods, Coach Ballgame stresses the importance of positive reinforcement over traditional, often harsh, techniques. He reflects on his early coaching mistakes, admitting to a past focus on shaming rather than encouraging.

Coach Ballgame (20:06): “I had to become aware enough to go, you know what? I got some narcissism in here. And I’m coaching this kid like he’s the eight-year-old version of me. I had to take a step back and I had to point out the positive first.”

He now employs strategies like handing out baseball cards for good behavior and achievements, and rewarding both players and supportive parents, fostering a positive and inclusive environment.

Coach Ballgame (26:34): “I bring baseball cards, put them in my pocket, and I’ll give them out to kids that are listening, being a good teammate, cheering, hustling, being kind.”

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Advice for Parents and Accessible Coaching

Coach Ballgame offers practical advice for parents who may lack resources for expensive coaching or equipment. He emphasizes that the essence of baseball can be preserved with simple, inexpensive tools.

Coach Ballgame (30:00): “You really just need a lemon and a stick. Find whatever you can. Maybe that’s a tennis racket for a baseball or a volleyball instead of a real baseball. Just get them playing.”

He encourages parents to take an active role, suggesting that they can become coaches themselves or support their children by creating a fun and engaging environment, even with limited means.

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Engaging and Motivating Young Athletes

Addressing the challenge of maintaining player motivation, especially when children excel at home but not on the field, Coach Ballgame recommends involving assistant coaches or mentors who can provide additional support and motivation.

Coach Ballgame (32:43): “Pass that off, dude. Hand them off to someone they look up to and can relate to.”

This strategy helps bridge the gap between practice enthusiasm and game performance, ensuring that players remain motivated and committed.

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Resources and Continued Learning

For those interested in adopting his methods, Coach Ballgame offers various resources, including an online coaching course, camps, and an upcoming book detailing his coaching pillars and experiences. He invites listeners to connect via his social media platforms and website for more information.

Coach Ballgame (31:35): “At coachballgame.com is where you can sign up for any of my camps. I’ve got an online coaching course where you can watch lots of videos and skills.”

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Closing Thoughts and Final Advice

Coach Ballgame wraps up the discussion by reiterating the importance of creating a positive, trust-based environment for young athletes. He underscores that the ultimate goal of youth sports is not just to produce skilled players but to develop responsible, kind, and resilient individuals.

Coach Ballgame (26:55): “I think that’s when toxicity seeps into youth sports, when we’re so focused on winning and talent and we lose sight of the most important things.”

His heartfelt advice serves as a guiding principle for both coaches and parents striving to leave a lasting, positive impact on the next generation.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show offers a profound look into effective youth coaching through the lens of Coach Ballgame. His blend of enthusiasm, cultural flair, and deep commitment to personal growth sets a benchmark for those involved in youth sports. Whether you're a coach, parent, or sports enthusiast, Coach Ballgame's insights provide valuable lessons on fostering love for the game and building character in young athletes.

For more information on Coach Ballgame’s programs and resources, visit coachballgame.com or follow him on his social media platforms.

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Notable Quotes:

• Coach Ballgame (03:58): “I was a really bad coach for about five years. But I had really good mentors that showed me how to engage, how to teach love of play.”

• Coach Ballgame (09:50): “The first thing I do is build trust. They’re not going to listen to anything I say, especially if they’re picking their nose or chewing their glove.”

• Coach Ballgame (20:06): “I had to become aware enough to go, you know what? I got some narcissism in here. And I’m coaching this kid like he’s the eight-year-old version of me.”

• Coach Ballgame (26:34): “I bring baseball cards, put them in my pocket, and I’ll give them out to kids that are listening, being a good teammate, cheering, hustling, being kind.”

• Coach Ballgame (30:00): “You really just need a lemon and a stick. Find whatever you can. Maybe that’s a tennis racket for a baseball or a volleyball instead of a real baseball.”

• Coach Ballgame (26:55): “I think that’s when toxicity seeps into youth sports, when we’re so focused on winning and talent and we lose sight of the most important things.”

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting Coach Ballgame's unique approach to coaching and his impactful philosophies on youth sports.

Transcript

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Promise Camino and Rich do it.

