Agape Freedom Sports LLC

Written by Founder & General Manager, Agape Freedom Warriors 18U Travel Softball Team — Jeric Yurkanin

What if the very moment you’re ready to walk away is the same moment where growth is waiting to happen?

I’ve been challenged many times in my life — both personally and as a coach. When I was running a men’s slow-pitch softball team, I made my share of mistakes. There were moments when things got hard, when we lost games we should’ve won, or when I felt like giving up. But I realized something important — if I walked away, I wasn’t just quitting on myself. I was quitting on my team, my vision, and the growth that comes through adversity.

The truth is, I learned the most during the toughest seasons. Leading a team taught me patience, accountability, and the importance of doing things differently instead of simply following what everyone else in the league was doing. By working hard, staying committed, and rising to every challenge, success eventually followed.

From 2017 to 2023, I became one of the most successful coaches in the NEPA Adult Church League — not because we had the most talent (we didn’t at first), but because of trust, work ethic, positive attitudes, belief, and culture. My players knew my vision every year and the standard we held — to compete for a championship every season. They trusted that I would lead them toward that goal, and I trusted them to give everything they had. Even when we were underdogs, we found a way to win.

It was the type of environment I created — one that challenged players to work hard, become better teammates, and learn from mistakes. Tomorrow is a new day. We learn, we forget, we move forward, and we develop. My players encouraged one another, and even when mistakes were made, they reminded each other to shake it off and focus on the next play. That kind of culture — believing in each other — helped our backups deliver big hits when it mattered, driving in runs or sparking rallies. Everyone mattered — from catcher to pitcher to the backups in the dugout. It takes a team.

We never focused on other teams’ records or their talent. We studied opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, prepared strategically, and trusted our own system. In 2017, as the #5 seed, we faced the #1 seed, Greenridge AG, in the semifinals. Game 1, we lost on a walk-off, 12–11. Game 2, we came home and mercy-ruled them 20–5. In Game 3, we won 17–9 to advance to the league championship.

That became our identity — believing we could, no matter the odds.

In 2017 also, as a lower-seeded team, we mercy-ruled a top opponent , Rescue and Restore Church 22–7 in a wildcard game. In 2018, We beat the defending league champions 15–9 in the league wildcard game then the same night defeated another higher seed 12–6, Rescue and Restore Church.

In 2021, during the first game of the season, we mercy-ruled a veteran, talented team — the commissioner’s team — 24–0. In 2022, during the semifinals, we scored 20 runs in the first inning of Game 3 and won 25–5.

But one of my favorite memories came in the 2021 semifinals. We lost Game 1, 13–5, even though we were favored to win. That same night under the lights, before Game 2, I gave the team a prep talk — part encouragement, part psychological spark — to remind them who they were. In the first three innings, we scored 34 runs while the other team scored 8. We mercy-ruled them and went on to win the series on a walk-off hit by Matt Fisch in Game 4, advancing to the league championship.

What mattered most is that I always saw potential in my players that others might have overlooked. Most of my players were new or still learning the game when they joined. But I believed in my system, and it worked. Every position mattered. Every role mattered. It takes a team — not stars — to win. My players trusted that I had their best interests at heart, and together, we built something special: a culture rooted in trust, hard work, coachability, preparation, and unity.

The team I originally coached from 2016 to 2018 went on to win back-to-back league championships in 2020 and 2021, with an incredible 35-game win streak before leaving the league at the end of 2021. From 2020 to 2023, I found similar success leading another team built on the same foundation — hard work, selflessness, and belief in the system.

Because when a coach believes in his players, and players believe in their coach — championships follow, but character lasts forever.

Those experiences taught me that leadership isn’t about chasing perfection — it’s about pursuing progress, staying faithful through the grind, and trusting the process. That same mindset is what I’m bringing into the Agape Freedom Warriors program today.

The Culture We’re Building

Our program is built on five pillars: Effort. Attitude. Growth. Trust. Vision.

We teach our players that softball — like life — won’t always be fair. You might not always start. You might not always get the call. You might fail, strike out, or feel overlooked.

But quitting doesn’t build confidence — it buries potential.

Every rep, every inning, every challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger and learn.

At Agape Freedom, we don’t coach fear — we coach freedom:

the freedom to compete, to fail, to improve, and to become something greater than a stat line.

If a player is benched because they need to improve, that’s a growth moment.

