Better Sports Parents

Most parents know multiple sports are good for kids, but rising costs, time commitments and travel make it hard to offer them. In Antigonish, Nova Scotia, one community built a very affordable program that introduces young kids to a wide range of sports. Steph Spencer joins What’s Working to explain how Antigonish Multisport works and why it’s still thriving. Steph talks about what the program offers five- and six-year-olds, how local sport groups and community stakeholders came together instead of working in silos, and how a program that began in 2015 has maintained itself and grown since. They cover how many families it serves, what it costs and who helps fund it, whether schools could adopt something similar, and advice for communities that want to start their own. For more information on Antigonish Multisport, email antigonishmultisport@gmail.com . Know of something working well in youth sports? Tell us in the comments or email info@bettersportsparents.com . Chapters 0:00 Opening 1:26 What is Antigonish Multisport? 2:51 The sports five- and six-year-olds try 5:18 Getting the whole community on board 8:34 How the program started in 2015 11:41 Replication and capacity 12:01 How many kids take part 14:30 What families pay 15:35 Funding and outside support 18:03 Expanding beyond ages five and six 19:47 Retention and moving into other sports 22:14 Bringing multisport into schools 25:16 How to start your own program 27:51 Closing Resources Antigonish Multisport

Dr. Travis Dorsch says parents should ask one question first: what are we judging success on? The former Purdue punter, Ray Guy Award winner and NFL draft pick is now a leading youth sport researcher, and he explains what the data says about parents, money, specialization and what kids actually need. Travis is a professor and founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University, with more than 80 articles, book chapters and technical reports. He has conducted research for the NCAA and Olympic organizations. He’s also a husband and a father of two young ski racers who play other sports year-round, so he lives what he studies. In this episode, host Scott Rintoul talks with Travis about when to hand kids the keys, why talent isn’t the same as love, the real odds of playing college or pro sports, and why kids feel the pressure when families spend more money. He shares findings from his study of mic'd-up sideline parents, explains why emotional regulation is a parent’s first job, and discusses where hard coaching crosses into abuse. He also covers the dramatic rise in cost for youth sports, what Norway gets right, and the first thing he’d fix if he had the opportunity. Chapters 0:00 Opening 1:35 Introducing Dr. Travis Dorsch 3:16 Book smarts vs. street smarts 5:17 Success beyond the scoreboard 7:01 When to hand kids the keys 9:02 Good at it vs. loves it 10:46 Why we double down on talent 12:03 Why specialization is rewarded 14:41 The “chum in the water” effect 16:05 The real odds of going pro 17:26 His kids’ return on investment 19:22 Treat the money as lost forever 21:01 Why kids feel the cost 23:01 Commitment without guilt 24:54 Does parent education work? 26:47 Sideline mistakes parents miss 29:48 Model what you value 30:46 His multi-sport childhood 33:20 Giving up baseball for football 34:16 Keeping up with the Joneses 37:18 Life after football 38:57 Nine Ironmans and lifelong movement 41:06 The sports parent identity 43:00 Most parents get it right 45:06 The mic'd-up sidelines study 47:37 The emotional light switch 49:56 Emotional abuse in sport 52:26 Where hard coaching crosses the line 54:09 The athlete owns the plan 54:51 How parenthood changed his coaching 56:19 Child-first vs. parent-first clubs 58:48 The rising cost of youth sports 1:00:38 Access and affordability 1:02:45 What Norway gets right 1:05:16 His magic wand fix 1:06:45 Too much focus on competitive pathway 1:08:35 Why he founded the Families in Sport Lab Resources Travis' Tedx Talk Better Sports Parents

