For Grant Kragness, coaching has never been only about wins and losses. It is about relationships, teaching life lessons and making sure every athlete knows they are an important part of the team.

Those values have guided Kragness through 15 years of coaching baseball and fastpitch, a journey that began when he was just 19 years old. Most recently, he coached the 12U Fargo Ram Jack softball team.

Born and raised in North Fargo, Kragness grew up playing football, basketball and baseball. Baseball became his passion, leading him to play for the Post 2 American Legion program before continuing his career at Valley City State University.

Today, Kragness works for Fargo Public Schools as a physical education teacher at Ben Franklin Middle School. With a degree in Physical Education and a minor in coaching, he has spent much of his career working with young athletes in football, basketball, baseball and softball.

Through all those experiences, one principle has remained at the center of his coaching philosophy.

"I know it's cliché, but building lasting relationships is the key to coaching," Kragness said. "Once you have that relationship, you are able to get the most out of your athletes."

Kragness is competitive and wants his teams to succeed, but he also believes sports provide an opportunity to prepare young people for life.

At practices, he talks about how the ups and downs of sports are similar to the challenges athletes will experience away from the field. Mistakes and setbacks will happen. What matters is learning to get back up and persevere.

Communication plays a major role in that approach.

"Every athlete is different and learns in different ways," Kragness said. "As a coach, it is important to understand how to connect with each individual and communicate in a way that resonates with them."

He also believes sports should be fun. Kragness incorporates games and competitions into practices to keep athletes engaged while using a simple philosophy he calls "Talk and Touch."

"Talk" means communicating on the field, encouraging teammates and cheering each other on. "Touch" means high-fives, fist bumps, back taps or extending a hand to help a teammate up.

Together, those small actions help create the positive team culture Kragness wants his athletes to experience.

From the beginning of a season, Kragness is honest with players about their roles and emphasizes that every role contributes to the team's success.

That approach was shaped in part by his own experiences as a three-sport athlete. Kragness played for coaches he admired and others whose styles he didn't connect with. He learned from both.

Those experiences reinforced the importance of treating every athlete with respect, fairness and consistency—qualities he now tries to bring to his own teams.

Some of Kragness' most meaningful coaching memories have come with his own family. He and his wife, Bridget, have two children, Matt, 18, and Peyton, 12. Kragness has had the opportunity to coach both in numerous sports, creating memories he says he will always value.

When Kragness thinks about his legacy as a coach, he doesn't expect former players to remember a season's record or the score of a particular game.

He hopes they remember something more important.

"I hope they remember that I cared about them, treated them fairly, believed in them, and made them feel like an important part of the team," Kragness said.

If his former athletes can look back and say they enjoyed playing for him, learned something and knew their coach genuinely cared about them, Kragness considers that success.

Being named Coach of the Year is a meaningful honor, but it also represents the athletes, families, coaches and colleagues who have been part of his journey.

After 15 years of coaching baseball and fastpitch and working as a PE teacher, Kragness still has a passion for teaching, competing, and helping young athletes grow.



The victories matter. But the relationships last much longer.