What inspired Coach Frog and Whiff?

The story of Coach Frog and Whiff started to take shape long before I even considered publishing a children’s book. I coached youth baseball for a decade—a journey filled with memorable moments, challenges, and lessons. I wasn’t a seasoned expert on the game's technicalities, but I knew from other sports how to encourage kids to give their best and keep going, even when the game seemed out of reach. My coaching style focused on determination, tough love, and not giving up, even when we were down 10-0 (which happened more than once). It was about showing the kids that even when things are tough, there’s always room to push forward.

Over the years, certain stories from those coaching days stayed with me. I pulled a few tales together and captured them in a young adult book. That project, about 75% complete, tells the story of a 12-year-old baseball team. One of the funny subplots features a kid who played with a frog in his pocket. Although the frog’s fate wasn’t the happiest, the humor and heart in that story stuck with me and eventually led to the creation of Coach Frog: a tiny, no-nonsense coach who could fit right in a young player’s pocket, ready to give them the push they needed when confidence was low.

Coach Frog embodies the type of mentor I aimed to be. He’s tough, direct, and there to remind kids that crying or quitting isn’t the answer when things aren’t going their way. He’s the voice that pushes them to keep trying, to practice harder, and to find their spark again. That approach was important to me as a coach—teaching kids that resilience and heart can carry them through challenges.

In the end, Coach Frog and Whiff represent a mix of those years spent on the field, the moments of frustration turned into triumph, and the laughter shared along the way. It’s a reminder that when kids face challenges, sometimes all they need is a little encouragement to keep going, even if that encouragement comes from a no-nonsense frog in their pocket.

FROM THE BOOK:

Whiff replied, "I will hit the ball if you hide in my pocket.

So, Coach Frog jumped in and said, "It's time to rock it!"