Steve Kerr says every kid needs free play, multiple sports and coaches who build joy into the work. The five-time NBA champion as a player, four-time champion as Warriors head coach and 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning coach of Team USA shares what he’d tell every sports parent. Steve played for the Bulls and Spurs, worked as a broadcaster and NBA general manager, but calls himself a son, brother, husband, father and grandfather first. In this episode, Steve talks to host Scott Rintoul about the wear and tear of early specialization, why late specializers catch up fast, and what Steph Curry and Steve Nash show about multi-sport athletes. Steve also shares sports parenting stories like why his parents never said a word during his games, why he and his wife told their kids to fight their own battles, and how one club volleyball coach handled playing-time talks. He also covers building team culture with joy, lessons from Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Pete Carroll, making the 12th player feel valued, coaching alongside his son Nick, why the cost of youth sports leaves kids behind, and his one piece of advice for parents. It's a must listen episode with one of the most respected people in all of sport. Chapters 0:00 Opening 1:34 Introducing Steve Kerr 3:26 Growing up playing everything 4:18 Why multi-sport athletes thrive 6:28 Broadway singers and soft tissue injuries 7:28 Why parents choose early specialization 8:35 Steve as a sports parent 9:44 Hand-eye coordination and scouting 13:22 Lessons from Cairo 14:50 Choosing basketball over baseball 17:02 The lost art of free play 19:03 Parents who never said a word 21:59 The coach who banned playing-time talk 23:29 Coaching his son’s team 24:10 Coachable and approachable 25:37 Coaches who shaped him 27:04 Building culture with joy 31:21 Music, celebration and competition 32:41 Phil Jackson vs. Gregg Popovich 35:13 Be yourself as a coach 36:23 Valuing the last player on the bench 39:28 How Phil Jackson made players feel valued 41:35 What Steph Curry taught him 43:11 Steph’s joy 44:23 Watching Macklin Celebrini grow up 47:15 Coaching with his son Nick 51:14 Why he waited until 49 to coach 53:46 Lifelong learning and books 57:12 What he wants for his grandkids 59:15 The biggest challenge: burnout 1:00:06 When sports become a rich man’s game 1:01:18 His one thought for parents 1:02:19 Recess in Hawaii 1:03:01 Message for Canada Resources Steve Kerr (player) Better Sports Parents

What began as a one-off summer camp to expose marginalized youth to hockey has grown into a national program that annually serves over 800 youth in nine cities across Canada. Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) provides free hockey programming for at risk children and youth, offering a safe and stable environment for them to grow, connect and succeed. In this episode of What's Working, HEROS Executive Director, Kevin Hodgson, explains how the program is empowering youth who never imagined they'd call themselves hockey players into confident, resilient adults who share a lifelong passion for the fastest game on ice. Kevin discusses how the HEROS and SuperHEROS approach differs from those in traditional minor hockey environments, why volunteers keep coming back year after year, and how learning to go "bar down" led one participant to a call to the bar as a future lawyer. For more information on HEROS, visit the ⁠HEROS website⁠ and email Kevin at kevin@heroshockey.com . Chapters 0:00 Opening 1:24 What is HEROS Hockey? 3:04 SuperHEROS and First Nations ball hockey 4:48 From summer camp to year-round program 7:26 The goal: smiles, not NHL players 10:54 From refugee camp to lawyer 12:03 Relationships first: the coaching approach 14:48 Playing the long game 16:47 The $1,000-per-player cost and funding 20:16 Finding and keeping volunteers 23:03 Alumni who give back 24:03 Why the goal is beer league players 27:06 How schools help find the kids 29:13 Reaching families of kids with disabilities 30:25 How to start a HEROS-style program 33:23 “Sport reveals character” 35:19 Adapting sport to the kid