[Covino]

All right, all right. Welcome to our bonus show, the show grand program known as over prom with Covino and Rich. You may know us from Fox Sports Radio Monday through Friday 2 to 4 on the west, 5 to 7 on the east. But we can't fit all of this.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Nah, all of this into two hours.

[Covino]

So we bring you over promised and.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Today we have a special guest and let me tell you, the minute you get involved in the coaching world, hard to avoid this guy because I think he's the best of the best. We welcome to over promised and Fox Sports Radio Coach ball game.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

James Low.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

What's up man?

[Covino]

Welcome.

[Unknown]

High praise, high praise. You guys are awesome. The sound of your voices makes me want to be a better coach right away.

[Covino]

Well, glad a coach. Yeah. Glad we could inspire you. Add a coach is right.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'm telling you, the minute I started coaching my daughter, I'm doing 8U softball and pony ball T ball for my son. And the minute you look up one coaching thing on social media, it's in your algorithm that becomes your algorithm. And I'm like, who's this guy? He's great. And that is coach baseball.

[Covino]

Coach bargain. What have you learned from my favorite thing?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I've learned alligator vacuum.

[Covino]

Oh yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Alligator vacuum. So coach ball game, I gotta start by asking how did this all come about? Like how did you become coach ball game man?

[Unknown]

Well, I hope you got about four and a half days but it starts in North Carolina. I love playing baseball with my brothers, my father in the backyard. We play sandlot ball in the backyard. Had a small house but a really big backyard. So we'd invite all the neighbors and the love of the game started right there with just a broomstick and a tennis ball. I was fortunate enough to go to Brown University and play baseball there four years. Nice career hit by pitch record holder at Brown University. Asked Chris Berman at a boy and and from there I didn't get drafted. I had a eye opening moment. I was facing Justin Verlander in college and he threw me a curveball. That was strike three. I did not swing but I did dry heave. I almost threw up on home plate and that was the moment that I Knew I was destined to do something other than play baseball. So I, I moved to California. I started coaching with some friends and I was a really bad coach for about five years. But I had really good mentors that showed me how to engage, how to teach love of play. And my nickname being Jimmy Ball game in college because I was kind of crazy. I'd run into walls and get hit a lot. It just organically turned into Coach ball Game when I started coaching. So it's been 21 years of figuring it out, learning, failing, but here we are having a great time, you know, Coach ball Game.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

It dawned on me last night, I went from coaching my kids to playing softball last night. I play a couple of days a week is again, nothing feels better than hitting line drive still. And I realized, I looked around, I'm like, these are just a bunch of grown men that love baseball. And then I'm thinking all these kids could very well end up being 40 year old guys that are playing softball. It's just the love of, of baseball that we all had. Like you said, from playing stickball, wiffle ball, it just. We're all just kids that love this game.

[Covino]

Love it.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

I've been coaching for 21 years and there's one kid that made it to the major leagues. 1. There's hundreds and thousands of kids that became fathers, went to college, became adults. So I learned be a life coach first. Teach love of play so their careers last longer. How many life lessons can you teach on a baseball field? It's barely baseball. I think a good coach changes a game, but. But a great coach changes lives, you know, hundreds and thousands of them. So good on you, man. You're changing lives. T ball and an eight year old.

[Covino]

We're here at the world famous Coach Ball Game. Now Rich is a coach as well. I'm a cheer dad. I'm not a coach. But I want you to know I do have 27 Little League home runs under this belt, so. So, yeah, 27 Little League home runs. Thank you. But I gotta ask you this. Mitch Hedberg, the comedian, said only one piece of sports equipment has made it to the mainstream. Only one sports hat has made it to the mainstream wardrobe, and that's the baseball cap. But you chose the fedora. I gotta know why? Because when Rich was like, you know, coach ball game, I'm like, oh, the fedora guy.

[Unknown]

That's.

[Covino]

Everybody knows you. The fedora guy. How did that happen?