If a player is benched because of bias or favoritism — that’s a red flag.

One builds you. The other breaks you.

At Agape Freedom Warriors, we’re committed to removing politics from the game. Every athlete gets a fair shot, a fair voice, and a fair chance to earn it.

The Agape Freedom Warrior Way:

One thing we will never do is start or favor an athlete because of who their parent, family member, or friend is.

Playing time will always be earned. The right athletes will play when the time is right.

We believe in fairness, effort, and accountability — not politics.

There’s no room for favoritism in this program, only hard work, growth, and respect for the game.

Every player has the same opportunity to earn their spot through attitude, effort, and consistency.

That’s how we build trust — in our team, our leadership, and the process.

Our Team Philosophy: What We Believe as Coaches:

First, we’ll have 15 to 17 players on our roster. Our goal is to create an environment where players can grow and develop — a place where the younger athletes can learn from and be inspired by the older players who have already begun reaching their full potential. Our culture and environment is created for this type of roster.

At the heart of every great team is a shared belief — not just in talent, but in purpose.

At Agape Freedom Warriors, our mission isn’t only to win games; it’s to shape people.

We are committed to working hard, preparing with purpose, and leading with vision.

Success isn’t measured in trophies — it’s measured in growth, effort, and character.

As coaches, we believe every player deserves the chance to develop, make mistakes, and learn without fear.

That belief shapes how we coach, how we communicate with parents, and how we represent our program in the community.

We hold ourselves to high standards of effort, integrity, and consistency.

Our goal is to create an environment where athletes grow comfortably, confidently, and courageously — supported not just as players, but as people.

For the Parents:

To every parent — thank you for trusting us with your daughter’s journey.

We understand what that means. You invest time, money, and emotion into their dreams.

Our promise is to teach, not just train.

To prepare, not just play.

There will be days your daughter shines and others when she struggles — both are vital.

This game, like life, teaches resilience through repetition.

Please know that every drill, every lineup, and every correction is rooted in purpose.

Sometimes that purpose looks like patience. Sometimes it looks like perseverance.

But in both, your child is learning lessons that will outlast the scoreboard.

We’re not just building better athletes — we’re building confident, disciplined young women who understand that talent only matters when it’s paired with attitude and effort. It’s not about how good you are — it’s about how you respond when things don’t go your way. We teach our players to show up with great body language, to trust their teammates, and to work hard even when no one’s watching — to be great teammates themselves and set the example for others. Our goal is to build better humans, too — because who you are off the field matters most. These lessons go beyond softball; they create leaders who carry confidence, humility, and character into classrooms, colleges, and future careers.

The Agape Freedom Warrior Way:

The Agape Freedom Warriors aren’t just building a team — we’re building a culture.

A culture where players compete with heart, lead with humility, and finish what they start.

Where coaches teach with compassion, not comparison.

Where parents see growth before glory.

Our mission is to raise strong young women who understand that adversity isn’t their enemy — it’s their advantage.

Because in the end, it’s not about playing time or trophies.

It’s about the person you become when no one’s watching.

That’s how champions are made — and how success tends to follow.

This is the same philosophy I’ve carried for over a decade — from coaching men’s slow-pitch softball in the NEPA Church League, where my teams made three league championship appearances (winning one), plus three semifinal runs and two additional semifinal finishes as an assistant coach and general manager.

Those ten years taught me that success never comes overnight — it’s built through teamwork, trust, and consistency.

Our program will never be built around one star. It’s built on depth — a team of athletes who are prepared, confident, and ready to step in when needed.

Every girl matters. Every role counts.

It’s never a one-girl show — it’s always about the team.

Each player should strive to be such a great teammate that her presence helps others grow, work harder, and believe in themselves more deeply.

When that happens — when one player’s influence lifts another — the whole team wins.

That’s the Agape Freedom Way.

And that’s exactly what I’m bringing into this program.

You Interested having your daughter join the Agape Freedom Warriors?

If this sounds like the kind of culture and environment your daughter belongs in, we’d love to hear from you.

📞 Contact: Jeric Yurkanin — (570) 677-0353 (Text Preferred)

📍 Home Location: Jessup, Pennsylvania (near Scranton)

🥎 Team: 18U Travel Softball (Accepting ages 13–18 on one team)

— Jeric Yurkanin

Founder & General Manager

Agape Freedom Warriors Travel 18U Team