Jesse Levine was a U.S. junior national champion and University of Florida standout who faced Rafael Nadal, trained with Roger Federer, and later coached tennis stars Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula. He says the best thing parents can do is let kids play, fail and find their own joy. Jesse grew up in Ottawa playing soccer, basketball, baseball and tennis, and didn’t commit to one sport until he was 15 or 16. Today he’s a coach, club operator and tennis analyst for Sportsnet and ESPN. And he sees young kids specializing, training like pros and burning out. In this episode, Scott Rintoul talks with Jesse about why early specialization leads to burnout and why quality beats quantity, even at the pro level. Jesse explains the red flags coaches notice in overbearing tennis parents, and how he brings them alongside instead of shutting them out. He shares what he sees the moment a kid stops enjoying the sport, including the 12-year-old who was training to make his dad happy. He also looks back on his own path: moving to Florida at 13, resisting pressure to give up other sports, and learning to stay grounded through wins and heartbreaking losses, including a match against Nadal. Jesse offers advice on talking with your child after a win or a loss, and why giving them space matters. He also covers the cost of tennis, how accessible the sport is, and why he believes cheating is the biggest issue in junior tennis. Chapters 0:00 Opening 1:34 Introducing Jesse Levine 3:00 Growing up multisport 5:22 Why early specialization leads to burnout 7:30 Coach-parent talks about specialization 9:09 Overbearing parents and red flags 12:18 Bringing parents alongside the coach 14:11 When his dad coached him 17:00 Why kids need normalcy 18:02 Quality over quantity: training with Federer 21:34 Moving to Florida at 13 24:03 Pressure to specialize at the academy 26:13 Choosing tennis on his own terms 27:52 “Dead eyes”: when kids lose the joy 29:24 The boy who played for his dad 31:09 The rain test 32:36 Why competing is joyful 35:19 Mental toughness and mentor Keith Williams 37:18 Outside interests and the Bryan family 41:29 Staying grounded with coach Andy Brandi 46:08 Why kids shouldn’t get too much too soon 46:31 Facing Nadal in Toronto 49:02 The losses that stay with you 51:06 Advice for parents after wins and losses 55:27 Moving into coaching Madison Keys 58:17 “The best coaches don’t need the job” 59:43 Coaching Jessica Pegula 1:02:58 The cost of tennis 1:06:32 Is tennis accessible? 1:08:03 Tennis, pickleball and padel 1:09:37 Number one issue: cheating in junior tennis 1:12:54 Teaching honesty through sport Resources ⁠Jesse Levine⁠ ⁠Better Sports Parents⁠

Camille Martens survived fear-based coaching and abuse to become a Canadian champion, Commonwealth Games champion and Olympian in rhythmic gymnastics. But she always knew there was a better way, so she now focuses on helping parents build healthy, loving sport environments. Camille has spent four decades in sport as an athlete, coach and parent. She competed at the World Championships and Olympics, founded the Okanagan Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, and became president of Gymnastics BC, a master coach developer, and National Team Coaches Chair for 16 years. She's also the author of MVP in the Stands: Becoming the Parent Your Child Needs in Sport. In this powerful episode, Camille talks to Scott Rintoul about moving away from home at 13, training in Russia and Bulgaria under coaches who normalized fear, weigh-ins and abuse, and competing at the Olympics on a torn labrum. She shares the toll it took on her body and relationships, why she stayed silent to protect her access, and how she tried, and sometimes failed, to build something different as a coach and parent. You'll learn: The difference between "Red flags" vs. healthy "growth edges" Why emotional regulation is the parent's real job How intention and impact can be worlds apart Tools: keyword check-ins, a fridge scratchpad, the "buddy system" How to build a strong coach-parent-athlete relationship Chapters: 0:00 Opening 1:34 Introducing Camille Martens 3:24 Early path into sport 4:54 Discovering rhythmic gymnastics 7:15 Moving to Vancouver to train 9:03 Making the national team at 13 11:01 Protecting an unhealthy environment 12:01 Fear-based coaching in Eastern Europe 13:48 The physical and emotional cost 16:14 A horrific Olympic Games 17:26 Starting a club to do it differently 18:41 Training in Russia and Bulgaria 20:34 Limited contact with her parents 22:32 Training alongside teammates in silence 23:14 The teddy bear story 24:11 Why she stayed 25:18 How the sport has changed 27:12 What a healthy environment looks like 28:35 "Red flags" vs "growth edges" 29:04 The coach-athlete-parent triangle 30:12 Spotting red flags as a parent 33:10 Founding her own club 34:06 Repeating ingrained patterns 37:11 A hard conversation with her daughter 38:02 Intention vs. impact 39:45 How her coaching evolved 41:19 Why she wrote MVP in the Stands 46:07 Parents: sport's biggest stakeholders 47:33 Emotional regulation as the real job 50:55 Buddy system and keyword check-ins 53:14 The fridge scratchpad 53:55 Coach-parent talks done right 56:29 Why she never coached her own kids 58:47 Early specialization in gymnastics 1:01:23 Gymnastics in Canada today 1:03:19 Her relationship with the sport now 1:05:15 The number one issue in youth sports 1:07:07 The compliments that mean the most Resources: ⁠Camille Martens⁠ ⁠MVP in the Stands⁠ ⁠Better Sports Parents