[Unknown]

Well, my mom's side of the family is from Puerto Rico, so I had a grandpa Tony Antonio Balza, who introduced me to that culture. Roberto Clemente. Wow. And that whole culture, this is the vibe. It's music, it's dancing, it's party vibe. So I had that ingrained in me at a young age. And then in my 20s, to put food on the table. I was doing private lessons, but I was doing baseball lessons in the middle of a packed soccer field. And the only way I could get the people's attention and let them know, hey, I'm. I'm the guy that you're trying to meet here on this crowded field was I'll be in the funny hat. I'll be sitting on a baseball bucket in the middle of this crowd in a funny hat. So I, I've always been a little left of center and everything, I think.

Right.

And it works with kids, you know, they like to be surprised.

[Covino]

Let me ask you this too. As a, as a Puerto Rican guy, you know, obviously Bob Clemente, Roberto Clemente is the guy who's second. Is it Burnaby Williams? Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada? Who else is. I feel like you're naming all Yankees for me. Those are the guys who, you know. Who are they for you after Roberto Clemente?

[Unknown]

Well, I've got a conga and I call it the on deck drum. And I bring it everywhere I go. And I've gotten a lot of hall of Famers to sign it. I've gotten Francisco Lindor, my God. And Bernie Williams. But if I had to pick, I'll go Bernie because he's a guitar player.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I love it. I love it. You know, Coach, ball game. What I love about you is the enthusiasm and the fun you bring. I think sometimes the criticism I might get from some of the parents is that I'm too fun and light. I try to keep it loose. I bring music to the game. I got the Bluetooth speaker. I'm being silly with the girls and the boys, baseball or softball. Every game I'll run out to right field. After the game, I call kids and I do take a knee. I love how you do the clap three times. How do you get the focus of a bunch of T Ball 5 year old boys who are picking their nose, picking the grass, riding in the dirt. Are there any additional tips you would give?

[Unknown]

Absolutely. Well, first of all, good on you. When, when you're in the minority there and parents are like, oh, you're not serious enough. Keep going. Good job. The first thing I do is build trust. They're not going to listen to anything I say, especially if they're picking their nose or chewing their glove or rolling around tickling each other. I got to build trust with them first. So I let them know, yes, I'm a grownup, but I'm here to listen to you. I'm interested in you as a person. That's straight out of the Dusty Baker book of become a savant of people. So when you build that trust, you ask questions about these kids and they say, you know what? I love Superman. Okay, that's gonna be your nickname. The nickname is the number one rule of sandlot. And I don't pick them. I let them pick it for themselves. But that immediately builds trust. So when I do ask these kids, hey, okay, now, I need you to be quiet. Shoulders back, uncomfortable eye contact. Let me teach you how to throw. They don't hear that as anger or militant. It's this guy that they trust, and they're willing to go to battle for them. So build that trust. I also think you gotta be you. You can't try and be somebody else. I don't try to be Jim Carrey. Once I figured out who I was and what my voice is, I brought that to the table. As a kid. I love drums. As a kid, I love storytelling. As a kid, I really responded to humor. So I bring those three to the table every practice, and it works.

[Covino]

Are you taking notes? Because I feel like you're trying to be Jim Carrey.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I am taking notes. I'm having fun with it. Honestly, it brings me more joy than I like to admit. Like watching these kids make progress, especially when a kid makes contact for the first time and you've been working on their swing, that it's. It's a lot of joy. You bring up the drum, coach. Ball game, got the drum. I saw you on, I don't know, the pitcher's mound at Wrigley Field. Can you tell us about the thrill of throwing out a first pitch at Wrigley?

[Unknown]

Well, I'm a Cubs fan, born and raised, grew up in North Carolina, where we had no teams, so you got to pick. And most, most everybody in my hometown are Braves fans. But I would come home from school, it's 3:00 in the afternoon. I'd make a big bowl of applesauce and watch an entire Cubs game on wgn. That was my thing. So I fell in love with Andre Dawson, Ryan Sandberg, Mark Grace, lifelong Cubs fan. The opportunity came up, I was doing a sandlot in Chicago, and the Cubs reached out. I got to throw out the first pitch, and I thought, you know what? I'VE seen Bill Murray throughout the first pitch. I've seen Eddie Vedder. Nobody's brought out a drum to the pitcher's mound, every field. Well, that's my thing. I bring it everywhere I go. And I get Rod Carew and Ken Griffey Jr. And Albert Pools to sign it. So I bring it out there and I start beating on it. And Clark, the Cub, who's catching the first pitch, he gets up, starts clapping, getting the crowd going. Then I get on the rubber and I throw the pitch. And I thought, you know what? This might be the first and only time a drum is on this mound. I better make it count. And the guy who was singing the national anthem right before I threw the pitch, he says, aim high so I wouldn't bounce it. And thankfully, it got all the way to Clark, the Cub. But, yeah, I thought about my grandma. She loved baseball and she's not with us anymore. But I looked up to this guy before I threw it, and I thought, man, she's watching. And it kind of calmed me down. And it gave me a, you know, just a moment of perspective, but special. One of the most special days of my life.

