Team DJ
How One Speaker, One Song, and One Moment Can Shift Everything
Season Starts. Lessons Begin.
Baseball season just started.
For the next 4+ months, I’ll be spending most evenings and weekends at the ballpark with my youngest son. It’s one of those few places where time feels slower in the best possible way.
The sunflower seeds are already stocked, the dust is back on our shoes, and the parents are exchanging that familiar look, the one that says, “Here we go again.”
This week, I want to share what the experience is teaching me about fatherhood, focus, and how we show up for the people we love.
Whether you’re in the thick of sports season or just trying to juggle life’s curveballs, there’s something here for all of us.
The DJ Booth (a.k.a. the bleachers)
Last year, I became the Team DJ.
No official title. No salary. Just vibes, baby.
It started with a Bluetooth speaker, some choppy walk-up songs, and a halfway-decent playlist.
Now?
We’ve got a go-to ‘dinger’ song that blasts every time a kid goes yard.
The playlist is a living, breathing thing, shaped by requests from the players, their parents, and our coaches.
Every game is a ride. One inning might call for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony or The White Stripes. When the energy dips, Earth, Wind & Fire may be just what the doctor ordered. Fitz and The Tantrums. Prince. Queen. Lupe Fiasco. Tom Petty. Billy Ocean. Blues Traveler. The Pointer Sisters. New Radicals. Simple Minds. Outkast and Oasis (for a good dude and a good coach) are always ready to go.
I told you it was a ride.
There’s a victory anthem for the big wins. And that same song plays after tough losses too, because the lessons go way beyond baseball.
I’ve seen shy kids light up when a good song hits. I’ve watched tired parents suddenly lean in. The dugout shifts. Smiles spread. And just like that, a ballgame becomes a memory.
It’s fun. It’s meaningful.
And it all started with one simple question: What could I do to add a little joy?
Here’s what I didn’t expect: This whole playlist thing has become a quiet way to say,
“I see you. You matter. You belong.”
For the kids, a familiar song can feel like home base. For the parents, it's a reminder that we’re not just managing logistics. We’re building culture, and memories.
These aren’t just walk-up songs. They’re a chance to give someone the spotlight. Even if it’s just for a few seconds. Even if no one claps. Even if it’s just a grin exchanged between a dad and his kid. That little moment says, “I’m glad you’re here. Let’s make this fun.”
For the parents, it’s a break from the checklist. A cue to loosen the grip. To laugh. To connect. To remember that we don’t just get to watch the season. We get to feel it too.
There’s a kind of invisible leadership in being the one who brings the speaker. You’re not the coach. You’re not calling the pitches. But you are shaping the experience.
And whether you’re at the ballpark or at the dinner table, that role matters more than we think.
What’s Playing in the Background of Your Home?
Dads, we’re all DJs for our family’s daily life. We might not have speakers or playlists, but we set the tone.
Our presence, our attitude, our energy… it’s playing in the background of every moment.
Long practice? Late dinner? Another chaotic carpool run?
You can treat it like a grind, or you can turn it into a groove.
It’s not about faking excitement or forcing fun. It’s about noticing the moment and choosing how you show up in it.
Sometimes that means lightening the mood with a joke. Sometimes it’s keeping your cool when things go sideways. And sometimes, it’s just being fully there… even if the song playing is more “Dad, I forgot my glove” than “We are the Champions.”
Right Here. Right Now. With You.
My challenge to you this week is to pick one ordinary moment… and make it fun.
Blast a throwback playlist in the car.
Make up a ridiculous family chant before dinner.
Let your kid pick the “walk-up” song for unloading the dishwasher.
Doesn’t matter what it is. What matters is that you are intentional and chose to shape the vibe.
Bottom line: your family’s not waiting for a perfect vacation or a major milestone. They’re living in this moment. With you.
And every ordinary moment is a chance to make a memory.
So yeah, I’ll be at the ballpark.
Seeds, speaker and Spotify.
And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Cheers,
Will
P.S. If you had walk-up music…what would your song be?
Seriously, hit reply. I need to keep building the playlist.