A remarkable alternative schooling program in East Vancouver is transforming the lives of youth through the sport of running. Streetfront began as an idea nearly 50 years ago, and has blossomed into a program that turns at-risk youth who are struggling with conventional education into high school graduates who run half marathons, full marathons and beyond. In this episode of What's Working, Streetfront's Program Lead, Trevor Stokes, describes how removing barriers to entry empowers students, why running every step with the students matters so much, and how life-changing the program has been for children who often live "in the shadows". He also reveals that Streetfront has evolved from the humblest of beginnings into a program that has seen its students run more marathons than any other high school in the world. For more information on Streetfront, visit ⁠Streetfront's website⁠ and email Trevor at tstokes@vsb.bc.ca . Chapters: 0:00 Opening 0:41 What is Streetfront? 2:17 Running as a tool for self-worth and determination 3:51 Turning "running the other way" into buy-in 4:46 Why staff run every stride with the students 5:21 How the program started in 1977 6:54 Why running is cheap, local and effective 7:52 Removing every barrier to entry 8:52 The marathon doesn't care who you are 9:54 Earning trust before earning results 11:21 Alumni who come back to run with current students 12:23 Navigating school and school board politics 14:40 The metaphor behind the mission 15:15 How kids and families find Streetfront 16:59 What success looks like for a Street Front student 18:06 300+ half and full marathons in one year 20:23 How the funding and finances come together 22:04 High expectations, not sympathy 23:31 How peers view students after the program 25:11 "When somebody wins, we all win" 26:24 Advice for communities who want to start their own program

Hayley Wickenheiser says youth sports have lost the art of play, and parents can help bring it back. The five-time Olympic medalist, emergency physician and mom shares what she'd change for youth hockey and every kid in youth sports. Hayley is a pioneer of women's hockey. She won four Olympic gold medals and one silver, plus 13 medals at the Women's World Hockey Championships (seven gold, six silver). She is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the International Hockey Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. She also played softball at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, played professional men's hockey in Sweden and Finland, worked eight years in the NHL including as an assistant general manager, and now works as an emergency room doctor. She founded Wick Fest, a hockey festival that has reached over 30,000 girls, and the Wick Hockey app. In this episode, Scott Rintoul talks with Hayley about growing up in small-town Saskatchewan, where she played hockey with the boys and heard that girls didn't belong. She explains why that made her resilient, why 70 to 80 percent of her skill came from unstructured play, and what she'd tell any parent worried their child is falling behind. Hayley also explains: Why early specialization, year-round sport and early tiering often backfire How free play builds hockey sense and decision-making Why letting kids fail is one of the best things parents can do How coaches can skip the practice plan and just let kids play Why she'd choose the lower tier every time Why "movement is medicine" starts in youth sports Chapters : 0:00 Opening 1:35 Introducing Hayley Wickenheiser 3:44 The hardest job of all: Parenting 7:04 Two rules: an instrument and a sport 9:10 Playing hockey with the boys in Saskachewan 10:39 "Girls don't play hockey" 14:14 Why parents lose their minds at the rink 16:50 We've lost the art of play 19:55 Why early specialization backfires 24:19 Early tiering and the Nordic model 27:06 The "little Johnny" pathway myth 29:21 Backyard rink creativity 31:03 Hockey robots 3:51 Why kids need to fail 35:47 Coaches: be brave, skip the practice plan 38:05 What a great youth coach looks like 40:07 Winning, losing and participation medals 44:07 Movement is medicine 47:28 Wick Hockey app and Wick Fest 50:56 Keeping hockey affordable 53:56 Swim, skate and daily school PE 56:45 The 1988 Olympics and the barn ski jump 1:01:07 Why every kid needs an off-season1 03:13 Choose the lower tier 1:05:47 The coaches who believed in her 1:08:07 What would she change in youth sports Resources: ⁠Hayley Wickenheiser⁠ ⁠WickFest⁠ ⁠Better Sports Parents⁠