[Covino]

That's so cool, man. Coach Ball game here on Over Promise with Kavino and Rich. Millions of views and followers on social media. So appreciate your time. Gotta ask you, how do you handle it when your kid stinks? Your kid's just not good. As a coach and a parent, how do you handle that?

[Unknown]

Yeah, I think as we'll start with the parent, you have to make sure that your joy as a mom or dad is detached from from their results. You need to be their champion. And they can't be afraid of failure. They can't be afraid of striking out. Five times I had a dad who sat behind the left field wall. He would keep score quietly. He would treat the 0 for fives and the 5 for fives equally. So I was blessed with natural talent, one of the best players on the team. But that didn't really matter to him. He was all about character. The only time he would get upset is if I was having a bad attitude or not being a good teammate. So I had a good role model with my dad. As far as a coach goes, you're a life coach. It is your job to reel them in, teach them how to love the game so they can learn as many life lessons as possible. At no point are these little league games or these 10U travel ball games. They're not life or death. But there could be a tool that you teach these kids of how to overcome adversity, how to battle that it could become life or death down the road. They could make a bad decision or they're about to make a bad decision and then they go, you know what? Coach rich on my 8U team, he taught me how to overcome failure. So I'm going to make a good choice right now instead of a bad one. So yeah, it's barely the sport it's all about. What kind of adult are we creating here?

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[Unknown]

Foreign.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What'S up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

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[Daniel Jeremiah]

No doubt. I, you know, coach ball game. I think about when I was a kid. I feel as though I was sort of coached poorly in certain areas. Like, I was told, always try to pull the ball.

[Covino]

And dude, our coaches were smoking cigars.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, I feel smoking our face. Listen, I feel like we're in the same, you know, age bracket. Coach ball game. Like, if you were a kid of the 80s, your coach had a pipe, he was like, yeah, get out there.

[Covino]

Who gives a.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And he. And. And hey, if you're not pulling the ball, you're not getting around on the ball.

[Covino]

Elbow up, kid.

[Unknown]

Elbow up.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Hey, what did you. What do you said you had a coach and be like, hit the green. Nothing in between. Like, my dad used to say that as a coach, how do you now with. With all the knowledge we have, how do you handle if you see someone coaching your kids incorrectly or, you know, someone getting bad advice?

[Unknown]

Yep, it's the same thing I do with kids. The first thing I got to do is build trust with that person. If I see a parent, they're overbearing, micromanaging. Fingers are wrangled in the fence, elbow up, knees bent, don't strike out all of that stuff. I go, oh, I gotta take that guy out for coffee or a cold milk and just listen to their story. I gotta. I gotta find out why are they the way they are. Then after I've built trust with them, then I can drop the truth bomb. But I got to do it in a way they can hear it, and I got to provide science behind it. Your kid performs really good when you're at work, but when you're here, there's a lot of looking over their shoulder wanting to impress you, and they're never going to be able to match up. One of my best buddies growing up, he came up to me when we were seniors in high school, and he's like, you know what? I don't feel clutch. I've never been clutch. I was like, what are you talking about? You're one of the best I've ever seen. But in big moments, he was afraid of failure because his dad was micromanaging every moment. I love the big moment because dad didn't care. The car ride was never Miserable. So it works. Kids play better when they're feeling joy, but you can't just fight fire with fire. You've got to. You got to build that trust first.

[Covino]

Yeah, but Coach Ball Game, what if the parent is right and that coach stinks? What do you advise them to do?

