Podcasts about Youth sports

Anthony Walker and Virgil Walker join Jason to discuss sports participation on Sunday. Danny Kanell says no youth sports before 9 a.m. and also no youth sports on Sundays. Jason asks the question: Are youth sports harming Christianity? ➢ Subscribe Jason's other channel https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockHarmony  https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockBYOG  ➢ Connect with Jason on Social Media:  https://x.com/WhitlockJason https://www.instagram.com/realjasonwhitlock/ https://www.facebook.com/jasonwhitlock ➢ Send Jason an Email FearlessBlazeShow@gmail.com ➢ Support The Blaze Visit https://TheBlaze.com. Explore the all-new ad-free experience and see for yourself how we're standing up against suppression and prioritizing independent journalism. Support Conservative Voices! Subscribe to BlazeTV at https://www.fearlessmission.com and get $20 off your yearly subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MacKenzie sits down with Kelvin, Head of School at Texas Sports Academy, to continue their conversation on how the relationship between athletics and academics is being reimagined and rebuilt at TSA. They go beyond the physical drills to explore the "hidden" side of athletic development: mindset, biology, and character.The discussion pulls back the curtain on the potential toxicity of youth sports culture, how our students use tools like health trackers and nutrition workshops to take total ownership of their health without parental nagging, and how the model uses the sports ethos to transform quiet students into confident leaders and "athletes only" into academic powerhouses.

Wednesday's 9am hour of Mac & Cube got underway with the guys not liking that kids 10 & under are having recruitment videos & transfer announcements; then, listeners weigh in with their thoughts on the state of Youth Sports; and finally, a wild set of Bad Box Scores of the Day wraps up our Wednesday. "McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning" airs 7am-10am weekdays on WJOX-94.5!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben & Woods start the 8am hour with Woodsy taking exception with some adults out there who seem to really enjoy ripping on youth sports nowadays. Then we play today's game of Take On Woods before the guys give a few more thoughts on some surprising numbers to come from the MLB fan poll conducted by The Athletic this week. Listen here!

Winning early often creates weak habits later. Veteran coach and founder of Changing the Game Project, John O'Sullivan, joins Joe De Sena to explain how coaches and parents lose athletes by lowering expectations, misusing recovery, and chasing short-term wins. They lay out simple rules for building resilient competitors, setting non-negotiable standards, and letting kids struggle without stepping in. This conversation delivers clear, experience-based guidance for developing athletes who can handle discomfort, take ownership, and perform under pressure. Things You Will Learn: How standards drive long-term athlete development Why struggle and loss are necessary for resilience How parents and coaches should enforce accountability Tools & Frameworks Covered: Standards-First Coaching: creates clarity and accountability Purpose vs. Outcome Thinking: keeps development ahead of winning Recovery Discipline: balances effort without lowering standards Resilience isn't taught through speeches. It's built through standards, repetition, and discomfort. Start there. No more excuses. Spartan.com. John O'Sullivan spent decades inside competitive sport as a player, coach, and team leader, experiencing firsthand the physical pressure, emotional strain, and identity challenges that shape athletes over time. After seeing how ego, fear, and external pressure erode performance and joy, he committed his career to rebuilding sport around discipline, purpose, and long-term development. His work represents three core themes: resilient leadership, mindset-driven performance, and building character through intentional struggle. Connect to John: Website: https://changingthegameproject.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctgprojecthq/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChangingTheGameProject LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjohnosullivan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel Twitter/X: https://x.com/CTGProjectHQ We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 

Hour 1 David James | Starting Lineup: BYU struggling with effort and defense Youth sports problems What You May Have Missed Hour 2 Former BYU basketball player Jonathan Tavernari Good, Bad & Ugly Whole World News Hour 3 Patrick Kinahan Sports Roulette Final thoughts

Youth sports can build resilience, character, teamwork, and lifelong confidence.But they can also quietly become something else.In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Dr. John Delony — bestselling author, two-time PhD, and host of The John Delony Show — joins the Pure Athlete team to unpack the hidden emotional weight many kids are carrying in today's sports culture.From travel ball schedules that dominate family life to parents unknowingly tying their self-worth to their child's performance, Dr. Delony challenges us to ask a deeper question:Are our kids playing for themselves… or for us?This episode dives into:Why youth sports still have incredible valueThe danger of kids feeling responsible for regulating their parents' emotionsHow to know if you've crossed the line from supportive to over-investedWhy family dinners, marriage health, and shared values must come before the sports calendarThe “Uncle Rico” effect and living vicariously through your kidsWhy adult loneliness may be fueling the travel sports explosionDr. Delony doesn't attack sports — he loves them. He was an athlete. His kids play today. But he offers a clear warning: Don't make your child carry the emotional weight of your identity.If you're a sports parent, coach, or leader who wants to build healthy families — not just successful athletes — this conversation is essential listening.Part 2 drops next week.Chapter TitlesPart 1 07:45 – Meet Dr. John Delony: Athlete, Dad, & Psychologist.14:20 – The Real Value of Youth Sports21:10 – When Kids Become Emotional Regulators for Parents29:30 – The “Uncle Rico” Syndrome

The ALL ME® Podcast Youth Sport Injury Prevention – Joe Janowsky Summary In this episode of the ALL ME Podcast, Don Hooton and Joseph Janosky discuss the critical topic of youth sports injury prevention. They explore the evolution of youth sports, the impact of technology, and the challenges posed by specialization in sports. Janosky shares insights from his experience as a sports physical therapist and introduces Benchmark Health Partners, a company aimed at preventing injuries in young athletes through data-driven assessments. The conversation emphasizes the importance of rest, recovery, and understanding injury risks, while looking forward to the future of youth sports and injury prevention. Takeaways Youth sports injury prevention is a critical topic. The landscape of youth sports has changed dramatically. Kids today are bigger, stronger, and faster than before. Technology plays a significant role in injury prevention. Specialization in sports can lead to higher injury rates. Rest and recovery should be viewed as active training. Growth rates can impact injury risk in young athletes. Benchmark Health Partners aims to prevent injuries through data. Understanding injury risks is essential for young athletes. The future of youth sports looks promising with technology advancements. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Youth Sports Injury Prevention 02:51 The Evolution of Youth Sports and Equipment 05:09 The Role of Technology in Injury Prevention 08:16 The Business of Youth Sports 10:41 Specialization in Youth Sports and Its Risks 16:15 Benchmark Health Partners: A New Approach 21:48 Understanding Injury Risks and Prevention Strategies 27:29 The Future of Youth Sports and Injury Prevention Follow Us: Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Contact Us: Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Email: info@taylorhooton.org Phone: 214-449-1990 ALL ME Assembly Programs: http://taylorhooton.org/education-resources/face-to-face-programs/

⁠https://teachhoops.com/⁠ Do you dread fundraising season as much as you love game day? Most coaches assume fundraising is just endless popcorn sales and awkward asks—but there's a smarter, less stressful way! In this episode, Bill Flitter welcomes fundraising expert Scott Birnbaum to flip the script and give youth coaches a winning advantage. How effective is your team's fundraising, really? Don't miss these game-changing takeaways: Build community—move beyond donor fatigue! Set up hassle-free, recurring fundraising that works year-round. Involve your players meaningfully and teach key life skills. There's even more proven strategies inside! Let's change the game together! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review. Find Scott Birnbaum at https://www.booster.club/

