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Justin Needles

@jsn222

1.2K

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1055

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Living like Larry
@delawarebase alum

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Wilmington reunion -> Chi marathon pipeline was strong

0 sleep since Tuesday but couldn’t be happier or have a cup be fuller

Thankful and grateful to have my people♥️

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Parents: the car ride home might be affecting your athlete more than the game they just played. 🚗⚾️

Most parents aren’t trying to hurt their athlete’s confidence. You care. You invested the time, money and energy. You watched every pitch, every swing and every mistake.

But sometimes that’s exactly why the ride home turns into another coaching session.

Here are 3 ways a negative car ride can impact your athlete:

❌ 1. It makes mistakes feel bigger than they are.
They’re probably already replaying the strikeout, error or bad inning. Breaking it all down again can keep them stuck in the failure instead of moving forward.

❌ 2. It can make them afraid to fail.
If every mistake leads to criticism afterward, eventually they can start playing not to mess up instead of playing confidently and freely.

❌ 3. It can make your approval feel connected to their performance.
Your athlete needs to know you’re proud of the PERSON whether they went 3-for-4 or 0-for-4.

So what can we do differently?

✅ Give them space first.
Not every game needs an immediate breakdown.

✅ Ask before coaching.
Try: “Do you want to talk about the game, or do you just want to ride?”

✅ Separate the person from the performance.
“I loved watching you compete.”
“I saw you keep battling.”
And then ask one of my favorite questions:

“Are you happy?” 😁

Not: Did you win?
Not: Why did you swing at that pitch?
Not: What happened out there?

Are you happy?

Because eventually baseball ends.

We’re trying to develop confident young people who can compete, handle adversity, believe in themselves and understand that their identity is bigger than what happened between the lines that day.

🚗 Your checkpoint for the next ride home:

Does my athlete need another coach right now… or do they just need their parent?

Sometimes the best postgame conversation is simply:

“I love watching you play. Are you happy?” ❤️⚾️😁

Save this before your next tournament weekend and send it to another sports parent.

In Smiles We Trust. 😁

#TheSMILEZone #InSmilesWeTrust #YouthBaseball #BaseballParents #SportsParents AthleteMindset YouthSports MentalPerformance

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Some rings mean more than jewelry. 💍⚾️

This one represents a group of guys who bought in, showed up, competed, trusted the process, and finished the job.

As a coach, moments like this hit different.

You don’t just remember the wins.
You remember the conversations.
The bullpen talks.
The adjustments.
The confidence growing.
The guys learning how to handle pressure.
The moments when talent started turning into belief.

That’s the part of coaching I love most.

Baseball gave me so much as a player, but being able to pour back into the next generation
and watch young men grow on and off the field is a blessing I don’t take lightly.

Proud of these guys.
Proud of the work.
Proud of what this ring represents.

The trophy is the result.
The growth is the real reward.

#SmileyJ #BaseballLife #CoachingLife #TheSMILEZone #PlayerDevelopment

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🚨ATLANTIC LEAGUE DRAFT🚨

Justin Needles selected 7th overall in the 2026 Atlantic League Draft by the Lancaster Stormers.

College career between NCAA Division I UNC Asheville and the University of Delaware.

Best of luck in Spring Training @jsn222 👊

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Got our guy👏

With the 7th pick in the 2026 ALPB Pro Day Draft….. the Lancaster Stormers select Justin Needles, Right Handed Pitcher!

Welcome to Lancaster, Justin!🔥

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What a privilege it is to chase the dream you were given.

Every signing.
Every conversation.
Every rep on the field.
Every lesson passed down.

This game has a way of rewarding those who stay committed to the process even when the results aren’t immediate.

At The S.M.I.L.E. Zone, we don’t just celebrate outcomes.
We focus on mindset, preparation, and intentional growth so athletes are ready when opportunity shows up.

Keep chasing it the right way.
🧠⚾️
Intentional effort. Lasting impact.

Get your MENTOR today
Plans starting as low as $19.99/month
🔗 IN BIO

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Every rep matters.
Every conversation matters.
Every athlete deserves someone who believes in them.

Coaching isn’t about control
it’s about connection.

Proud of the work.
Proud of the people.
Proud of the journey.

Welcome to The S.M.I.L.E. Zone 🧠⚾️
Where mindset meets performance.

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Winter work 🥶
———
#strengthandconditioning #rehab #athlete

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If you can curl it then you know 💪

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Pro baseball offseason training 📈

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Pro Baseball offseason underway 😤
————
#strengthandconditioning #mlb #milb #baseball #baseballtraining #rehab #training

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***HOW IT STARTED VS HOW IT ENDED***
THANK YOU first of all to @mlbdraftleague @mlb @wvblackbears….
First time coaching… didn’t even know if I really wanted to, but thank you to the squad esp my pitchers for making this one of the most memorable experiences of my life!!! I guess I’m not too bad at it but it’s a testament to all the guys from the first half and especially the second half for trusting me and believing in the process. You are my first sons in the coaching and I couldn’t have asked for a better group. I hope you learned and took some lessons and got better. I saw the development and I hope you guys did too and you take this year and run with it!! You all have the talent and abilities to do whatever you want!! Keep grinding and believing in your selves #smilezone #insmileswetrust
Much more success to come from the squad in all areas of life!!!
More life, more smiles, more success!!
But thank you for the memories and remember they can’t take this away from you guys #mlbdraftleaguechampions2025 #🐻🤫

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