Geroy Simon is one of the most decorated players in CFL history: three Grey Cup victories, a Most Outstanding Player award, and a place in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Since retiring, he's built a front-office career that's taken him from scouting to the CFL front office and now back to where it started: Executive Director of Revenue Share and General Manager at his alma mater, the University of Maryland. He's also a father of four with very different journeys through sport: sons who played college football at West Point and in Canada, daughters who pursued gymnastics and their own paths. Combine that with his career, and he's sat in multiple chairs around the recruiting table. Geroy and Scott dig into recruiting in the NIL and transfer-portal era, the difference between coaching other people's kids and coaching his own son, why he wants his kids to experience real failure, and the lessons his parents and grandmothers imprinted on him that still guide how he talks to student athletes today. Geroy also tells the story of a player nobody expected much from who's still in football today, and opens up about the toughest stretch of his own career: getting cut seven times in two years before Winnipeg gave him a second chance. Chapters: 0:00 Opening 1:35 Introducing Geroy Simon 3:12 Being Recruited by Maryland, Then and Now 5:30 The Other Side of the Recruiting Desk 6:18 How NIL Has Changed Recruiting 7:44 Transactional vs. Transformational Athletes 9:23 His Son's Choice: West Point Over the Ivy League 12:50 The Pressure of Carrying the Simon Name 14:12 Coaching His Own Son 17:21 Checking His Ego as a Youth Coach 19:16 His Daughters' Sports Experience 20:11 The Real Impact of Youth Sports on His Kids 21:37 Growing Up a Multi-Sport Athlete 23:39 Is Year-Round Specialization Hurting Kids? 25:29 Why Football Was the Right Fit 27:26 What Made His Love for the Game Endure 32:45 Lessons His Parents Imprinted on Him 34:39 Control What You Can Control 37:16 Giving Back: Lessons From His Grandmothers 38:40 How Family Dynamics Affect Recruiting 40:08 Has He Ever Walked Away From a Recruit? 41:01 Advice for Overly Involved Parents 42:32 NIL, the Transfer Portal, and Free Agency Culture 44:28 Building Culture in the Transfer Portal Era 47:14 Is This Bleeding Into Youth Sports? 49:19 Wanting His Own Daughters to Fail 51:37 How Great Coaches Make Every Player Feel Valued 53:18 Meeting Every Kid's Different "Why" 58:34 Comparison Culture and Highlight Reels 1:01:19 Educating Athletes on Gambling and Money 1:07:00 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 1:08:06 Cut Seven Times: His Toughest Stretch Resources: Geroy Simon Better Sports Parents

When Tim Adams noticed an abundance of siblings watching their brothers play on an after school soccer team, he started to design a program that would accommodate childcare and physical activities. Nearly 20 years later, that simple idea has become a citywide program called Free Play for Kids that serves more than 5,000 children and their families in greater Edmonton every year. In the opening episode of What's Working, Tim explains the importance of providing accessible sports programming, why collaborative partnerships with schools and community centres are essential for our youth, and what other cities can learn from the approach Edmonton has taken in leveraging many of its public facilities to serve its population. For more information on Free Play for Kids, visit ⁠ www.freeplayforkids.com ⁠ and email Tim at tim@freeplayforkids.com . Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:24 Welcome Tim Adams 1:56 What Is Free Play for Kids? 4:02 The Origin Story: From CBC Journalist to Coach 6:45 From a Volunteer Club to a Staffed Program 8:24 The COVID Pivot That Changed Everything 9:49 Training Coaches and Volunteers 11:10 What Is Social-Emotional Learning in Coaching? 13:26 Why This Model Works for Families 15:36 Getting Schools and Facilities on Board 17:45 Solving the Transportation Barrier 21:18 How the Program Is Funded 23:47 Advice for Replicating This in Other Communities 26:48 How to Get in Touch With Free Play for Kids