1 Timothy 4:8 NIV “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”   *Transcription Below*   Brian Smith, author of The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, is a staff member with Athletes in Action and a cross-country coach at Lowell High School. A former collegiate runner at Wake Forest University, he earned a BA in Communications and Journalism before completing his MA in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary. Brian lives in Lowell, MI with his wife and three children. You can find him on Twitter @BrianSmithAIA.   Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades' experience discipling college and professional athletes. With a heart for reconciliation and justice, he also works as a racial literacy consultant and marriage conference speaker, blending Biblical wisdom with practical living in the midst of complex cultural realities. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in Xenia, Ohio.   The Christian Athlete Website   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions and Topics We Cover: What is one of kids' greatest game day complaints?  Is it true that young athletic success is a predictor of adult athletic success? What are a few tips for instilling a heart of gratitude in our young athlete, rather than entitlement?   Related Savvy Sauce Episode: 230 Intentional Parenting in All The Stages with Dr. Rob Rienow   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:11)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:51) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today, over 55 years later, at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka.   Owned and operated by the Bertschi family, Sam Leman and Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over Central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com.   Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski are my guests for today.   They are co-authors of this recent amazing book entitled, A Way Game, A Christian Parents Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. And from the very beginning, I was captivated, even with one of the endorsements from Matt Martens, who's the president and CEO of Awana, and he summed it up this way, A Way Game provides a much needed perspective shift on one of the most sacred idols in our culture, youth sports. So, Brian and Ed are all for youth sports, and yet you're going to hear there's a different way to approach it than what we've been trained in culture.   And they're going to share some wonderful and very practical insights. I can't wait to share this with you. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Ed and Brian.   Ed Uszynski & Brian Smith: (1:51 - 1:54) Thanks for having us, Laura. Yeah, good to be here, Laura.   Laura Dugger: (1:54 - 2:04) So, excited about this chat. And will the two of you just start us off by sharing your family's stage of life and your involvement in sports?   Brian Smith: (2:05 - 3:29) Yeah, there could be a lot on the back end of that question. I'll start with sports, then get into family. I've been involved in sports my entire life, played every sport imaginable growing up, got cut from just about every single sport my freshman year of high school, ended up running track and cross country because it was the only sports that you could not get cut from at my high school.   And I ended up being pretty good at it by the time I was a senior, won some state championships, ended up getting a scholarship to run at Wake Forest University. So, I did that for four years right out of college. I coached a little bit collegiately.   Soon after that, I joined staff with a sports ministry called Athletes in Action that Ed and I have a combined 50 years with Athletes in Action. And really, that's been my life ever since. I've been ministering to college and pro athletes, discipling them, helping them figure out what does that actually look like to integrate faith in sport.   Even today, I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I coach high school cross country while I'm still on staff with Athletes in Action. I have a middle school Bible study that I run on Wednesday mornings.   Been married to my wife, who I actually met in high school. She was a distance runner too, and she ran at Wisconsin. So, we've been married for 20 years.   We have three kids, a high schooler, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler who are all involved in sport at some level, some way, shape, or form.   Laura Dugger: (3:30 - 3:34) Wow, that's incredible. Thank you, Brian. And Ed, what about you?   Ed Uszynski: (3:34 - 5:04) Well, my story is very parallel to Brian's, just different sports and some different numbers. Just tack on 15 years. Yeah, I was a basketball player.   Grew up on the west side of Cleveland with a high school football coach. My dad was, but I was a basketball player. I played at high levels all the way through my 20s, got to play overseas.   I mean, this was a long time ago, but I got everything I could out of that sport. And as soon as I graduated from college, though, I started to work with that Athletes in Action ministry that Brian mentioned. So, I've been working with college and professional athletes for 34 years now.   And same, coached at different levels, have four kids. Amy and I have been married for 26 years. We have four kids, three are in college, and one's in ninth grade, who has a game this afternoon, actually.   So, we've just been going to games and have been involved in going to sports stuff for the last 20 years with our kids. And really what happened with Brian, and I is that we looked up a decade ago and realized this youth sports thing was a fast train that was moving in directions that we weren't used to ourselves, even though we've been around sports our whole life. It's like, there's something different happening now.   And then thinking about it as Christians, like, how do we do this well as Christ followers? We don't want to separate from it. We don't want to just go for the ride. How do we do this as Christian people? And that's what got us talking about it and eventually led to this book.   Laura Dugger: (5:05 - 5:23) Well, the book was easy to read and incredible. And I'd like to start there where you begin, even where you go back before going forward. So, when you're looking back, what are the factors at play that changed youth sports over time?   Ed Uszynski: (5:26 - 6:17) Well, I'll say this and then Brian, maybe you jump in and throw a couple of them out there. I mean, youth sports is a $40 billion industry today, which is wild to think about. It's four times how much money gets spent on the NFL, which is just staggering.   I can't even hardly believe that that's true, but it is. And it's really just in the last 20 years that that's happened. I mean, 50 years ago, you couldn't have had the youth sport industrial complex, as we refer to it.   You couldn't have had it. There were a bunch of things that had to happen culturally, as is true with any new movement or any paradigm shift that happens in culture. You've got to have certain things be true all at the same time that make it possible.   So, Brian, what were a couple of those? Again, I'll throw it over to you. There's six of them that we talk about in the book. And I think it's really fascinating because I'm a history guy.   Brian Smith: (6:18 - 8:40) Yeah. And we can obviously double click on any of these, Laura, that you want to, but we talk about how the college admissions process became an avenue where youth sports parents saw, man, if we can get our kids involved in some extracurriculars and kind of tag on high level athlete to their resume, it actually helps with the college admissions process. And so even the idea of college scholarships became an opportunity for youth sports parents to get their kids involved.   And then, yeah, maybe sports can actually get them into college. We talk about the economic shifts that happen, the rise of safetyism and helicopter parenting. ESPN was a massive one in 1979.   This thing called ESPN starts, and we get 24-7 coverage of sports, which they started exploring even early on. What does it look like to give coverage to something like Little League World Series and saw that it didn't really matter how young the sport was, it's going to draw a national audience. And so, we've almost been discipled by ESPN really over the last 50 years with this consistent coverage.   We talk about the rise of the sports complex. This one to me is like the most fascinating out of all of them. In 1997, Disney decided to try to get more people to come to their parks.   They built a sports complex, just a massive sports complex. The idea was, are the older kids getting sick of the Buzz Lightyear ride and the Disney princesses? So, let's build a sports complex and maybe it'll be something else that will draw this older crowd too.   And what happened was, I mean, a lot of people started coming to it, but kind of the stake in the ground game changer was when 9-11 hit. In the months and years after that, they saw a lot less people go to their parks, but population actually doubled going to the sports complex, which is wild to think that people were afraid to go to theme parks for a vacation, but they were willing to travel across state lines to play sports at the Disney complex. So other cities and municipalities took notice of that.   Today, there's over 30,000 sports complexes like Disney's, which again, this is all adding to the system of the youth sports industrial complex. Did I miss any, Ed?   Ed Uszynski: (8:41 - 10:47) Well, no, and that's good. And the reason why we even put all that on the table, again, everybody kind of intuitively knows if you're involved, you know, something's not right. But I think it's important to say this is not normal what's happening.   It's a new normal that's been manufactured by a bunch of cultural trends, by a bunch of entrepreneurs that are doing what entrepreneurs do, and they're taking advantage of the moment, and they are generating lots of money around it. So, it should be encouraging. If it's not normal, that means actually there's a counter way of going about this.   There really can be reformation. But when all this money gets involved, the two biggest consequences that come out of that is our kids start getting treated like commodities, which they are, and we could talk the whole time even just about what that means. But maybe even more importantly, or what comes out of that is that beyond their physical development, most coaches and clubs are not paying any attention to their emotional development, their psychological development, their spiritual development, all the different aspects of what it means to be human that, frankly, used to be paid quite a bit more attention to in youth leagues when I was growing up.   I'm 58 now, so I was playing in the 70s and the 80s. And it used to be expected, at least at some level, even among non-Christian people, that you would take those aspects of a kid's life seriously. And now those just aren't prioritized.   And so, what do we do about that? Again, that's kind of our whole point is, well, as Christian people, we're really supposed to be our kid's first discipler anyways. And part of that role and part of taking on that identity is that we would be asking, what is God trying to do in the wholeness of their life, the entirety of their life, even in the context of sports?   So again, I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but that's why we're trying to poke into that to say, oh, we could actually make change. We may not change the whole system. In fact, we won't. Most of us won't be expected to do that, but we can make significant change in our corner of the bleachers and what happens with our kids.   Laura Dugger: (10:48 - 11:05) That's good. And just like you said, to double-click on a few places, first of all, real quick, the 30,000 number, I remember that shocking me in the book, but I'm forgetting now, is that worldwide, the amount of sports complexes or is that just in America?   Brian Smith: (11:05 - 11:06) That's domestically in the US.   Laura Dugger: (11:07 - 11:52) Yeah. That is staggering. And then one other piece, all of this history was new to me as you brought it all together, but it was also fascinated.   This is from page 32. I'll just read your quote. The American youth sports ball began rolling when a British movement fusing spiritual development with physical activity made its way across the Atlantic Ocean at the turn of the last century.   And Ed, that's kind of what you were touching on, that they were mixing, I'm sure, spiritual, psychological discipleship, physical. Can you elaborate more on what was happening and where it originated? Because we've come very far from our origins.   Ed Uszynski: (11:53 - 13:18) Yeah. And there's been a bunch of really great books written about this topic called muscular Christianity. This idea, like you just said, Laura, of wedding physical activity through sports with our spiritual development and expecting and anticipating that somebody that was taking care of their body and that was engaging in sport activity, that was the closest thing to godliness.   That opened up the door for you to also be developing spiritually. And there was an expectation that both of those are going on at the same time. A bunch of criticism about that movement, but it was taken seriously.   The YMCA is actually a huge byproduct of the muscular Christianity movement. The Young Men's Christian Association created space for sports and for athletic activity to take place under the banner of you're also going to grow spiritually as you're doing this. So again, that was a hundred years ago.   And that's not really what AAU stands for today. The different clubs and leagues that we get involved in just don't talk that way anymore. Of course, culture just in general has shifted away from sort of a Judeo-Christian ethic guiding a North Star for us.   Even if we're not Christian people, that used to be more of a North Star. That's gone now. And so, it really is not expected in sports anymore.   Brian Smith: (13:18 - 13:55) And what we're saying is we cannot expect organizations to own that process for our kids. We can't outsource the discipleship of our kids to the youth sports industrial complex or the YMCA or the AAU. It really does start with us as Christian parents to be the primary discipler of our kids.   And there is a way to take what's happening on the field or the court or the pool and turn it into really amazing discipleship opportunities. But it means, and Ed is starting to tease this out, it means we need to change our perspective as parents when we sit in the bleachers or on the sidelines of what we're looking for and even the conversations we have with our kids on the back end.   Laura Dugger: (13:57 - 15:29) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Bertschi family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle.   