Behind every great young athlete is a great coach who guides their players through the fundamentals of the game while teaching life lessons and emphasizing the core values that turn a group of individuals into a true team. They inspire confidence, demand effort, and create an environment where players can learn, compete, and have fun.
While competing on the biggest stage in youth sports, it is the moment when a coach steps up as a role model and inspires his or her players, whether it’s between pitches on the field or in a postgame press conference after the game, that is remembered. At the 2025 Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS), Presented by T-Mobile, coaches from around the world instilled lessons in their players to not only make them stronger athletes on the field, but better people off the field, as well.
Below are five messages from the 2025 LLWS™ that will have an impact that is felt long after the final out was recorded:
More than a Game
Although winning is the goal at the LLBWS, Caribbean Manager Max Arendsz consistently preached to his team that this experience is far more than what happens on the diamond. Despite losing in the International Championship game, his main priority was the individual growth of each player on his team and teaching the significance of responding to adversity.
“The kids are having a lot of fun. That is what is most important to me. Besides that, they are also learning a lot from this experience. When they strike out or aren’t having success, I tell them to be thankful for the opportunities and that tomorrow is another day.”
Being able to fight through adversity was the identity of this team from Aruba, paving the way for the best finish in the country’s history at the Little League Baseball World Series.
Hard Work Pays Off
After an incredible third-place finish by the Metro Region team from Fairfield, Connecticut, Manager Brian Palazzolo was far from disappointed. Palazzolo was unbelievably proud of what the team had accomplished. While sitting at his final postgame press conference, reflecting on his and his team’s experience, he couldn’t help but reiterate the motto that his team embodied throughout their run:
“Hard work does pay off, and nothing will be handed to you. Keep working, and good things will happen.”
Keeping the Game Fun
Little League is far more than wins and losses. It is about the experience, moment, and how an athlete carries themselves while on the diamond. For Gerald Oda, the West Region manager who is no stranger to the LLBWS stage, winning was not the primary motive. He wanted to ensure that his players never took the opportunity for granted, put their best effort forward, and, most importantly, have fun.
“We tell the kids all the time, whether we win the game by one run or lose the game by one run, the most important thing is how are you enjoying the moment on every single pitch, and did you give your all on every single pitch.”
Be Consistent
After an impressive run through the Canada Region tournament, Little Mountain Little League from Vancouver, British Columbia, was motivated to continue its incredible run in the LLBWS. Canada’s Manager, Brad Dorwart, came into the tournament knowing the tough competition that they would be up against, but did not want his team to shy away from what was at stake.
“Be consistent, be consistent all the time, and keep your foot on the gas pedal. You never know what can happen, just keep grinding until finally something breaks open. That’s what we tell these guys.”
Believe
Believe. A word that has more feeling than meaning. A phrase that the Southeast Region players rallied around and a moment that will live forever in Irmo, South Carolina.
Manager David Bogan, with his team on the brink of elimination, had no other message for his team other than this word.
The players stayed calm and responded in tremendous fashion, coming back from five runs down in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Midwest Region, 7-6. Despite losing their next game, the Southeast Region players and the Irmo community will never forget the moment when “believe” was more than just a seven-letter word; it was a driving force to their unforgettable victory.