Lessons From Coaching My 8U Fall Baseball Season

If you aren't having fun then what is the point.

Our fall baseball season just wrapped up, and after a few weeks of reflection, I keep coming back to a handful of lessons that stuck with me. We finished 8–2, but the real wins were in the growth, laughter, and small moments that reminded me why I love coaching baseball and kids.

I truly love baseball, and if I had a central mission as a coach, it would be to pass that love to the next generation. Helping them feel that joy and connection to the game is what it’s all about.

Here are five takeaways that I’ll carry into the next season (and maybe a few other parts of life too).

The 2025 Golden Eagles know how to have fun!

1. Slow Down and Have Fun

If you’re having fun, they will too. Eight-year-olds mirror what they see. When you’re cheering, smiling, and giving fist bumps, they feed off that energy. When they make mistakes, and they will, your reaction teaches them how to handle failure. Encourage them in the moment, then when things calm down, show them what to do differently next time. It’s so important to remember that kids remember how you made them feel more than what you said.

2. Reps + Fun = Growth

We started ending each practice with a “Home Run Derby.” Every kid got five swings. Anything hit to the outfield counted as a home run. Ten home runs won the round, and if multiple kids hit ten, we had a swing-off.

It became the highlight of practice. It also translated to results. One coach told me during a game, “Your whole lineup crushes the ball.” That came from reps, but also from making those reps fun and challenging. When something’s fun, kids want to put in the work.

3. Respect and Challenge Go Hand in Hand

Young men crave two things: respect and to be challenged. When I moved a player down in the lineup or off a key defensive spot, I always explained why and what he could do to earn it back. Most rose to the challenge.

One player went through a stretch where he struck out every at-bat for two games straight. At practice that weekend I showed him a photo of his swing, and I asked, “What are you doing wrong here?” He didn’t see it at first, but after I pointed it out to him he couldn’t unsee it. He wasn’t looking at the ball. By the next game, he was locked in and hitting extra-base shots again. A little respect and a clear challenge can light a fire.

4. Give Them Chances to Step Up

We rotated a first and second defensive team, letting everyone play key positions. I wanted each kid to learn and build confidence across the field. Learn a primary position that aligns with their skills but also allow the not as strong ball players a chance to grow into new positions. The familiarity of a specific position builds consistency but also leans into growth opportunities.

One player who started as an outfielder was nervous to try first base. I asked him to give it a shot because he was really good at catching the ball. By season’s end, he loved it and asked to play first every game. Sometimes you just have to open the door and let them surprise you.

5. Don’t Shy Away From Hard Things

It’s okay to be tough on kids, especially when they know you believe in them. The best athletes rise when they’re challenged. As Robert Kennedy once said,

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

Baseball teaches that lesson as well as anything. Even the best players fail 70 percent of the time. Learning to live with failure, learn from it, and come back stronger is what makes this game, and life, worth playing.

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Every season reminds me why I love this game. The energy, the lessons, the shared joy of watching kids discover what they’re capable of. That’s what it’s all about.

We’ve already jumped into Basketball season with both kids and although I’m not the head coach, I am taking these same lessons and applying them to help assistant coach my son’s team. So far so good.

Hopefully these quick little tips are fast reminders to do things that you enjoy, have fun doing them and pay it forward.

Have a wonderful weekend!