[Unknown]

Yes, that does happen, and you are the superhero you've been waiting for. So raise your hand at the next practice and say, hey, you need help in right field with that throwing and catching station? I'll be there. You need help raking the field. Like, you gotta become a coach then.

[Covino]

And that's kind of why you got involved. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Build trust. So there you go.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That's how I actually did start coaching for the first time. My kid was like, four or five playing soccer, and I felt like the coach was hungover and lazy, and I'm like, hey, let me give you a hand. The team was called the Dinosaurs Coach Ball Game. And the coach didn't even have the instinct to be like, all right, kids, let's roar. I'm like, what the hell is this guy doing? So sometimes you are the superhero you've been waiting for.

[Unknown]

I've met so many guys, and a lot of them played Major League Baseball. They played at a very high level, and they started coaching their kids because they were like, whoa, my kid's going to. He's going to hate baseball after this. I got to do something.

[Covino]

So jump in there if you're listening. James Lowe is here. If you're watching, is Coach Ball Game. He's got the fedora on. And as kids have changed, kids have changed. How have coaching techniques advanced? Because it seems a lot more scientific. You brought up science. It seems like a lot more complex than it used to be.

[Unknown]

No doubt about it. Like you said, everything used to be my way or the highway and rub some dirt on it and let's go. But everything's changed, and you got to go about it a little bit differently now. A lot of folks see my social media, and they go, well, he's just entertaining 100% of the time. And the kids gravitate to that. What they don't realize until they come to my camps. In person, I'm pretty firm, and I have high expectations, but it's not for the talent, it's not for the skill. It's for their choices. I actually bring baseball cards, put them in my pocket, and I'll give them out to kids that are listening, being a good teammate, cheering, hustling, being kind, all those things. I'll do the same for parents that are being positive in the bleachers, I gotta give you a card. Great mustache. And I love your positive vibe there, dad, but you gotta roll with the times. And I feel like it works. I didn't really listen. Even in the 80s and 90s, I didn't hear coaches that were yelling at me. I would go fetal position and just go inward. Oh, I'm a failure and my coach hates me. Now. All my coach was saying is, you know, throw strikes or swinging strikes. But you hear the tone and you see the body language a lot more than you actually hear the words, especially for kids. So I think I've had to be aware of my body language and hyper aware of my tone. And then this positive reinforcement thing. I started out a bad coach. I started out shaming, embarrassing, pointing out the negative right away, that's a self righteous approach. And I had to become aware enough to go, you know what? I got some narcissism in here. And I'm coaching this kid like he's the eight year old version of me. I had to take a step back and I had a mentor named Sean Flicky who was like, hey, buddy, I love your energy. You got the energy of 50 camels. But that kid hates baseball now because of your tone, the way you're talking to them. So once that light bulb happened, I pointed out the positive first. Maybe they weren't doing the alligator vacuum, but their feet were in a good place. So I'd say, love the feet work, love your socks. Now let's talk about the hands. But again, the lens you have to put on is what kind of human am I creating? What kind of adult, what kind of server of this community am I creating for this, this kiddo? So you're not trying to create the next Mike Trout? That's not going to happen. But you're going to create the next father, mother, server of their community. So yeah, it's it, it's a deep dive.

[Covino]

And that was a great answer. And I want to reward you with your choice of Don Mattingly card here, man. Which, yeah, which mustache do you want? Take your pick.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'll take Don Russ, 1990.

[Unknown]

Well, you can't go wrong with 1990 stash. But we're going to go down here, you know, just a little more than usual. Yeah, kind of the half fu man, but no the mustache. You're speaking my love language now. I've written songs about Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly's mustache. Yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Hey, Coach Ballgame, it's weird not to get dirty on the show. But we used to say if you were, you know, with a woman for the first time, and let's say you didn't want things to go too fast. Think of one of those mustaches.

[Unknown]

There you go.

[Covino]

Keeps you in the game.

[Unknown]

Works 100% of the time.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We called it the Dom Mattingly stall.

[Covino]

The mustache stall.

[Unknown]

Yeah, the mustache. The funny thing is, it might work differently for me because I just love the stache. And my dad had, like, a Sam Elliott in Tombstone mustache.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That's amazing.