This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different.   I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business.   Learn more at their website, LemanEureka.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them on 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Laura Dugger: (15:30 - 15:31) And I want to continue getting into more of those practicals. Do you want to give us just a taste or an example or story of what that might look like?   Brian Smith: (15:32 - 16:54) We keep saying, we keep talking about the importance of the car ride home that it's tempting for us and not us broadly in the U.S., tempting for us, Ed and I, as people who have done this for 50 plus years and who should know better, it's tempting for us as discipled by an ESPN over analyzing everything culture and want to talk about sports to get in the car ride home with our kids and all we want to talk about is how game went, what they did right, what they did wrong, what they could fix next time.   Maybe instead of passing to Tim, they should take the shot next time because they're wide open. They just hit three in a row. So, and what our kids need from us in those moments is less coaching, less criticizing, less critiquing, and they just need us to connect with them.   The stats on kids quitting youth sports is crazy right now. Its 70 percent are quitting before the age of 13, in large part because it's not fun, and a lot of kids are attaching this idea of it not being fun to the car ride home with their parents who, let's say this too, most of us are well-intentioned parents. We're not trying to screw our kids up.   We want what's best for our kids, but the data and the research and the lived experience continues to tell us what our kids need from us is just to take a deep breath, connect with them, less coaching. Ed keeps saying less coaching, more slurpees.   Laura Dugger: (16:55 - 17:07) I like that. And that ties in. Is it called the peak-end principle that you discovered why kids are resisting that critique on the way home?   Brian Smith: (17:07 - 18:17) Yeah, absolutely. The peak-end rule in psychology is known as this: we, just as humans in general, not just kids, we largely remember things in our lives based on the peak moment of that event, but also how the event ends. And so, the peak moment in sport can be anything from something that goes really well, like they scored a goal or made a basket or something that did not go well, just like a massive event that took place that they're going to remember.   But then it's also married to how that event ends. So, if you think for kids, how does every youth sport experience end? It ends with the car ride home.   So, if they're experiencing the car ride home as I did not live up to mom and dad's standards, or there's fear getting into the car because they don't know what their parents are going to say, how are they remembering the totality of their youth sport experience? It is, I didn't, I didn't measure up. I wasn't enough.   It felt like sports was a place that I needed to perform for my parents or my coach. And I always feel a little bit short. We want to help parents see like there's a different path forward that can be more joyful for you, but hopefully more joyful for your kid as well.   Ed Uszynski: (18:17 - 21:37) Well, and, and I'll just, let me keep going with that, Brian. I thought you really articulated all that so well. I can just imagine a parent maybe thinking, was there never a time to correct?   Is there never a time to give input? And we would say, well, of course there, there is, they need far less of it from us than we think they need when it comes to their sport. And again, we can talk about that.   They need far less of that from us. They need us to be their parents, not to be their coaches. Even if we are their coach, they need us to be more their parents.   But there is a time to do it. We're just saying the car ride home is the worst time to do it. And that's usually the time that most of us, you know, we've got two hours of stuff to download with them.   And that's just, it's not a good time. But the other thing that Brian and I keep talking about is how about, what if we had some different metrics that we were even trying to measure? So, most of the time our metrics have to do with their performance.   Like what, what are we grading them on? Again, depending on what the sport is, there's these different things that we're looking for to say, how you did today is based on whether you did this or you didn't do that and whatnot. And we're saying as parents, and again, starting with us, we needed some other metrics that were actually more concerned about what was going on in their soul.   So again, I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but the virtues, how did love show up in the way they competed today? Where that usually is tied to them noticing somebody else. Do I, am I even asking them any questions about that?   Are they experiencing peace in the midst of all this chaos and anxiety that shows up at every game? How do we teach them to experience peace? How do they become other-centered instead of just self-centered all the time in a culture, a sport culture that's teaching them to always be the center of attention and try to be?   So, we just have needed to exchange some of what we had on that performance list, like tamper that down a little bit and maybe expand the list of categories that we're looking for that actually will matter when they're 25. And we keep saying this, our goal is that they'd come home for Thanksgiving when they're 25. And so, we need to stay relationally connected to them and how we act on the car ride home day after day after day after day, year after year is doing something to our relationship.   But we also are recognizing that it's really not going to matter whether Trey finishes with his left hand at the game today when he's 25, it's not going to matter. It's not going to matter probably a year from now, but how he goes through the handshake line after the game and the way he addresses other people, and whether or not he's learning to submit to authority, whether or not he's learning to embrace other people's humanity. Yes, even in the context of sports, that's really going to matter when he's 25.   It's going to matter when he's married. Those are the things that will matter. And we say that as people who are older and have been involved in ministry and have worked with college athletes and see what happens in their lives even after they're finished, and they have no idea who they are anymore.   And this thing that's dominated their life has not actually prepared them well to do life. And that's a problem that we say, let's start changing that when they're six and not hope they're figuring it out when they're 22.   Laura Dugger: (21:38 - 22:11) I love that because that's such a theme throughout those virtues that you talked about, but discipleship and sports are a tool or a way that we can disciple our kids. I also love that you give various questions throughout the book and even quick phrases. So to close that conversation on the car ride home, if we say, okay, that's what I've been coaching the whole way home, what is a question we could ask our child afterwards and a statement we could say and leave it at that and do it a better way?   Brian Smith: (22:12 - 23:56) The question I have consistently asked my kids after learning that I've been doing this the wrong way for a long time, I tweet my question to they get in the car and I say, is there anything that happened today from the game that you want to talk about? And it's frustrating to me because 99% of the time they say, no, can we listen to the radio? And we listen to the radio, or they play a on my phone, but I'm respecting their desire that they're done with what just happened and they're ready to move on to the next thing, even though I really want to talk about what just happened.   And then the statement that I want to make sure that I'm consistently saying that they're hearing is I love you and I'm proud of you. So, game didn't go well. Yeah, you did play well today.   That's okay. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you. Game went well today.   Awesome. Great job. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you.   So I want that to be the consistent theme that they're hearing for me, which is hopefully going to help them better understand the gospel later in life, that as they get older and older, hopefully they'll begin to realize it seemed like the way that my mom and dad interacted with me when I was performing in sport, but their love was not attached to my performance. That seems really similar to what I'm learning more and more that Jesus does for me, that I'm trying to do all these things that are good. But from what I'm understanding about the gospel, it seems like Jesus loves me in spite of what I do.   He loves me just because He's connected to me, that God loves me because I'm a son or daughter, not because I'm performing as a son or a daughter. So, in a very real way, I really am hoping that I'm giving a good teaser for my kids now for when they fully experience the gospel as they go through the life.   Ed Uszynski: (23:56 - 24:47) Another really good connecting question. I love how you said all that, Brian, is if they don't want to talk about the game, is it okay, did you have fun today? And they can only go in one of two directions.   No. Well, tell me about that. Why not?   And it opens up the door to talk about, well, because I didn't get to play or because something bad happened. And again, tell me more about that. Tell me more about that.   Or they say, yes, great. What happened that was fun? And it creates a very different conversation in the car.   And it opens up, again, relational possibilities that go way beyond, why do you keep passing it when you should be shooting it? Wow. And just all the different ways that that comes out of us, depending on sport, depending on their age.   But those are great questions. Go ahead, Brian.   Brian Smith: (24:47 - 25:41) I just asked my son this morning. He's a freshman. His wrestling season is almost done.   And I just asked, like, what has been most fun for you in wrestling this year? And his first thing was, I feel like I'm learning a lot. And that's really fun for me, which he's on a really good team.   He's had a lot of success. He's made a lot of good friends. But even that gave me a window into his characters.   My son enjoys and I knew this is true about him. But my son enjoys learning, which means he enjoys the process of getting better and better and better, which can happen in school, it can happen doing stuff in the yard, it can it can also happen in sport. But for me to remember moving forward, yeah, he he's probably going to have a different metric for what's fun in sport than I often do for him.   Yeah, like I wanted to learn. I want him to win though, too. He's happy with learning right now.   So, I need to be happy with that for him.   Ed Uszynski: (25:41 - 26:34) If I can say this, too, again, I don't want to be vulnerable on your behalf. But then knowing this, he's lost a lot this year to really good kids. Yeah.   And so much of the learning has been in the context of losing. So, you as a dad, actually, you could be crushing him because of those losses and what he needs to do to fix that and what he needs to do so that that doesn't happen again. And it's like he's already committed to learning.   How do you just how do you celebrate the loss? Like he took the risk to try something new in this movie. He tried to survive an extra period.   That's a process when and it's we just need to get better at that. Like you genuinely can celebrate that. That's not just a that's not like a participation trophy.   It's acknowledging now, do you're taking you're taking the right steps that are actually making you a winner, even if you don't have more points at the end of the game right now.   Laura Dugger: (26:34 - 26:54) Yeah. Yeah. And that long term win that you're talking about, even with character and you've talked about fun and asking them about fun.   Is it true that that's the main reason kids are dropping out of sports at such a rapid rate before age 13 is that it's just not fun anymore?   Ed Uszynski: (26:55 - 28:58) Yeah. Yeah. And why is it not fun?   And again, this is where Brian and I are always getting in each other's business. And we know that this conversation gets in all of our business as adults. But why is it not fun?   It's not fun because of the coaches and it's not fun because of the parents. We are creating stress. We are creating again collectively because we're all in different places on the on the spectrum on this in terms of what we're actually doing when we show up at games.   But if you even just go to any soccer game and you be quiet and just listen to what's happening and everybody's shouting and screaming things and there's contradictory messages being sent and there's angst at every turn and there's an incredible celebration because this eight year old was able to get the ball to go across the line for another goal. And what that's doing inside the kids is it is creating a not fun atmosphere. Let's just say it like that.   That's a not fun atmosphere when you're eight, when you're 10, when you're trying to figure out how to make your body work. You're trying to learn the game that you're unfamiliar with and you're trying to do what this coach is telling you to do. And you're also trying to do what all the parents are telling you what to do.   And if it's a team sport, you're trying to interact and play with other kids who are all in that same state of disarray, which is very stressful and frustrating. And we're just adding to it. So instead of removing it, instead of playing a role that says, we're going to keep diffusing that stress.   And again, I'll speak for myself. Too often, I have been the one that's actually adding to it. And so, kids are just like, why would I do this?   Why would I want to get in that car again with you? It's not fun. This is a game.   And so, there's a million other things that I can do with my time where I don't have everybody yelling at me and I don't have to listen to you correct me for two hours.   Laura Dugger: (29:00 - 29:21) Well, and one other thing that surprised me, maybe why kids are dropping out, you share on page 47, a quote that research reveals a strange correlation. The more we spend, the less our kids actually enjoy their sport. So, did you have any more insight into that?   Brian Smith: (29:21 - 30:50) Yeah, this was a real study that was done at Utah State. Researchers found that the more money parents are spending, again, let's say well-intentioned parents, the more we're spending in sports, the less our kids are enjoying. And the more they have dug into it, they're finding, and intuitively it makes sense.   