High Quality Baseball Coaching and Clinics
At East Atlanta Baseball, we believe in developing the whole player, not just the athlete. We foster a growth mindset where every player, regardless of skill level, receives quality baseball coaching, equal respect, and the opportunity to improve at their own pace.
Our coaches use positive reinforcement and the “Double-Goal Coach” approach: compete hard to win, and use the game to teach lessons that extend beyond the diamond. We create a safe, inclusive culture where inappropriate behavior isn’t tolerated, sportsmanship is celebrated, and effort matters as much as outcomes. At EAB, we’re building players, teammates, and young people of character, and we’re committed to doing it the right way.
How Our Coaching Is Structured
EAB is a volunteer-powered league with professional-level coaching leadership. Every coach, from our Head of Coaches to a first-year parent volunteer, works within the same structure and the same standards.
Head of Coaches
Matt Dickson, our co-founder and a coach with over a decade of college experience, leads coaching for the entire league. He sets our coaching standards, designs practice plans, and works directly with coaches and players across every division.
Volunteer Coaches
Practices and games are run primarily by volunteer coaches, most of them parents from our community. Every volunteer coach is required to complete the following before stepping on the field:
- Background check through Little League’s screening program
- Little League Abuse Awareness Training
- NAYS Coach Training and Membership for ongoing coach education (details below)
Coach-the-Coaches Clinic
Each season, Matt runs a clinic for our volunteer coaches covering practice design, age-appropriate skill instruction, positive coaching techniques, and game management, so every EAB team benefits from the same approach, no matter who’s holding the clipboard.
In-Season Player Clinics
Expert coaching clinics are built into regular season practices to help your player level up and move from developmental leagues to more competitive experiences.
More details: EAB Coaching Standards and Values | Positive Coaching Alliance | NAYS
NAYS Coach Training and Membership
East Atlanta Baseball is committed to providing the best experience possible for the kids in our program. That’s why we’ve partnered with the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) and require the NAYS Coach Training and Membership program for all of our volunteer coaches.
NAYS is a nonprofit that has trained over 4 million youth sports volunteers since 1981. The training covers the fundamentals of coaching youth sports plus baseball-specific instruction, and it satisfies important safety requirements including basic first aid, concussion awareness, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest, and AED use. As a NAYS Coach member you also receive $2,000,000 of excess liability insurance coverage and other member benefits. Whether you played college ball or have never coached before, you’ll find the training useful.
How to Register
You’ll need two things when prompted: your Role (NAYS Coach) and our organization name in the NAYS system: East Atlanta Baseball.
- Click the button below and select Register.
- Fill out your information.
- When prompted, search for East Atlanta Baseball and select it to affiliate with our league.
- Select your Role: NAYS Coach.
- Select the Baseball sport-specific training and add it to your cart. The cost updates at checkout.
- Check out and process your order, even if the price shows $0.00.
You’ll be directed to the Training Portal to start right away, or you can come back any time to finish.
Our Coaches
Matt Dickson, Co-Founder and Head of Coaches
Atlanta native Matt Dickson founded East Atlanta Baseball. Growing up in East Atlanta Village, he represented Alberta in the Canada Summer Games, then returned home to play at DeKalb Junior College.
Over his career, Matt has mentored over 100 future MLB draft picks. He coached for 11 years across junior college, Division I, and NAIA programs, and refined his player development approach alongside baseball legends Tom Glavine, Jeff Blauser, and Eddie Perez.
Through East Atlanta Baseball, Matt balances competitive excellence with the joy of the game, giving each player personalized attention to build both skills and character. This approach works whether players are just starting out or pursuing college opportunities.