Little League® Diamond Leader Training

NOTE: The Diamond Leader Training Program is now available in Spanish!

Focused on ensuring children have a positive, well-rounded experience on and off the field, the Little League® Diamond Leader Training Program is a FREE educational resource that provides coaches with an understanding of the impact that mental, social, and emotional well-being has in youth sports through detailed information, interactive scenarios, and a variety of additional resources.

Through this course, which navigates Little League volunteers through real-life scenarios that are being faced in local leagues all around the world each year, coaches will have a better understanding of the impact they have on their players, both on and off the field.

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NOTE: While strongly encouraged to go back and review all the content and resources available within the Diamond Leader course, volunteers are only required to complete the program once and will only receive one certificate that will be valid for tournament coaching eligibility.

Diamond Leader Spotlights

General

Diamond Leader Discussion: Angela Elizondo

For Angela Elizondo, being part of the Little League® program is more than just a role; it is part of her identity. Her passion for the program stems from her […]

General

Diamond Leader Discussion: Stephen Cheskiewicz

For Stephen Cheskiewicz, being part of the Little League Challenger Division® is more than a role; it’s one of his most proud accomplishments. His passion for this program is personal. […]

General

Little League Diamond Leader Discussion: Willie Sanford

Willie Sanford was driving through his new home city in Tallahassee, Florida, when his daughter pointed out the Little League® fields from across the way. Right then and there, his […]

General

Little League Diamond Leader Discussion: Katie Farrier

Katie Farrier was first inspired to become a Little League volunteer to support her daughter’s Clinton Valley (Mich.) LL team, but her motivation to return to the program season after […]

General

Little League® Diamond Leader Discussion: Brian Watts

A former Little Leaguer® himself, Brian Watts returned to the program as a volunteer coach for Henry County Little League in New Castle, Kentucky, with his children. While he […]

Diamond Leader Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

Created as part of the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coaches Challenge and in coordination with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, the Little League Diamond Leader Training Program is a FREE educational resource that provides coaches with an understanding of the impact that mental, social, and emotional well-being has in youth sports through detailed information, interactive scenarios, and a variety of additional resources. Beneficial for all Little League coaches and volunteers to participate in, completion of the program will be required for all tournament coaches beginning with the 2023 tournament season*. To learn more about the program, and to take part in the program today, please visit LittleLeague.org/DiamondLeader.

* Tournament completion requirement is only for United States coaches for the 2023 season.

Upon completion of the program, volunteers are strongly encouraged to share their completion certificate with their League President. It is the League President’s responsibility to ensure all tournament coaches have completed the program in order to confirm their eligibility for the tournament season. To support this, League Presidents will be able to track coaches from their league who completed the course via a report available in the Little League Data Center.

District officials are encouraged to work directly with their respective leagues and their Boards of Directors to understand the level of participation in the Diamond Leader Program throughout the regular season. A report will be available through the Little League Data Center that lists the number of coaches from each league in your district that have completed the training. As tournament season approaches, and as part of the normal tournament preparations, it is increasingly important that District staff work with their League Presidents to understand how many of their tournament coaches have not yet completed the program and support their League Presidents in ensuring completion prior to the start of the tournament season.

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About the Million Coaches Challenge

The Million Coaches Challenge is a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform youth sports by training one million coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by 18+ partners, including the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and research led by the American Institutes for Research, the Million Coaches Challenge is transforming youth sports by equipping coaches with the information and tools to create positive, inclusive environments that help young people build confidence, belonging, and life skills through sport.

Million Coaches Challenge partners include:

The California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being
Center for Healing and Justice through Sport
CoachUp! Washington
Girls on the Run International
How to Coach Kids
Laureus Sport for Good USA
LiFEsports at The Ohio State University and the Ohio High School Athletic Association
Little League International
MCC State Learning Cohort of Maryland, Indiana, and Kansas, facilitated by LiFEsports at The Ohio State University in partnership with the OHSAA
National Recreation and Park Association
Positive Coaching Alliance
U.S. Soccer Foundation
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
USA Weightlifting

Learn more and access the new resources at www.MillionCoaches.org

One Million Coaches Trained: What’s Next for Youth Sports Coaching

The Million Coaches Challenge has reached a bold milestone: 1 million coaches trained in youth development practices. That means millions of kids now have coaches who are better equipped to help kids win on and off the field.

Alongside this achievement, MCC is launching two new resources:

A Practice Guide for Youth Coaches: 12 Coaching Strategies to Support Positive Youth Development
Calls to Action: A Vision for Youth Sports Coaching in the U.S.

This is not the finish line, it’s the starting line. Together, we can make high-quality coaching the standard for every child.

Million Coaches Challenge Belief Statement

“Coaches can make or break the sports experience for kids, but many feel unprepared to meet the diverse and emergent needs of the young people they coach. To create a positive environment that helps kids get the most out of sport, coaches must be trained in youth development.”

We are the organizations of the Million Coaches Challenge, committed to equipping a generation of coaches with the knowledge and tools to help young people thrive on and off the playing field. Here is what we know:

Coaches shape the youth sports experience.
38 million young people play sports. All of their coaches should be trained.
The vast majority of coaches are not trained in key practices to develop and support youth, such as motivation and relationship building.

Our first step: train one million coaches. Funded by the Susan Crown Exchange, the organizations of the Million Coaches Challenge are creating evidence-based training programs for coaches across the United States.

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