If you buy your kid a $600 baseball bat, what's the expectation that they're supposed to do with this really expensive bat? When they swing, they better hit the ball, and they better get on base. If we're going to buy you this expensive of a bat, you can't just have process goals with it.   You better swing and hit it. And that's causing stress for kids. If you travel across state lines and you go to Disney to play at their sports complex, you're not there for vacation.   You're there to perform. So even if parents are saying we're trying to have fun, kids know when you're traveling and you're getting all this good equipment and you're on the elite team and you're receiving the best of the best stuff, they know it comes with some sort of an expectation. College athletes can barely handle that type of pressure and expectations, but we've placed this professional on youth sports from fifth five-year-olds to 15-year-olds, and it's just crushing them.   It's crushing them. Again, college athletes and professional athletes can barely handle it. They need mental health coaches for sports, but we're expecting that our five-year-olds can handle it, and they can't.   Ed Uszynski: (30:51 - 31:19) And they may not even be able to articulate it. So that's the other thing. They may not be able to identify what's actually going on inside and put it into words.   So again, that's why we're trying to sound the alarm for ourselves and for others who are listening, because we can do it different. Again, just to even keep spinning it back in an encouraging direction, we can do this different. We can change this this week in our corner of the bleachers.   We can start over again.   Laura Dugger: (31:21 - 31:48) Absolutely and make a difference. And before we talk about even more of the pros with sports, I think it's also necessary to reflect and maybe even grieve a few things. So, what would you say are some things families are missing out on when they choose youth sports to overfill their calendar, that that's all that they make time for?   What do you think they're missing out on?   Brian Smith: (31:51 - 33:16) Yeah, I think a couple that come to mind are family dinners are a big one. That's big for us in the Smith house, is just having the ability after a long day to sit at the dinner table together, to eat food together, and to process the day and be with one another. But when my kids' practice goes late, it means we're either eating almost towards bedtime or we're eating in different shifts.   And so that's something that we grieve. I think for me, when my schedule is full, I'm tempted to adopt the mindset that what's happening on the wrestling mat or on the track matters more than it actually does. And it robs me of the ability to just take a deep breath and smile and enjoy watching my kids play sports.   That without an intervention or a pregame devotional in the car for myself, I risk sitting in the stands or being on the sidelines, being stressed out and putting pressure on myself and pressure on my kids and gossiping about why the coach didn't put this kid into the people next to me, instead of just enjoying the gift that is sports and watching my kid try and succeed and try and fail. That is a gift available to me as a dad to watch my kid do that. But the busyness often robs me of that perspective.   Ed Uszynski: (33:17 - 36:06) Well, and the busyness robs, again, if you're married, that busyness eventually wears away at your relationship. And it's not just sports. I mean, busyness, we can fill our schedule, overfill our schedules with any number of things.   We can overfill our schedules with church stuff to a point where it becomes detrimental to our relationship. If we don't set boundaries so that we're making sure we're doing what we need to do to be face-to-face and to be going to areas beneath the surface with each other in our relationship and being able to do that with our kids as well, eventually there's negative consequences to that. It may not happen right away, but I've definitely experienced that.   We've experienced that in our home where it's easy to maybe chase one kid around for a while, but what happens when you add three into the mix and you haven't really done a time budget or paid attention to the fact that when we sign up for all these things, you get a month into it and you realize, oh, we have to be in different places at the same time. So, we're not even watching stuff together anymore. We're just running.   I can endure anything for a season, but what youth sports wants now in every sport from the youngest ages is that it becomes a year-round commitment. So, you're not even signing up to play a season anymore. You're signing up for a year in most cases because after the games, then they're going to have training.   They're going to have this other thing going on. And so again, can we say, well, we'll play the actual season, but then we're not going to do the additional training over these next three months. Again, we want to give parents' permission that you can say no to that.   Well, we paid for it. Well, it's okay. If you want your kid to be on that team and you like this club or whatever, then you pay the money and you just say, we're going to sit those three months out and we're going to use those three months actually to have people over our house for dinner.   Again, whatever's on the list, Laura, that you said about being more holistic and not letting sport operate like an idol in our life where it's taken on, it's washed out everything else in our life. We can get back in control of that by just saying no a little bit. You can go to church on Sunday.   Even if there's tournament games going on on Sunday, you can go to the coach early and say, hey, we just, in our family, we just don't want to be available before 12. Are you okay with that? And most of the time coaches will be.   The kid might have to sit extra maybe for not being, whatever. Okay. That's not going to be the end of the world that they had to sit out an extra game or had to sit out a half because they weren't available on Sunday morning.   It might actually make a huge difference that they weren't at church for two and a half years in the most formative time of their life.   Laura Dugger: (36:07 - 37:36) And a lot of times the way of wisdom includes reflection, getting alone with the Lord and asking, have we overstuffed our schedule this conversation today? Let's talk specifically with youth sports. Is that trumping everything else?   Because what if we're putting it in a place it was never intended to be as an idol where we sacrifice hospitality or discipleship or community or even just a more biblical way of life? I think we have to bring wisdom into the conversation for what you've mentioned. Whether it's worth it, if they're even enjoying it, how much we're spending on it, and do we have the budget to allocate our finances that way and evaluating the time just to see and make sure that it's rightly ordered.   Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights? Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy!   But if we flip that to if youth sports are rightly ordered, then what are some things that we can celebrate or reasons that you would want families to give this a try?   Brian Smith: (37:37 - 40:09) The massive positive that we keep coming back to is we have a front row seat to see our kids go through every possible emotion in sport, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And then if we have the right perspective, we are armed with awesome opportunities and awesome information that we're seeing. We get to see what our kids are really good at.   We get to see their character gaps. And then we get to be the ones who, again, who are their primary response, primary disciplers. It really goes back to like, are we trusting youth sports for too little in our kids' lives?   Like many of us are trusting that our investment is going to get them a spot on a team, or maybe they get an opportunity in high school, maybe in college. And what we're saying is, yeah, that maybe. And that's not a bad end goal.   But if that's everything that you're investing into youth sports, it's not enough. Like what you have available to you every single day is to ask your kid if they showed somebody else's dignity on the field. You don't know if your kid's going to hit a home run today.   That may not be available to them their entire life. What's available to them every single day is to ask a question to their teammate, to see somebody and show dignity to them. And that's really, it's like, it's almost the opportunity of a lifetime for us as parents who, when our kids get home from school, we really don't know what happened most of the day.   We asked them how it went and we get the one-word answer. In sports, we don't have to guess. We get to see everything that happens.   And again, if we are actually trusting youth sports for discipleship investment, that's a good ROI. That's a good return on our investment. But we need a consistent intervention almost daily to say, no, this is why they're in sports.   Yes, I want to see them get better. I want to see them have fun, but Holy Spirit, would you help me see things today that I normally don't see? Holy Spirit, would you put them in circumstances and relationships today and in the season that's going to help them look more and more like Jesus by the time the season's done?   Holy Spirit, would you convict me in the moment when I am being a little too mouthy and saying things that I shouldn't? Would you help me to repent? And God, in those moments where I'm actually doing wrong on behalf of my kid, would you help me to humble myself and apologize to them?   And God, would you repair our relationship that way? So again, all of these options are available just because our kid's shooting a ball or they're on the field with somebody else tackling other people. We're trusting youth sports for too little.   Ed Uszynski: (40:10 - 41:10) That's all big boy and big girl stuff. It just is. I don't normally naturally do any of that.   I have to be coached into that. I have to be discipled myself. I have to work through my own issues, my own baggage, my own fears about the future, my own idolatrous holding onto this imagined future that I have for my kid, irrespective of what God may or may not want.   I've got my own resentment. I've got my own regrets from the past. I wish things had gone differently for me, so I'm going to make sure they go different for you when it comes to sports.   And it's hard to look in the mirror and admit that I have anger issues. I mean, youth sports create a great opportunity for me to get up all my pent-up frustration from the day. We've given ourselves permission to do that, in most cases, to just yell and yell at refs and gripe about coaches and yell at kids.   Brian Smith: (41:10 - 41:31) Because that's what we do at the TV, right? When our favorite team is playing, we've conditioned ourselves to say, awful call, that was terrible. Then we get on social media and we complain about it.   We are discipling ourselves to this is how it's normative to respond within the context of sports. Then we carry all that baggage to our six-year-old soccer game.   Laura Dugger: (41:33 - 42:02) Well, I love how you keep pointing it back toward character and discipleship. You clearly state throughout the book, sports don't develop character, people do. But could you maybe elaborate on that a little bit more and share more now that we've listed pros and cons, you still list a completely different way that we can meaningfully participate while also pushing back?   Brian Smith: (42:04 - 43:49) I'll start with the first part, and then you can answer the second. We use the handshake line as a great example of why character needs to be taught to our kids. If you just watch a normal handshake line left without coaching, the kids are going through it, especially the ones who lose with their head down, they have limp hands, there's no eye contact, and they're mumbling good game, good game.   Sometimes they don't even say it, they'll say GG stands for good game. They don't just learn character by going through the handshake line. If anything, that's going through it like that without any sort of intervention or coaching, that's malforming their character.   That's teaching them when things don't go well, that it's okay for them not to be a big boy or a big girl and look somebody in the eye and congratulate them. What needs to happen? An adult needs to step in and say, hey, as we go through the handshake line, whether you win or lose, here's how we do it with class.   We shake somebody's hand, we look them in the eye, and we say good game. Even if in those moments we don't actually mean it, we still show them dignity and honor. And then when we're done going through the handshake line, guess what we're going to do?   We're going to run down the refs who are trying to get in their car and get out of here, and we're going to give them a high five and say, thank you so much for reffing today. That stuff needs to be taught. Our kids don't just come out of the womb knowing how to do that.   We have to teach them how to do it. Sometimes good coaches will do that, but the more and more we get sucked up into the sports industrial complex, we're getting well-intentioned coaches, but we're getting coaches who care more about the big W, the win, than the character formation stuff that happens.   Ed Uszynski: (43:49 - 45:27) They need to keep hearing it over and over again. I have a ninth grade Bible study in my house the other day with athletes and a whole bunch of my son's basketball team. Exactly what Brian just said, I actually was like, wow, I've got them here.   There was a big blow up at a game the other day, and we wound up talking about it. I said, I'm going to take this opportunity actually to say what Brian just said. When you go through a handshake line, this is how you go through it.   I watched what happened in the game a couple days later. Basically, they did the exact opposite of what I told them to do, and they lost. It was just what Brian said.   They went through limp handed. They didn't look anybody in the face, and they weren't even saying anything. I just chuckled to myself, and you know how this is as a parent.   They may or may not do it. Of course, those aren't my kids. I have more stewardship over my child, who actually, he is doing what I've asked him to do because I've re-emphasized it across time now.   It's not a failure because they didn't do what I said. Again, the pouty side of me wants to be like, forget it. I'm just not even going to try anymore.   It's like, no, they're kids. That was the first time they've heard that. They're going to do what their patterns have, the muscle memory that's been created by their patterns, just like we do as adults.   The next time I have a chance to bring that up again, I'm not going to shame them. I'm just going to go over it again with them. Here's how we do it.   