Coaches, We Need to Do Better—For Our Players and This Game

We all say we’re here for the kids. For the love of the game. To build strong athletes and even stronger young men and women. But the truth is, if we’re not holding our players accountable for how they treat others—especially online—we’re not doing our jobs as coaches.

Like many of you, our team shares game clips, photos, and highlight reels on social media. We do it to showcase our players’ hard work, to celebrate their growth, and yes, to keep up with the times and trends. But lately, something’s been bothering us: the comments we’re seeing from players across the country. Other kids. Other teams. Sometimes even from those who wear uniforms like ours.

They mock. They belittle. They bully.

We’ve seen our athletes called names, laughed at for their size, their swing, their errors, their celebrations. These aren’t trolls. These are players. Our players. Your players.

So here’s my challenge to every coach reading this: Make sure your athletes know how to act. Teach them how to respect the game and the people who play it. Reinforce that character matters just as much as talent. Because if you’re not talking to your team about how they show up off the field—especially on social media—you’re missing one of the most important lessons sports can teach.

Baseball is a game of failure. Of hard-earned lessons. And of deep camaraderie among those who lace up their cleats and compete. We should be building each other up, not tearing each other down. That starts with us as coaches.

We are proud of our team. We are proud of their effort, their growth, and how they carry themselves. But we shouldn’t have to defend a 13-year-old on Instagram or TikTok because another 13-16 year old in a different state decided he’s better, tougher, or cooler.

We can’t control every comment. But we can control the culture we create in our dugouts, in our huddles, and in our group chats. Let’s not just build better ballplayers—let’s build better people.

Let’s do better.