George Carralejo, recently honored as the 2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports Pacific Association Division National Assistant Coach of the Year, is using the platform to urge a fundamental change in youth sports. Rather than focusing on results and the sheer number of games played, Carralejo emphasizes player development and skill acquisition as the true measures of success.
“The award is a tremendous honor,” said Carralejo. “But what matters most to me is helping young players build skills that last. I’d like to see our youth parents take a step back and focus on the big picture, which is improvement over time and understanding the lessons that are learned during times of failure as well as success.”
Carralejo, who has nearly two decades of coaching experience at the high school and college levels, develops pitchers by blending physical skill with decision-making, composure, and execution under pressure. His message arrives as youth sports increasingly prioritize tournament play, often leading to overuse injuries among young athletes.
According to the American Sports Medicine Institute, pitching while fatigued significantly increases injury risk. Research also indicates that exceeding recommended pitch counts raises the likelihood of serious arm injuries later in careers. Programs like USA Baseball and Major League Baseball’s Pitch Smart advocate for age-based limits and proper recovery to curb overuse injuries.
Carralejo believes many risks stem from how success is defined. “We are playing a lot of weekend tournaments. Ok, then we need to develop an entire roster of pitchers, so we can cover that many games in a short period. This wasn’t unheard of years ago, when our starting SS was our best athlete, so they also pitched; but now we want to rely on the best 2-3 arms all weekend, and then create PO’s at 10 years old.”
To promote healthier development, Carralejo encourages players, parents, and coaches to adopt several habits: focus on multiple sports to build better athletes, embrace failure to build mental toughness, stack small wins by celebrating incremental improvement, maintain a growth mindset for the long term, and enjoy the car ride home without critiquing every performance.
“When I get pitchers coming to play for me in college, I want athletes. Guys who can pitch, who know how to compete, value winning. That’s an understated trait. Valuing winning. How many parents ask their kids if they won or lost? Not many. It’s just how many did you score? Why didn’t you get a hit?”
The American Baseball Coaches Association began recognizing National Assistant Coaches of the Year in 1999, honoring assistants across divisions based on expertise, recruiting, loyalty, and respect for the game. Carralejo will be recognized at the 83rd annual ABCA Convention in Chicago in January 2027.
Carralejo hopes the award sparks a broader conversation about sustainable player development. “If this award encourages one more coach to develop players more thoughtfully, or one more young athlete to stay patient with their development, that’s a win,” he said. “The goal isn’t to create the greatest player. It’s to help create people who learn to compete with confidence, and enjoy the game for years to come.”