It's super hard to do this, guys, when you just want to be violent with people or you want to cry. You got to pull yourself together. That's what big men do.   That's what big women do in life. They pull themselves together in those moments and do the right thing.   Brian Smith: (45:28 - 46:01) You don't know whether the fifth time you say it is going to stick or the 50th time. Your responsibility as the Christ-following parent is to do it the sixth time and the seventh time and the seventh time and trust that God is going to take those moments and do what he does. We're ultimately not responsible for our kids' behavior.   We're responsible for pointing them in the right direction, and then hopefully, yeah, the Holy Spirit steps in and transforms and changes and convicts in those moments, but it might take some time.   Ed Uszynski: (46:02 - 47:47) Tom Bilyeu So that's how you push back, Laura. You were asking that. How do we push back without being just completely involved in it or going for the same ride that everybody else is going for?   There's just little moments like that scattered throughout. Literally, every day that my kids are involved in youth sports, the car ride over, what happens on the way home, how we talk about it, what happens during the game and what we wind up talking about out of that, the side conversations that happen that just get brought up apart from games of how we interact with people and so-and-so looks like they're struggling. What do you know about that?   That's how we push back, that in our corner of the bleachers, oh, how we interact with other parents. We haven't even talked about that yet, that I can take an interest in more than just my own kid in the bleachers and spend way more energy actually in cheering for other kids and just trying to give them confidence and spend way less time trying to direct that at my own child who knows that I'm there. In fact, my side kid has said he doesn't want to hear my voice during the game.   It distracts him. He's like, I'd much rather that you cheer for other people. It's like, okay.   Having questions ready for other parents during timeouts and as you sit there for hours together, what do you talk about? Well, I could be the one that actually initiates substantive conversations over time with them and asks them about what's going on in different parts of their life. And in having done that, people want to talk.   They want a safe place actually to share what's going on in their So let me be the sports minister. Let me take on that identity and actually care about other people.   Laura Dugger: (47:49 - 49:47) I love that. Even that practical idea of just coming to each game, maybe with a different question, ready to open up those conversations. And I'll share a quick story as well.   Our two oldest daughters recently just gave cheerleading a try at a local Christian school that allows homeschool kids to participate. And this is an overt way that somebody chooses the different way. So, it's the coach of the basketball team.   His name is Cole. And at the end of every game, we saw him consistently throughout this season when it was a home game, whether their team won or lost, he would ask them, okay, shut off the scoreboard. It's all blank.   He gathers both teams. As soon as the game is over teams, cheerleaders, the stands stay filled with all the parents. And he says, this is not our identity.   The world and Satan, our enemy, who's very real. He wants us to put our identity here, but it's not here. You made us better tonight by the way that you played and you were able to shine Jesus.   And we're going to go a step further and we're going to do what we call attaways. So, he's like, all right, boys, you open it up. And his team is trained.   They say to the other team, Hey, number 23, what's your name? I loved how you pushed me so much harder tonight and says, my name's Ben. And so, their Attaway is, Hey, Ben.   And everybody goes, Hey, Ben. Yeah, Ben. Yeah, Ben Attaway.   And everybody just erupts in clapping. And the other team is always blown away and they are just grinning, whether they just lost. So, the boys go through that for a while and then they open it up to the other team and they start sharing Attaways.   And then they open it up to the crowd and the parents are able to say, I see the way you modeled Jesus by being selfless with the ball or whatever it is. So, Cole said that his college coach did that many years ago and he's passed that on. And I love that's one way to redeem the game.   Ed Uszynski: (49:47 - 51:39) Wow. Beautiful. Beautiful.   Yeah. That's amazing. And, you know, I, so Brian and I talk about this too.   And I coached at a Christian school. So, we, we think that it's really important if you're going to play sports and you're going to be a Christian coach that you actually take the game seriously. And that we actually are here to compete and we are here to try to win.   There's nothing wrong with that. And we're going to pursue excellence when we show up with our bodies, and we train for this sport and we're going to try to win. Cause I think sometimes we end up kind of going all or nothing, especially within our Christian circles.   We're uncomfortable with that. And it's like, yes, do that. And on the backside of that to do what that coach did is amazing.   It's that, that is, that is exactly what we're saying. We're also going to try to form our souls in the midst of this. We're going to try to win on the scoreboard.   Okay. The game's over, we lost, we won, whatever. There's more going on here than just that. And can we access that together? And again, that's so rare. Probably everybody listening has never even heard of anything like what you just said.   It would be amazing if a bunch of people did, but that's what we're saying. Let's do more of that. Let's find ways to have more of those conversations in our sphere of influence.   Maybe we're not the coach, but we can do that in our car. We can do that when we're at dinners with the other, with other players and other team, you know, we, we can do that. We can take that kind of initiative.   If we have those categories in our mind, instead of just being frustrated that my kid didn't get to play as much tonight. And I'm that bugs me. It's like, okay, it can bug you.   And now I gotta, I gotta be a big boy and get more out of this than just being frustrated that he or she didn't get to play as much. It's hard.   Laura Dugger: (51:40 - 52:11) Absolutely. Well, and like you guys are doing having Bible studies outside of the, the team that you can instill values in that way and share scripture that they're memorizing to go out there with excellence for the Lord. So, I love all of that.   And I've got just a few quick questions, just kind of for perspective. I want to draw out something from the book. Is it true that young athletic success predicts adult athletic success?   Brian Smith: (52:13 - 53:51) It is not true. This is, this is not a hot take. This is researched back more and more research they're doing on this.   And they're finding that there's not a direct correlation between a young elite athlete and them continuing that up into the right trajectory and being an elite athlete later in life in large part, because when puberty hits, like everything is a game changer. So, this is, I found this fascinating and this is probably going to be new to you too. This just came out today.   At the time we're doing this podcast, the winter Olympics is going on in Norway. It's just like, they're killing it. Nor Norway's youth sports system.   This is wild. They give participation trophies for all the kids. They don't keep score until 13 years old.   They don't do any national travel competitions, no posting youth sports results online. So, there's no online presence of youth sport results. And their country motto is joy of sport for all.   And they're, they're killing it right now in the Olympics. So, like, that's not to say, like you got to follow their model and then you're going to win all these gold medals, but it is, there is something to just let the kids have fun. And the longer they play sport, because it's fun, the better opportunity you're actually going to have to see them blossom and develop some of these God-given gifts that they might have.   Don't expect it to come out before they're 13. Even if it does, there's no guarantee that it's going to continue on until they're 23. Just let them have fun.   Ed Uszynski: (53:52 - 55:55) Brian, we, Brian and I got to speak at a church the other day about this topic. And there was a couple that came up afterwards and they asked the question of what, so when do you think we should let our kids play organized sports or structured sports? And so again, Brian and I are careful.   Like I, there's no, there's no one size fits all answer to that. We would suggest as late as possible, wait as long as possible. Because once you start doing structured sport where there's a coach and you have to be at practices and the games are structured and there's reps, it just cuts away all the possibility they have to just play and just to go up to the YMCA and just play for three hours at whatever it is that they like to do.   And they said, well, it's encouraging to hear that they said, because we, we actually are way more into just developing their bodies physically. And so, we do dance with them, and we do rock climbing and they were kind of outdoorsy people, and they just started listing off all these things they do because we want them to become strong in their bodies, and learn to love activity like that. And I just thought, again, that's, that probably would cause a lot of people to freak out to hear that, that they have eight, nine-year-olds that aren't on teams yet.   They're just, they're training their bodies to appreciate physicality and to become coordinated and to, you know, to get better at movement. And it's like, what sport is that not going to be super helpful in five years from now, even when they're 12, 13 years old. And now they really do want to play one sport, and they do want to be on a team.   They're going to be way ahead of the kids actually that just sat on benches or stood in the outfield, you know, day after day after day at practices. Again, that's maybe hard to hear, but maybe there's some adjustments that need to be made again; to give ourselves permission to say, we don't have to get on that train right now. You don't have to, your kid's not going to be behind.   They actually could be ahead. If you do the kinds of things we just talked about.   Laura Dugger: (55:56 - 56:11) I love that. And even that example with what it looks like played out with Norway and also, do you have any other quick tips just for instilling and cultivating a heart of gratitude and youth sports rather than entitlement?   Brian Smith: (56:13 - 57:33) I'm a high school cross country and track coach, and I have kids on my team who want to get faster at running, but instead of running, they want to lift weights and they want to do plier metrics. So, there's, yes, there's a spot for that. But the way you get better at running is to run.   You got to run more miles and more miles. And I think gratitude is similar. That gratitude, part of it is a, it's a feeling, but it's also a muscle that we can flex even if we don't feel it.   And so, I would encourage parents who are trying to instill gratitude into their kids to give them practical things like, hey, after practice, just go shake your coach's hand or give them a fist bump and tell them, thanks for practice today, coach. That that's a disciplined way to practice gratitude that will hopefully build the muscle where they're, they're using it later in life. After a game, I taught my kids this when they were young and they still do it today.   Go shake a ref's hand. I mentioned this earlier, just a really, really practical way to show thankfulness and gratitude to somebody who really doesn't get a whole lot of gratitude pointed at them during a game or after a game. If anything, they have people chasing them through the parking lot for other reasons.   I want my kids to be chasing them down to give them a fist bump or a high five. And so, gratitude is something that we can just practice practically. And hopefully the discipline practice will lead to a delight and actually doing it.   Ed Uszynski: (57:34 - 59:39) And how do we cultivate an inner posture? Cause I tend to be a cup half empty type person. I'm a, I'm a whiner by nature and a continuous improvement.   There's always something wrong. And I'm, it's easy for me to find those things just as a person. I'm not even saying that as a dad or a coach or anything.   And it's been super helpful to me in the last decade, even to just like, I can choose to shift that. There, there is, there's a list of things that are broke, but there is always a list of things that are good. There's always something good here to be found.   And even as I've tried to like, again, tip the scales more in that direction, I can keep pushing that out of my kids. So, so this, you know, my ninth-grade son tends to just like, he doesn't like a whole bunch of what's going on in basketball right now. So, I keep asking him if he's having fun.   He says, no, like, why not? Or like, who did, why did you not have fun today? So, it's just the same thing every day.   I'm like, okay, who did you enjoy even being with today? Nobody. And I'm like, dude, I don't believe that actually.   I just, I don't believe that. There was somebody that you had some moment with today that you enjoyed, or you wouldn't want to keep going back up there because, and he does. So, give me a name.   Okay. Lenny. What happened with Lenny that was fun? And I make him name it. Like I'm, I'm, I'm trying to coach him through it. And sure enough, he does have some sentences of what was fun today.   And it's like, good, let's, let's at least hold onto that in the midst of all the other stuff that's not right. Let's choose to see the thing that was good and that you enjoyed and that we could be thankful for. Not everybody got to have that today.   Again, I have to have my, I have to be the parent. I have to be the discipler. I have to be in, you know, in charge of my own soul that wants to be negative all the time and say, nope, we're going to, we're going to choose gratitude today because the Bible tells us to do that.   There's something about that posture that opens the door for the gospel to be expressed through us. So, let's practice.   Laura Dugger: (59:40 - 59:50) Well said, and there's so much we could continue learning from both of you. Where can we go after this chat to learn more from each one of you?   Brian Smith: (59:52 - 1:00:14) Yeah, we do a lot of our writing online at thechristianathlete.com. And so, if you go there, you can see articles that are specifically written for parents, for coaches, for athletes, all around this idea of what does it look like to integrate faith and sport together? So, the