[Unknown]

And I have such high regard for him. That man just. I'm glad to see the mustache coming back. Paul Skeens, thank you very much.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Paul Skeens with the mustache and Livy Dunn as his. His girlfriend might work to the mustache's advantage. You might see more mustaches. 100.

[Unknown]

I. I'm pretty sure I saw Randy Johnson strike a guy out with his mustache and pick a guy off second base with his mullet at the same time. It happened.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Coach Ballgame, you know, I'm glad to hear how much fun he brings to the game. Like, when I. I feel like sometimes I second guess. Am I doing too much? Like, if a kid gets a hit, I'll run it on first base, be like, hey, way to go, buddy. And a little fist bump. I guess it's not too much bribery. I'm glad. I heard Coach Ball Game talk about, hey, here's a baseball card. Because I have a current thing going on with my T ball team. If they get five outs in a game, not three in an inning, five in a game, I'm taking them out for ice cream.

[Covino]

Nice.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And someone's like, is that bribery? And I'm like, I don't think so. Get some focus, maybe, right? Something to look forward to.

[Unknown]

Well, you can call it whatever you want to. Maybe it is. Maybe it is bribery. But I just. I highly recommend try to keep the game balls or the briberies to choices. When you start awarding Benny the Jet Rodriguez for talent, well, then Smalls is like, well, I might as well quit. I'm done here. But what I love about the movie the Sandlot, and I think it's why the movie stands the test of time. And I talked to the writer director about this. The dynamic between Benny the Jet and Smalls. Benny embraced him, taught him how to catch the ball. So I'm giving Benny the Jet an award at the end of the game or a baseball card or a hug.

[Covino]

Nice.

[Unknown]

Because of the. Because of the choices. Same with Smalls, right? The toughness, improvement, all the good choices he's making. That's why they're going to get the award. So, yeah, I think that's when toxicity seeps into youth sports, when we're so focused on winning and talent and we lose sight of the most important things.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Coach ball game with kavinarich. I love the involvement that you have with Major League Baseball and the impact some of these star players can make. Like I just recently. I'll give you a quick personal story. My daughter has been struggling a little bit. Ate you softball. And I posted a little video. She was talking about how she loves softball and she's struggling a little bit. Jenny Finch reached out. And the fact that Jenny Finch gave my daughter a little message meant the world to her. And I see you work with Bobby Witt Jr. One of your heroes. Kavino. He's hanging out with Jeets.

[Covino]

I was so jealous.

[Nate Thompson]

I know.

[Covino]

Amazing. So cool.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I mean, do these players. I'm guessing they do, but they've had a long journey to the bigs. Do they understand the impact they have on these kids?

[Unknown]

100%. Let's start with Jenny Finch. I work alongside her for many of the MLB events that we do. The All Star Game, the World Series. And she gets it. She gets it. I mean, she's. Nobody's ever going to match up to her level of talent, but she's actually in the business of creating good humans and she really thrives on changing these lives for the better. So it doesn't surprise me that Jenny Finch did that. Derek Jeter. Wow. So, I mean, at this point, I've met my heroes and I've interviewed a lot of studs. I mean, this guitar behind me, it's signed by Albert Pujols. It's got him and, you know, Big Bird on there. I've got baseballs from Ozzie Smith and Andre Dawson. But getting to meet Derek Jeter, one of the best of all time. None of the kids knew who he was. All the parents knew who he was. And to see him, no phone, no entourage, just hand in hand with his two daughters. And he was incredibly present with these kids. I was like, top shelf player, top shelf individual. He's high fiving, he's into it. There was no when can we get out of here? Looking at his watch, I mean, he was so great and he was communicating. Amazing life lessons to these kids. I meet a lot of great players. It's tough to find a great major leaguer that can also engage and communicate with kids. He was a natural, a savant at it. And his foundation, they've been going for 30 years. And. And he really. You can tell his parents did it, right? And he's. He's way up there, you know, maybe. Maybe the top name on my conga drum. How about that?

[Covino]

Attaboy, Jeter, bro. And Dr. Jeter. Raising a good kid. And. And it's so cool to see you working with these pros and superstars and all these kids. It's so cool to see.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And even the Savannah Bananas. Yeah. Yeah.