James Paxton pitched on some of baseball's biggest stages, battling through injuries to become one of only two Canadian pitchers to ever throw a no-hitter in the big leagues, and the only one to do it on Canadian soil. Earlier this year, he came out of retirement to pitch for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic. However, these days, most of his innings are as a husband to Katie, a father to two young kids, and co-host of The Pitch podcast. James and Scott dig into the catch-in-the-backyard relationship with his dad that shaped his love of the game, how getting cut from an all-star team at 10 years old became one of the best things that happened to him, and why he doubts the 2026 recruiting version of James Paxton would even get looked at today. They talk through the "allostatic load" youth athletes are carrying with school, friendships, and training stacked on top of each other without the recovery time James had as a kid. They also discuss why velocity gets over-indexed in youth baseball and what are we actually trying to teach kids through sport knowing that most will never become high performance athletes. James also opens up about untangling his identity from his performance on the mound, why he sought out a therapist, and the simple parenting shift he believes matters most: praise the effort, not the result. If you've ever wondered how a former big-league starter thinks about raising his own kids through sport, this conversation is full of hard-earned, honest perspective. Chapters : 0:00 Opening 1:35 Introducing James Paxton 4:11 Childhood Friendships Rooted in Youth Sports 5:33 Late Physical Growth 6:41 Getting Cut From the All-Star Team at 10 8:24 Baseball Was Always His Choice 9:25 Unstructured Backyard Play vs. Skills Clinics 12:05 Where Creativity Actually Comes From 16:12 Recruited to Division I Without Elite Velocity 18:28 Why Late Developers Outperform at the Pro Level 19:38 Why Velocity at 13 Doesn't Predict Anything 20:18 Building the Mental Game With a Sports Psychologist 21:13 Are We Over-Indexing on Velocity? 22:06 Baseball's Many Paths to the Pros 23:10 The Sacrifices of a Pro Career 24:22 "Treating Young Athletes Like Professionals" 25:35 Protecting Actual Childhood as a Parent 26:45 The Line Between Joy and Serious Development 28:00 What His Parents Actually Talked About After Games 30:36 His Dad Catching Bullpens in Steel-Toe Boots 32:57 Allostatic Load: Why Kids Are Burning Out 34:37 The Fear of Not Being Seen 36:39 Less Than 1% Go Pro, So What's the Real Goal? 37:11 What Youth Sports Actually Taught Him 38:22 Travel Sports and the "Free Agent" Problem 39:32 Is Money Driving the Pressure? 41:04 Why Every Kid Needs an Off-Season 42:50 Coming Out of Retirement for the World Baseball Classic 45:36 The Calm That Defined His Career 48:08 Teaching Kids to Reach Their Own Conclusions 48:56 Why You Learn More From Failure Than Success 50:47 The Mentors Who Shaped His Career 52:34 The Value of Playing Across Age Groups 53:46 Small Steps and Delayed Gratification 55:36 Growing Up Without Social Media Comparison 58:53 Separating James Paxton the Person From the Player 1:02:10 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 1:03:53 Praise the Effort, Not the Results 1:05:03 Control the Controllables Resources The Pitch Pod Better Sports Parents