Starting Lineup: BYU struggling with effort and defense Youth sports problems What You May Have Missed

I speak with Dr David Moran in this week's episode. David is a coach and coach developer in Gaelic games. He is a post-doctoral researcher with the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics and the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University. We discuss a paper David led which examines grouping players by ability. Following the introduction of formal competition structures, youth sport often features ability grouping, referred to as streaming, for training and competition. In Gaelic games, a set of participatory sports indigenous to Ireland, streaming is commonly used to organize players. Despite its prevalence, streaming in sport has been under-researched. This study explored the experiences and perceptions of players, parents, and coaches across five Gaelic games clubs. It's findings on the advantages and disadvantages of streaming are relevant across all sports and will be of interest to every coach involved in youth sports. 

The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the start of season two, challenges of podcasting, high school soccer, AI and technology, youth sports, coaching, and the impact of technology on education and sports. The conversation also delves into the importance of feedback, mental preparation, and the role of parents in youth sports.Chapters00:00 Season Two Kickoff and Podcasting Challenges07:03 High School Soccer and Coaching Approach17:02 AI, Technology, and Education in Sports26:12 Youth Sports and Parental Role

This week on I Am Dad Podcast, host Kenneth Braswell welcomes Javin Foreman, father of three and youth basketball dad living in the real-time rhythm of competitive sports parenting. From Chicago courts to suburban gyms, this conversation dives into what really happens on the sidelines—where love, fear, ego, and expectation often collide. Drawing from his own playing background and now coaching and parenting two sons in organized basketball, Javin shares candid reflections on: Living vicariously through our children Managing emotional reactions during games The ride home conversation When competitiveness crosses into control Parenting differently based on each child's personality The pressure of youth sports culture, AAU systems, and NIL aspirations Co-parenting dynamics and sideline behavior Kenneth and Javin explore how sports expose fatherhood in its rawest form. The gym becomes a mirror—revealing not just a child's skills, but a parent's fears, expectations, and growth areas. This episode challenges dads to ask: Are we building character—or projecting our own unfinished business? If you have a child in youth sports, this conversation will feel familiar—and necessary.

Youth sports can feel like a treadmill you can't step off—more time, more money, more pressure, and a nagging fear that if you don't start at age six, you've missed your chance. In this episode, Ginny Yurich sits down with Pure Athlete co-founder and Parenting the Pure Athlete author Britt Lee to zoom out and ask the question parents rarely get to ask: what is this really all for? Britt unpacks why most kids quit organized sports by early adolescence, why “early dominance” doesn't predict much before puberty, and how the real ROI isn't a scholarship—it's the transferable stuff: resilience, belief, coachability, leadership, and learning to handle nerves when it matters. They talk time audits, parental body language, why the car ride home can make or break a kid's love of the game, and how to keep sports from stealing family culture while still letting it build something lasting. Learn more about Britt and all he has to offer here Get your copy of Parenting The Pure Athlete here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do kids originally want to play sports?In Episode 110 of High Performance Parenting, Greg and Jacquie Francis challenge the common mindset around youth sports and competition.Parents often become hyper-focused on:Wins and lossesStats and performanceScholarships and future potentialBut kids originally play for:Fun- FriendshipConnectionBeing seen and supportedGreg and Jacquie discuss how to:Keep sports in healthy perspectiveUse athletics to build discipline and resilienceTeach responsibility during busy seasonsAvoid letting competition define identityMaintain strong family culture while schedules fill upIf you're raising young athletes, this episode will help you keep what matters most at the center.(00:00) Why Kids Don't Actually Play to Win(01:42) Busy Seasons and Family Balance(03:38) Teaching Responsibility Through Sports(06:44) Why Kids Want to Be Seen and Supported(08:22) Healthy Competition vs Parental Pressure(10:09) Life Skills That Last Beyond Athletics(12:46) When Sports Stop Being Fun(14:43) Scholarships, Pressure, and Perspective(15:38) Parenting Proactively in Youth Sports

https://teachhoops.com/ Do you dread fundraising season as much as you love game day? Most coaches assume fundraising is just endless popcorn sales and awkward asks—but there's a smarter, less stressful way! In this episode, Bill Flitter welcomes fundraising expert Scott Birnbaum to flip the script and give youth coaches a winning advantage. How effective is your team's fundraising, really? Don't miss these game-changing takeaways: Build community—move beyond donor fatigue! Set up hassle-free, recurring fundraising that works year-round. Involve your players meaningfully and teach key life skills. There's even more proven strategies inside! Let's change the game together! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review. Find Scott Birnbaum at https://www.booster.club/

How can sports parents create well-rounded kids in youth sports, which can be hyper-specialized and intense? David Murray's book, Soccer Dad, is the story of a "soccer-ignorant, sports-ambivalent writer who saw his daughter from the kiddie leagues through the travel-sports gauntlet to a coveted Division I scholarship. And then realized his work had only begun," says his  book's Amazon description. In this interview, he discusses the challenges of helping kids find a balanced life when they're immersed in the youth sports world. He suggests: --Introduce larger heroes (Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King) --Anchor the sport in values (teamwork, sisterhood, purpose) --Seek meaning beyond scholarships About the guest: David Murray's daughter, Scout, "loved soccer from toddlerhood. Her drive and skill pulled the Murray family into the world of youth sports―one as culturally obsessive as it is economically exclusive, where each new achievement presents more challenges." Learn more on Amazon.    Visit LisaECohn.com to learn more about host Lisa Cohn. Visit our youth sports psychology blog at YouthSportsPsychology.com

Today we're diving into the wide world of youth sports, and fair warning: this one might give you permission, step on your toes… or both. Ed and Brian are former athletes, longtime sports ministry leaders, and dads currently navigating youth sports with their own kids. They're also the authors of Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, and this conversation is honest, clarifying, and deeply needed. We talk about what they call the "youth sports industrial complex," how we went from backyard games and rec leagues to a $40+ billion industry built on travel teams, specialization, year-round pressure, and future anxiety. How did we get here? What changed from when we were kids? And most importantly, do we have to ride this train? In this episode we unpack: The cultural shifts that reshaped youth sports Why sports don't automatically build character How pride, shame, and self-centeredness quietly grow unchecked The difference between sports formation and spiritual formation Why parents — not coaches — are the primary disciplers How to respond to wins and losses in a gospel-shaped way Creating boundaries within the system (even if you stay in it) The power of gentleness, security, and apology Spoiler: This isn't about pulling your kids out of sports. It's about recognizing that sports culture will disciple your child if you don't, and learning how to counterform that culture with intentional, Jesus-centered parenting. Whether you're all-in on travel ball or wondering if you should opt out altogether, this episode will help you slow down, breathe, and ask better questions. Your corner of the bleachers can look different. Sponsor: Nutrafol Healthy growth — whether in our kids or ourselves — doesn't come from pressure. It comes from consistent care. Nutrafol is the #1 dermatologist-recommended hair growth supplement brand, clinically shown to support thicker, stronger, faster-growing hair in 3–6 months. They offer targeted formulas for postpartum, menopause, stress, and lifestyle factors. For a limited time, get $10 off your first month + free shipping at Nutrafol.com when you use promo code BLAKE. That's N-U-T-R-A-F-O-L dot com, promo code BLAKE.

This is a Men in the Arena podcast highlight from EP 971 with Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski: Youth Sports Boundaries for Christian Families Check it out! Jim's newest book, Guardrails: Ten Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage will be releasing in April 2026. Pre-order your copy today at https://tinyurl.com/guardrails115. Get Jim Ramos' USA TODAY Bestselling book, Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God (https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook)

In Hour 4, Spadoni and Shasky are joined by NBA writer Ethan Sherwood Strauss to discuss the current state of the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga's Hawks' Debut and youth sports.

Breaking down the differences in youth sports over the years. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Hour 3, Spadoni and Shasky continue discussing Draymond Green's role with the Warriors. They also touch on Team USA's gold medal in men's hockey.

Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman | Monday, February 23rd, 2026. 6:05 Beth’s Song of the Day 6:20 USA Men's Hockey Team wins Gold for first time since 1980 | US Women win Gold in Hockey 6:35 Jim missed a day...but he missed a lot 6:50 RAM Biz Update; Chat GPSteve creates Biff Pocoroba song 7:05 Pres. Trump talks SCOTUS tariff decision 7:20 Newton-Conover and Bunker Hill controversy (Ref tosses half of fans out of the game) 7:35 Guest: Bill Graham (Legal Expert) - SCOTUS ruling on Trump tariffs 7:50 Bill Graham cont. - SCOTUS rules 6-3 against Trump tariffs 8:05 Caller Steve weighs in on Newton-Conover and Bunker Hill referee 8:20 "Mohawk Man" ref sparks WBT listeners to weigh in on referees in Youth Sports 8:35 "Mohawk Man" ref sparks WBT listeners to weigh in on referees in Youth Sports cont. 8:50 "Mohawk Man" ref sparks WBT listeners to weigh in on referees in Youth Sports cont. 9:05 Freedom Park Lake dredging starts this week 9:20 Caller David (On the Board of Festival in the Park) talks lake dredgingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've built elite athletes. But are we building strong humans? In this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, I sit down with Gary Thrapp — youth sports advocate, author, and owner of Beyond The Baseline — to talk about where youth sports is headed… and what it's costing us. This conversation isn't soft. It's real. About Gary Thrapp With over 40 years in youth sports, Gary Thrapp has facilitated more than 50,000 games at his facility in Davenport, Iowa 9a8ef877-a0eb-478f-9c46-23d2842… . He's the owner of Beyond The Baseline, a premier basketball and volleyball event center, and author of The Wild World of Youth Sports. Gary focuses on: Leadership development Character formation Community engagement Creating equitable opportunities for kids He works on the front lines of youth development every single day 9a8ef877-a0eb-478f-9c46-23d2842… . And what he's seeing should get every parent's attention. What We Covered 1️⃣ NIL & The Business of Youth Sports The money conversation isn't going away. But when recruiting replaces development… When metrics replace fundamentals… When ego replaces effort… We have a problem. We talked about: NIL filtering down to youth levels The transfer portal mindset Winning vs. developing Recruiting talent vs. building skill 2️⃣ The Hidden Epidemic: Phones & Attention Gary told a story that hit me hard. A third grader asked him: "Why are you making us work while the adults are staring at their phones?" That's leadership. From a third grader. We discussed: Attention spans collapsing Coaches competing with TikTok Parents missing the moments The competitive edge of focus If you want your child to have an advantage? Put the phone down. 3️⃣ Developing a Success Map Gary's book Developing Your Success Map centers on one powerful idea: Ask kids what matters to them. Not what matters to you. We talked about: Purpose Dreams Monthly and daily goals Asking questions instead of lecturing You don't build resilience by talking at kids. You build it by engaging them. 4️⃣ Character > Highlight Reels You can recruit talent. Or you can develop it. You can chase wins. Or you can build people. The scoreboard isn't the ultimate measure. Character is. Resources Mentioned GaryThrapp.com BeyondTheBaseline.net The Wild World of Youth Sports (Available on Amazon) 9a8ef877-a0eb-478f-9c46-23d2842… Leading Winning Teams (Trent M. Clark)

Have youth sports become the center of your family? Are Sundays on the field replacing Sundays with Jesus? In this expert interview, Jim Ramos talks with Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski to expose the truth about today's $40 billion youth sports machine...and how Christian parents are getting pulled into it without even realizing it. Tips from their book Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports will help your family find a healthy balance. Sports can either build your kids and family, or they can burn them out - which one depends on you.  You can pick up Brian and ED's book here! (tinyurl.com/youthsports115) Jim's newest book, Guardrails: Ten Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage will be releasing in April 2026. Sign up to be notified when it's available at https://meninthearena.org/guardrails. I Can Only Imagine 2 hits theaters February 20th, 2026! Watch the trailer and get tickets aticanonlyimagine.com. Every man needs a locker room. Apply to join an exclusive brotherhood of like-minded men in The Locker Room, our monthly live Zoom Q&A call! We meet in the Locker Room once a month for community, fellowship, laughter, and to help each other find biblical answers to life's difficult questions. Locker Room members also get access to monthly exclusive leadership trainings, historically only available to the staff team at Men in the Arena. Membership is by application only. Go here to apply: https://patreon.com/themeninthearena Get Jim Ramos' USA TODAY Bestselling book, Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God (https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook)

Season 2 – Episode 1 | Solo Kickoff: Let's Talk Youth Sports Culture Season 2 is here — and we're starting with a real conversation. In this solo episode, I dive into three topics that every coach, parent, and athlete needs to hear: The Culture of Youth Sports: Are we building character… or just chasing trophies? Family Fanatics Behind the Benches: When does support turn into pressure? And how do we protect our kids from the noise? Does AAU Alone Lead to College Scholarships? The hard truth about exposure, development, and what really separates athletes at the next level. This episode sets the tone for Season 2, honest conversations about leadership, accountability, and raising the standard in youth sports. If you care about the future of the game, this one is for you. Now streaming on YouTube and all podcast platforms. Like. Comment. Subscribe. Let's build leaders through the game!

When we can't act responsibly, behaving ourselves in ways that don't risk danger to others and ourselves, outside intervention is needed so that the most vulnerable are protected. For several years now we've been talking about the out-of-control idolatry of youth sports, a reality that puts incredible pressure on our kids, costs vast amounts of time and money, and can lead to all kinds physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual problems. While sports is a good thing when experienced as one part of a child's balanced life, we've made them an ultimate thing, and it's costing our kids, our families, and our culture dearly. Kids feel the anxiety from the pressure to perform, while parents allow themselves the anxiety of paying exorbitant amounts of money for kids to participate. Now Congress is intervening to stop what's being labeled as a crisis in youth sports that is exacting great costs both now and in the future. Parents, let's remember that the most important thing is pointing our kids to Jesus.

Laurence catches up with his longtime friend, Ben Bradley from Channel 9, to talk about a fabulous story, Ben did on the arms race in Youth Sports. You can watch the story here: https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/whats-behind-the-rush-to-cash-in-on-kids-sports/Our Sponsors:* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/house-of-l-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Frederick County Parks and Recreation is holding a Youth Sports Gear Swap on February 21st at Evendale Community Center from 11am to 3pm.Program Supervisor Onna Keller speaks with Josh about the upcoming Youth Sports Gear Swap and information that you need to know including what is accepted and what isn't along with places that you can drop off items that you would like to donate.Frederick County Parks and Recreation is the Title Sponsor of The Kirby on Sports Podcast - you can visit their website at www.fcprd.net

Send a textBruce and Molly are discussing the importance of African-American History. They are discussing the importance of researching information for yourselves, and studying the History of the United States. They also discussed how the future of the youth and sports will play a part in building sports from high school to college. Molly discusses the dynamics of the college recruiting process as it can be very exhausting, but it is important start the process early in high school to nail down top schools you'd like attend.

Parents aren't imagining it.Modern youth sports didn't just get more competitive — they became year-round, expensive, and all-consuming. For many families, childhood now looks like constant travel, packed schedules, pressure to specialize early, and kids who are burned out before they even reach high school.At Rocky Mountain Self-Defense & Fitness in Castle Rock, we see this every week: kids who aren't lazy — they're overtrained and overscheduled.There is a better path.

Youth sports brings in more money than the top 3 professional sports in the United States making it venture capital's next frontier for exploitation. What does this mean for youth athletics moving forward?   We'll discuss.   Check out our new bi-weekly series, "The Crisis Papers" here: https://www.patreon.com/bitterlakepresents/shop   Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined,   BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH!   Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents?   Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!)   THANKS Y'ALL   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3egFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thisisrevolutionpodcast/Twitter: @TIRShowOaklandInstagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland   Substack: https://jmylesoftir.substack.com/.../the-money-will-roll...   Read Jason Myles in Current Affairs Magazine here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/.../donald-trump-is-a-pro...   Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/

Youth sports used to mean sandlots, Saturday mornings, and cheering on your kid brother. Now it's Big Business, travel teams, injuries, and 70% of kids quitting by 13. In this episode of The Deep, Erika takes on elite youth sports culture – and makes the case for bringing back sports with a soul.Timestamps:0:00 - Intro: Youth sports isn't what it used to be2:07 - Cost, expectations, and injuries4:34 - Cognitive dissonance, kids abandoning sports7:04 - Toxic effects on communities8:15 - Objections: “Quit whining”10:09 - The good of sports for society13:58 - An important story 16:15 - Conclusion: How do we fix youth sports?Watch The Deep on Zeale: https://zeale.co/podcasts/the-deepSubscribe to the LOOPcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theLOOPcast

In Hour 1, the Heat close out the first half of the season by holding off the Pelicans before the All-Star break, but the focus quickly shifts to the Dolphins and their reported interest in Malik Willis. The guys debate whether Miami being a frontrunner — due in part to Willis' ties to members of the Dolphins' front office and coaching staff — makes this a smart move or a risky bet, considering he has just three starts in two years. Joe also explores other quarterback options around the league and how messy situations in places like Tennessee or New York often give QBs extended chances. Plus, Joe and Hollywood dive into the wild world of youth sports, sparked by a woman confronting Joe in public over his recent comments, leading to a lively discussion about over-the-top parents, inexperienced coaches, travel ball pressures, and a great story about Don Shula meeting Joe's dad.

The Drive was astonished by a story that highlighted how much parents are spending on their kids youth sports.

Joe and Hollywood dive into the world of youth sports parents and the sometimes over-the-top behavior that comes with it. Joe shares stories from his days umpiring youth games and the wild encounters he had with parents on the sidelines. Hollywood adds his perspective as a current coach for his kids' teams, sparking a back-and-forth filled with funny and relatable stories about how intense youth sports environments can get.

Hour 4 kicks off with Joe reflecting on Miami's evolution into a full-fledged sports town, from the days when it was just the Hurricanes and Dolphins. He and Hollywood dive into the Dolphins' struggles over the past 25 years, focusing on the ongoing search for a franchise quarterback and the mistakes of passing on Justin Herbert for Tua, debating whether the team is settling for mediocrity or needs a bigger-picture approach. The conversation lightens as they share stories about crazy youth sports parents they've encountered over the years. The hour wraps with Canes center Ernest Udeh joining after Miami's upset of North Carolina, discussing his game-winning rebound and putback, praising Coach Lucas, and opening up about how his faith keeps him grounded.

Hour 1 opens with the guys reacting to the Canes knocking off #11 UNC for their first ranked win in two years before shifting into a heated Dolphins discussion. Joe calls the Tua contract the biggest financial mistake in franchise history while explaining why he's intrigued by Malik Willis — but only at the right price — which leads into a broader debate about tanking, with Joe adamant teams should always try to win. They also explore potential veteran quarterback options Miami could consider this offseason. The hour wraps with a lighter conversation about the wild world of youth sports parents, as Joe shares stories from his umpiring days, Hollywood talks about coaching his kids, and Joe explains why he stays quiet in the stands now that his grandkids are playing, saying the last thing he wants is an adult ruining the game for a kid.