[Covino]

I love the videos, man. And I do have one last question, because we have a lot of parents listening and watching over promise that are into you. What sort of advice do you give the parents that can't afford coaches and clinics and camps and things like that because you don't want your kid to fall behind? How do you. How do you balance that?

[Unknown]

I think. People think, well, I gotta have the most expensive bat glove. You gotta have a real baseball field, foul lines, all that stuff. No, you don't. You really just need a lemon and a stick. I talk about Roberto Clemente. He grew up using a lemon for a ball, a stick for a bat, trash for bases. If you go down to the Dominican Republic right now, you're gonna see kids with no shoes, no coaches, no parents, sharing some sort of stick and using an old rag ball. And they're playing at an elite level. So find whatever you can. Maybe that's a tennis racket for a baseball. Maybe that's a volleyball instead of a real baseball. But just get them playing, and as long as you can wrangle the kids and be somewhat of a good PE Teacher, you can have a herd of kids have their friends come over to a local park, drop those bases down, and play some fun version of baseball. I think that's it. That's free. You don't need that private lesson or anything like that. So, yeah, it's hard to believe what I do is novel, that you just find something to hit, find a stick, and go play. But it has become novel. So that's why I go from city to city, so people can see it and go, oh, so that does exist.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That's awesome. Coach Ball Game, thank you so much for your time. Where can people find your stuff? Because I know you do clinics. I know I got to get myself. I got to buy one of those Atta Boy attic Coach T shirts.

[Unknown]

Yeah, man. Absolutely. Well, at Coachball Game on the socials and coachballgame.com is where you can sign up for any of my camps. I've got an online coaching course where you can Watch lots of videos and skills. Like, how do you teach a kid how to cover second base or how to hit it to the opposite field? All those questions are answered. And then I got a book coming out in a few weeks. I spent five years writing my story of my coaching pillars and how I got there. And there's a lot of name drops that have already dropped today. And. And, you know, like a Derek Jeter, he taught me how to be present. So, yeah, at coach ball game, all the good stuff.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

One last random question. How do I get. How do I get the kids to hustle in the game like they do in practice or in their own house?

[Unknown]

Oh, are you talking about your own?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Like, my kid, like, my son will run around the neighborhood like he's Benny the Jet Rodriguez, and then he runs to first base and he's like, skip at the first base. Like, he doesn't give a.

[Unknown]

So this is a whole chapter in. In my book of how to coach your own son or daughter and basically hand them off to an assistant coach. Like, go up to one of the assistant coaches or your, you know, maybe their uncle, somebody, you know, they really look up to and say, hey, can you just somehow get this kid to hustle? Because, you know, there's. There's too much baggage with me and with me being dad. So with my daughters, I find that dance teacher or that coach and I say, hey, probably not going to hear me when I say it, but they'll definitely hear you.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

That's good advice. I like that.

[Unknown]

The pass off, as we call it. Pass that one off, dude.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

James, thanks for your time, man. Appreciate it. Big fan of what you do. I'm glad. I'm glad we got to connect.

[Unknown]

Thank you. I'll be listening.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Perfect. Thank you, my friend.

[Covino]

All right, James. Low coach ball game. And that's episode 87, bro.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Perfect. Well, we'll see you guys next time. Arriba. Dare she, baby.

[Covino]

See you in the over promised land.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Goodbye.

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[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

The championship is back in the bay for the first time in 40 years.

[Steve Kerr]

On the new limited podcast series Dub Dynasty, we hear from head coach Steve Kerr on how Steph Curry almost never even joined the Warriors.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

In fact, I thought we had a.

[Unknown]

Draft day deal to end up getting.

[Steve Kerr]

Him to Phoenix for the entire behind the scenes story of Golden State's incredible 10 year run. Listen to Dub Dynasty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to EnergyLine with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

If money is a taboo topic and nobody wants to talk about it, how can we be educated on something we're unwilling to talk about? April is Financial Literacy Month and Black Tech Green Money is where culture meets capital. Each week I sit down with black entrepreneurs and leaders to share their blueprint for building generational wealth through tech, innovation and ownership. Once we know more, we can have more. One thing we tell our clients is the more that you learn, the more that you earn. But you have to be willing to learn to hear this and more game changing insight. Listen to Black Tech Green Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.