Manny Malhotra is the Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks and a central piece in a family that has an incredible amount of perspective and opinion on youth sports. Drafted seventh overall in 1998, Manny played nearly 1,000 NHL games across seven organizations, and built a reputation as one of the league's most respected leaders. His coaching career has seen him move from an NHL assistant to a Calder Cup winner as head coach of the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks to the bench boss of the NHL franchise he helped lead to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final as a player. He's also a father of four, including son Caleb, who was drafted by the Canucks this past summer, putting Manny on the verge of coaching his own son in the NHL. Manny and Scott dig into the youth sports household that shaped him, and how that same philosophy now guides how he and his wife Joann, the younger sister of Steve and Martin Nash, raise their own four kids. They talk through the real challenges of coaching your own child, why he and Joann deliberately keep their kids multi-sport despite living in a city with ice available year-round, and why they believe producing good people through sport matters more than producing great players. Manny also shares the story that changed how he thinks about pressure in youth sports today, and closes with a simple truth every sports parent should hear: most of what your kid remembers won't be the score. If you've ever wondered how a former first-round pick and now NHL head coach actually parents through youth sports, this conversation is full of practical perspective. Chapters: 0:00 Opening 2:05 Introducing Manny Malhotra 3:45 Growing Up in a Competitive Household 6:52 Why His Parents Made Sports Central to Family Life 8:53 Never a Forced Issue 10:36 Passing These Lessons to His Own Four Kids 13:59 The Challenges of Coaching His Own Children 16:17 The Conversation That Changed His Coaching Approach 18:33 Stepping Back From Coaching Caleb 21:36 Coach Hat vs. Dad Hat 24:20 Why "He Was So Polite" Means More Than Stats 27:41 Growing Up the Youngest of Four 29:47 Married Into an Even More Competitive Family 32:08 How Monetization Changed Youth Sports 33:01 Intentionally Raising Multi-Sport Kids 37:25 "Don't Be That Parent" 41:29 The Foundational Lessons: Don't Be Late, Work Hard 43:21 Why Kids Specialize So Early Today 44:59 Steve Nash's Warning About Individual Training 45:57 Skill Level Is Up, Hockey IQ Is Down 48:00 The Lost Art of Pickup Shinny Hockey 50:28 What Should a Youth Coach's #1 Priority Be? 54:47 Chasing Plastic Trophies 57:17 Becoming a Role Player at the NHL Level 59:38 What Coaches Should Actually Praise 1:02:31 The Matheny Manifesto 1:04:38 Why Youth Sports Pressure Is Heavier Today 1:07:31 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 1:07:43 "We're Just Buying Memories" Resources Manny Malhotra Better Sports Parents

Duff Gibson won a World Championship and Olympic gold in skeleton, a remarkable achievement at the end of a winding athletic path that took him through wrestling, speed skating, and rowing before he ever touched a sled. He also spent 25 years as a Calgary firefighter, and since retiring from competition has built the Community Coach Program (contact duffgibson@icloud.com ) and the multi-sport kids' program Dark Horse Athletic. Duff unpacks the phrase that shaped his entire relationship with sport — "it's just sport" — and how his parents held that belief alongside a genuine passion for competition. They talk through the real difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, why youth sport is quietly manufacturing the wrong one, and the story of a coach yanking a child by the jersey that led directly to the founding of Dark Horse Athletic. Duff also shares what a landmark German study of Olympic athletes actually proves about early specialization, why the cost of youth sport is a bigger barrier than most people realize, and why he believes the ultimate measure of a youth sport program isn't pro athletes or Olympic medals. If you've ever wondered whether taking sport "too seriously" actually helps kids perform better, this conversation offers a rare, research-backed answer from someone who's lived it at the very top. Chapters: 0:00 Opening 01:35 Introducing Duff Gibson 03:15 From Wrestling and Rowing to Olympic Gold 04:04 Raised on "It's Just Sport" 08:47 Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset 14:30 Helicopter Parenting and the Physical Literacy Decline 17:52 Building the Community Coach Program 18:46 Purpose: The Missing Piece in Youth Sport 22:59 The Rising Cost of Youth Sport 25:02 Beckie Scott and the Coach Who Didn't Interfere 30:55 Watching His Own Kids Choose Fun Over Obsession 33:03 The Lake Placid Story: Two Mindsets, One Team4 0:04 Why His Son Walked Away From Baseball 40:51 The Moment That Started Dark Horse Athletic 49:59 Personal Challenges Over Competition 50:58 The State of Physical Education Today 54:17 Coaching Kids With ADHD 56:33 From Wrestler to Rower to Skeleton Champion5 7:28 Handling Olympic Pressure 59:37 Kyle Shewfelt on Trusting His Coach 1:01:47 Is a "Failed" Sports Career Really Wasted? 1:02:38 The Common Upbringing of Olympic Medalists 1:07:44 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 1:09:33 What a German Olympic Study Really Proves 1:11:28 Roger Federer, Late Specialization & Genetics Resources Duff Gibson Dark Horse Athletic Better Sports Parents

