Before We Take the Field
Fall 2026 · Season Opener
To our Renegades families,
Tomorrow is exciting. It also comes with some nerves — for the players, and honestly for us as parents too.
The Renegades Way isn't a plaque we hang on the wall. We're trying to live it every day, and part of that is being intentional about how we support these boys — not only as baseball players, but as kids learning how to compete, make mistakes, trust themselves, and love the game.
Practice Is Where We Teach.
Games Are Where We Let Them Play.
Practice is where we give feedback, make adjustments, correct mechanics, work through mistakes, and focus on development.
Games are different. The coaches will absolutely give game-related instruction when the boys need it — positioning, situations, where the play is, the things that help them understand what's happening on the field.
But games aren't where we want to pile on constructive feedback. We want them thinking, competing, trusting what they've learned, and experiencing baseball.
One Voice on Game Day
That's our one real ask of the stands: no play-by-play coaching during games.
During a game, the boys need one coaching voice. Too many instructions — even good ones — make it harder for them to process what's in front of them and trust themselves.
Everything else is an invitation.
Cheer Loudly
Clap when plays are made. Celebrate hustle, courage, good decisions, and great effort regardless of the outcome. Let them see that you're genuinely happy to be watching them play.
And Sometimes, Consider Saying Less
We all have baseball phrases we use because we're trying to encourage our kids. There's nothing wrong with any of them, and they're almost always said with love. But we'd challenge all of us to think about what they can sound like to a player who is already processing a lot.
Sometimes the best encouragement doesn't evaluate anything at all.
"That's my boy!" + "Let's go!" + "Dynamite!"
A huge smile. Loud clapping. Or after a tough at-bat, simply:
"I'm proud of your effort up there."
Our presence can communicate confidence without requiring the boys to do anything with it.
A Challenge for Every Parent
Here's the part we're most excited about.
Before the game, ask your player this:
What's ONE thing you'd want to hear from me from the stands that would actually feel encouraging when you're on the field or up to bat?
We tried the question with our player, too.
His answer:
“I just want to hear your voice cheering me on. No cues. No reminders. But if I hear your voices saying, ‘Let’s go!’ and ‘Yay!’ and ‘Woohoo!’ — that’s all I want.”
Maybe your player gives you something specific. Maybe he’d rather you just cheer and clap. Either way, honor his request. You might be surprised by what he tells you.
We'll go deeper on this next week — including a look at the most common phrases we all use, what they can sound like from inside the batter's box, and what you might say instead.
That's Baseball
They're going to make great plays. They're going to strike out. They're going to make errors. They're going to surprise us. And they're going to learn.
Our job — coaches and parents both — is to give them a great place to experience all of it.
We all get to coach these kids this season. Some of us from the field, some from the stands. The roles are different; the opportunity is the same.
We hope you love this message as much as we do. Let us know in the comments.
See you at the field!
Casey, Jon, Richard, and Adrianne
NTX Renegades Coaching Staff
