The Dad Joke That Stole the Show — and the Lesson Every Parent and Coach Should Learn
It was the first inning in the Great Lakes Regional of the Little League World Series. The game was already tense. The bases were loaded and the pitcher was struggling. This was the kind of moment where a coach usually walks out with a plan — an adjustment, a strategy, a quick pep talk.
But Coach Jake Riordan had something else in mind.
He stepped onto the mound, leaned in, and asked:
“Do you know that a koala bear is not actually a bear? It’s a marsupial. Do you know why? Because it doesn’t have the koala fications.”
And then, without another word, he turned and walked back to the dugout.
The video exploded across social media. Headlines called it “endearing,” “pure,” and “exactly what youth sports needs.”
Parents and coaches from all over chimed in — some laughing at the joke, others pointing out the deeper truth: in one of the biggest games of these kids’ lives, their coach used his moment to make them smile.
The Bigger Lesson
We often think that pressure moments require intensity — a rallying speech, a stern correction, a push to focus harder. But pressure already narrows a child’s world. Their body floods with adrenaline and cortisol. Breathing quickens. Muscles tighten. The brain shifts into fight-or-flight mode, which makes it harder to process instructions, remember mechanics or think clearly.
That’s why Coach Riordan’s joke wasn’t just funny — it was brilliant. Humor works like a circuit breaker. It pulls the brain out of survival mode and back into connection mode. Heart rate slows. Shoulders drop. The prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for problem-solving and decision-making — comes back online.
For young athletes, whose brains are still developing, that reset is even more powerful. In just a few seconds, he gave his players the best gift a coach can offer in a high-pressure moment: the chance to breathe.
What Parents Can Learn
- Keep the fun alive. High-stakes moments are part of sports, but they shouldn’t drown out the joy. Protect the joy over all else.
