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Watch This Youth Baseball Coach Explain the Power of Positive Thinking

Written By Xavier Jasso, Ford Employee Advocacy Lead
Jul 08, 2026
Click to Enlarge

Kentucky Truck Plant’s James Hoagland (back row, far right) pictured along with the South Oldham Sluggers, in 2023.

For James Hoagland, the best coaching philosophy boils down to two simple rules: 1) Bring the effort 2) have fun.  

"If you put forth maximum effort and positive energy with the betterment of your team in mind, you will have the greatest opportunity to succeed,” he explains.  

It’s advice he’s gleaned from years on the baseball diamond, but he finds it applies just as well to coaching teams on the plant floor. 

As Ford steps up as the official automotive partner of Major League Baseball and Little League, we’re celebrating the coaches on our own "home team." 

At Ford, Hoagland serves as the Employee Relations Manager at the Kentucky Truck Plant (KTP), where he has spent the last 11 years working in labor relations. His journey as a coach began seven years ago, when his son, Lincoln, started playing T-ball.  

Coaching for Continuous Improvement 

Today, Hoagland leads two highly successful youth baseball teams out of Crestwood, Kentucky. Together with a team of dedicated coaches, he’s helped 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds reach championship victories.

The original South Oldham Sluggers. Click to Enlarge
2023 champion team. Click to Enlarge

The original South Oldham Sluggers (left) and the 2023 champion team (right).

The Braves in 2024. Click to Enlarge
The Braves pictured in 2025. Click to Enlarge

The Braves pictured in 2024 (left) and 2025 (right) with their champion rings.

He also helped launch the South Oldham Sluggers, a winning travel team that has since blossomed into 14 baseball and softball teams across multiple age groups. The club takes a special approach to developing players, requiring that all athletes play spring recreational ball at the local little league. This helps ensure that the little league maintains longevity and talent, staying competitive in the state.  

But no matter the league or the team, Hoagland’s approach to coaching remains consistent. Part of staying positive involves treating mistakes as a chance to learn.  

"If a kid makes a mistake or fails to make a play, we see it as an opportunity to improve, make a minor adjustment, and move on," he says.   

Keeping KTP running smooth 

Hoagland views his leadership role at KTP through a similar lens of continuous improvement.  

"I believe Quality is determined by focus, effort, and having the right tools," he says. "In HR at KTP, we take that exact mindset. We have the tools and we have the demand — the question is, how do we effectively combine the two to produce the highest quality of output?"  

Click to Enlarge

Hoagland pictured with his wife and son.

While employee relations may not directly assemble a physical vehicle, Hoagland notes that supporting the workforce is vital to keeping KTP running smoothly. To do this, he encourages KTP HR Business Partners to work autonomously, master their processes, and leverage modern technology — such as AI and LLMs — to reduce waste and drive continuous process improvement.  

"Our mantra is 'Customer Service and Support,'" Hoagland says. "We have an amazing group that serves an amazing purpose. That's why they are best-in-class, producing the highest quality at the greatest plant in the world."  

Championing the Community  

For Hoagland, the dream outside of work is to see community support continue to grow for recreational leagues like South Oldham (located just six miles from KTP, where many Ford families play) and Germantown Little League in South Louisville, which works tirelessly to keep registration fees low for underserved families.  

"The players and the families are the real heroes," Hoagland says. "I am just blessed with the responsibility and privilege to be their coach." 

SHARE YOUR COACHING WISDOM

Are you a baseball coach with tips to share? We’d love to hear from you — submit a video today!