What does it mean to create a safe space to fail? During this episode, we are going outside of the built environment to speak to a different kind of inspiring leader in his field. Paul Donovan is the CEO and Head Coach of Jersey Wahoos, a USA swimming club program located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. He is a champion of self-compassion and kindness. In this conversation, Paul shares how to balance compassion with accountability, navigate parental pressure, and prevent burnout in youth sports. He reflects on quiet leadership, the real mission behind his coaching that goes far beyond the swimming pool, and why leading by example and giving generously of one's time is essential as a youth sports coach. There are so many principles for life that can be learned through sports, and today's episode is a deep dive into how, with the right coach and leadership, participating in them can really be a last bastion of discipline in challenging environments. Thanks for listening. Key Points From This Episode: •   What it looks like to balance compassion and accountability while leading young people.•   Causes of burnout in youth sports.•   Building awareness of the organization while remaining focused on celebrating internal successes.•   Leading by example in coaching and youth sports.•   How youth sports can be the final bastion of discipline in challenging environments.  Quotes: “I think burnout is an emotional state of mind, not a physical state of mind.” — Paul Donovan  “I believe in quiet leadership. You know the old saying parents had about kids is that they should be seen but not heard? I think leaders should be heard but not seen.” — Paul Donovan  “Our actual goal for the kids isn't for them to win a medal at the world championships. Our actual goal with them all is to open up doors that are otherwise unattainable.” — Paul Donovan  Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Paul Donovan on LinkedInPaul Donovan on InstagramJersey Wahoos Swim ClubThe Power of HabitThe Five Dysfunctions of a TeamSteve MagnessThe Sport Parent on XLeadership Blueprints PodcastLeadership Blueprints Podcast on YouTubeMCFAMCFA CareersBJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Feeling nervous before games? Here's a simple one-word reframe that changes everything: Instead of saying "I'm nervous," say "I'm excited." Your body literally can't tell the difference.

In this episode, Jey Young and Kevin Dalafu discuss the complexities of youth sports and parenting. They emphasize the importance of values, intentional parenting, and modeling behavior for children involved in sports. The conversation explores the balance between support and competition, the dangers of over-scheduling, and the impact of specialization in youth sports. They also touch on the changing landscape of college athletics due to NIL and the importance of allowing children to experience failure as part of their growth. The episode concludes with advice for new dads on enjoying the journey of parenthood.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Youth Sports and Parenting02:49 The Role of Values in Youth Sports05:20 Parental Engagement and Modeling Behavior08:17 Defining Success in Youth Sports10:47 The Importance of Balance and Rest13:54 Learning from Mistakes in Parenting16:42 Finding Passion and Motivation in Sports18:59 The Dangers of Early Specialization21:49 The Bigger Picture: Life Lessons from Sports24:41 Navigating Failure and Building Resilience31:49 The Turning Point in Youth Sports34:55 Embracing Failure and Growth38:41 Character Over Talent in Sports46:13 The Impact of Travel Sports52:06 Navigating the New Landscape of RecruitingClick the link for YDP deals (Triad Math, Forefathers, and more) - https://linktr.ee/youngdadpod Interested in being a guest on the Young Dad Podcast? Reach out to Jey Young through PodMatch at this link: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/youngdadLastly,consider making a monetary donation to support the Pod, https://buymeacoffee.com/youngdadpod.

In a new episode of Project NIL with Anthony Gargano & William Penn Charter School Director of Athletics Danny DiBerardinis talk about scheduling conflicts in youth sports, Mr. Beast wanting to donate to a college football program, Amari Bailey’s attempt to return to college, & MORE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textIn this enlightening episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we sit down with Gary Thrapp, a dedicated youth sports specialist with an impressive 40-year career in managing youth sports. Gary has coached over 50,000 games and has been instrumental in the development of the premier youth sports facility, Beyond the Baseline. His mission transcends athletics; he focuses on cultivating better athletes and, more importantly, better individuals. Join us as we explore Gary's journey and his commitment to community engagement through free sports programs designed to remove financial barriers for young athletes. Discover the lessons he's learned as a parent and coach, the importance of leadership development in youth sports, and how he is reshaping the youth sports landscape by prioritizing skill development over competition. Gary also shares insights from his book, *The Wild World of Youth Sports*, which provides 150 strategies for parents to navigate the complexities of youth sports effectively. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that emphasizes the power of community, support, and the positive impact of sports on youth development. Learn more about Gary and his initiatives at garythrap.com and goingbeyondthebaseline.com. Support the show

Show NotesOn the Spotlight this week, we wrap up the Australian Open where dramatic semi finals saw Alcaraz overcome cramp (to Zverev's dismay), Djokovic overcome Sinner (to Ross' prediction dismay), and then Alcaraz overpower Djokovic to win a career Grand Slam. Elana Rybakina won the women's title, powered by a dominant serve and a few harsh, but helpful words from her coach.Then it's a concussion and head injury discussion, with a Spotlight on football and rugby. Should young children be tackling and heading a football? We explore those debates and discover that bans and delays don't play out quite the same way in the two sports, but that many unanswered questions remain. A recent paper by Ross and some colleagues finds that rugby players wearing headgear are more likely to suffer injuries than those not wearing headgear. An odd finding, but confounded by history and bias, as a lesson for how research limitations play out.And finally, does Karsten Blummenfelt really have a VO2max of 101 ml/kg/min? The Norwegian triathlete published that number earlier in the week, and it was met with skepticism bordering on ridicule. We discuss why the number isn't physiologically believable, what it means, and how errors in measurement might occur.Finally finally, if you enjoy the show and want to show your support, then become a Supporter with a small monthly donation, and you'll also get access to our Community Chat, and, as discussed in this show, upcoming Live Event Coverage.LinksThe Contact Conundrum: Are We Introducing Contact at the Correct Time in Youth Sports?Wearing Regulation Soft-Padded Headgear Does Not Reduce the Risk of Head Injuries in Professional Men's Rugby Players: An Observational Cohort StudyThe Spennymoor Heading Trial ArticleArticle on Bulmenfelts 101 VO2max Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katherine Van Dyck (@capitalKVD) is an experienced antitrust lawyer and founder of KVD Strategies PLLC, with senior fellowships at the American Economic Liberties Project and UC Berkeley's Civil Justice Research Initiative. During the Biden Administration, she served as an Attorney-Advisor at the Federal Trade Commission. Katie's work focuses on how concentrated economic power harms consumers, workers, and small businesses. She has been involved in numerous instances of litigation, including a multimillion dollar judgement against Varsity Brands Cheerleading and their monopoly of the competitive cheer market, as well as arguing against the SCORE Act in congress, which would grant the NCAA monopoly status to control college sports. Katie and John testified to the US House of Representatives in December 2025, discussing the massive effect of private equity involvement, an dhow vertical ownership of sports clubs, leagues, facilities and governing bodies is detrimental to children and raises prices for families.  Connect with Katie at www.KVDStrategies.com Check out some of her articles here: The Shadowy Puppet Masters Who Control College Athletics, Organized Money, December 2025 The SCORE Act: A gift to the NCAA that betrays college athletes, The Hill, August 2025 Playing by the Rules: Bringing Law and Order to the NCAA, AELP, November 2023 The NCAA, Antitrust and the Future of College Sports, NPR On Point, October 2023 BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John or one of our speaking team come to your school, club or coaching event? We are booking November and December 2025 and Winter/Spring 2026 events, please email us to set up an introductory call John@ChangingTheGameProject.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS, AND JOIN 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FROM SYRACUSE MENS LAX, UNC AND NAVY WOMENS LAX, AND MCLAREN F1! These are just the most recent championship teams using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes and support teams. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  Yeah, there are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. BECOME A PREMIUM MEMBER OF CHANGING THE GAME PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST If you or your club/school is looking for all of our best content, from online courses to blog posts to interviews organized for coaches, parents and athletes, then become a premium member of Changing the Game Project today. For over a decade we have been creating materials to help change the game. and it has become a bit overwhelming to find old podcasts, blog posts and more. Now, we have organized it all for you, with areas for coaches, parents and even athletes to find materials to help compete better, and put some more play back in playing ball. Clubs please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com for pricing.  Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our Premium Membership, with well over $1000 of courses and materials. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will be granted a Premium Changing the Game Project Membership, where you will have access to every course, interview and blog post we have created organized by topic from coaches to parents to athletes. Thank you for all your support these past eight years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

Hosts Mike Guidone and Chris Caputo welcome former New York Giants tight end Derek Brown to the show, who discussed his career at Notre Dame and Coach Lou Holtz. Later, Cardozo basketball coach Ron Noclario gave his thoughts on becoming the winningest coach in New York State basketball history. Finally, former New York Mets 3B Zach Lutz joined the show and spoke to the guys about his Lutz Go kids' sports organization.

Hollywood's Headlines includes the College Football Playoff reshuffling its calendar, avoiding a New Year's Eve clash with the NFL by moving games to Wednesday, Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 — and the Orange Bowl is back in the semifinal spotlight next season. Plus, legal drama surrounding an altercation with DK Metcalf leads to a fan suing multiple NFL parties over alleged false accusations, Derek Fisher and his wife are involved in a public altercation, and a bigger conversation emerges about fans behaving badly at youth sporting events.

In todays episode the boys decide if Kens love life is better or worse because of us, we break downs evans questionable style, Recycling is a scam, How snowmobiling changed our life, team sports are lame, Bens progress on his New Years Resolutions, past injuries, and our questionable investments Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/WIDEOPEN and use code WIDEOPEN and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Get $10 Off at BRUNT with code CBOYS at https://www.bruntworkwear.com/CBOYS #Bruntpod Sign up for a $1 per month trial at https://www.shopify.com/wideopen Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/CBOYS  #rulapod To watch the podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/LifeWideOpenYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/LifeWideOpenWithCboysTV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing! You can text, email, or send this link to a friend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/LifeWideOpenWithCboysTV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can also check out our main YouTube channel CboysTV: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/CboysTV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

A heartwarming story on how golf superstar Rory McIlroy's parents paid for his golf ambitions as a kid. Programming Note: Nothing is changing with Andrew's weekly interview episodes. Andrew's interview episodes will continue to be in your podcast feed every Thursday morning.