Jamie Huscroft played more than 350 NHL games with seven organizations, won a Memorial Cup with the Medicine Hat Tigers, and was drafted in the 9th Round after starting out as, in his own words, the worst player at every level he ever played. Since retiring in 2001 after suffering 13 concussions as a pro, he's spent nearly 25 years building community hockey in the greater Seattle area, where he's now Director of Facilities for Sno King Ice Arenas. Jamie and Scott dig into what's changed and what hasn't in youth hockey: rising costs, shrinking off-seasons, and the pressure to specialize early despite Jamie's own multi-sport upbringing in tiny Creston, BC. Jamie shares how his parents' hands-off, "how was your day" approach shaped him, why his own kids never played hockey and he never pushed them to, and how Sno King's philosophy puts character development ahead of chasing the NHL. He also opens up about the toll of his concussions, how hockey has evolved on safety, and why cost — not talent or dedication — is the number one barrier keeping kids out of the game today. Whether your child is just starting out or already deep in the travel-team grind, Jamie's perspective as both a pro-hockey veteran and a rink operator offers a rare, grounded view of youth sports from the inside. Chapters: 00:00 Opening 02:06 Introducing Jamie Huscroft 03:13 Why He Chose Community Hockey Over the Pros 03:59 Concussion Number 13 Ended His Career 06:12 Watching Former Youth Players Become Coaches 08:32 How the Kraken Changed Seattle Hockey 10:29 Rising Costs and Shrinking Off-Seasons 13:24 The Norway Model vs. Choosing Earlier 14:21 Top Teams, Early Specialization, and "The Outlier" 15:14 Why He Never Pushed His Own Kids 17:35 Character Development Over Chasing the NHL 19:22 Turning Teenagers Into Mentors 20:38 The Worst Player in Camp, Every Step of the Way 24:35 His Parents' Hands-Off, Car-Ride Philosophy 27:12 A Multi-Sport Childhood in Creston, BC 28:17 Is Early Specialization the System's Fault? 29:59 "If I Don't Do It, Someone Else Will" 32:13 Where Win-at-All-Costs Culture Actually Lives 33:34 Pond Hockey: Letting Kids Coach Themselves 35:22 Parents Coaching From the Stands 36:48 Building a Mentorship Pipeline for Referees 39:18 Has Parent Behavior Really Changed? 41:50 Are There Really Only a Few Paths to the Top? 43:41 The Attrition Rate of Elite Hockey 44:58 How He Defines Success Through Sport 48:01 Staying in Hockey after 13 Concussions 49:25 How Hockey Has Changed on Safety 54:55 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 55:54 Keeping Hockey Affordable at Sno King Resources ⁠Jamie Huscroft⁠ ⁠Sno King Arenas⁠ ⁠Better Sports Parents⁠

Ilya Orlov almost quit soccer at 13 due to pressure from well-meaning parents, punishing coaches, and a body that developed later than his peers. On the brink of leaving the game he loved, his father gave him one piece of advice that changed everything: drop down a level. That decision, and the years of reflection since, shaped how Ilya now coaches as head coach of the University of Toronto men's soccer program, a role he's held for over seven years after playing at York University and captaining them to a national championship. Ilya holds a master's in developmental psychology and has trained as a coach across Europe, giving him a research-backed, data-driven lens on what's actually broken in youth sports. In this conversation, he and Scott dig into the relative age effect, why year-round training without recovery is quietly injuring kids, the real odds of making it to university or pro sport, and why coach education in North America is dangerously subjective. Ilya also opens up about the traumatic coaching moment from his own youth that he vowed never to repeat, what he actually looks for in recruits and their parents, and his blunt take on social media, private coaching, and the number one issue facing youth sports today. If you've ever wondered whether your child should specialize, drop down a level, or just be allowed to have fun, this episode offers a coach's rare combination of lived experience and research. Chapters: 0:00 Opening 01:35 Introducing Ilya Orlov 03:32 From Player to Coach at 24 04:56 His Soviet-Influenced Sporting Roots 06:21 Relative Age Effect and Late Puberty 07:34 On the Brink of Quitting at 12 09:36 When Parental Pressure Really Starts 14:01 Pushed Out of a Team by a Coach 16:28 Free Play and a Multi-Sport Childhood 17:10 Should More Kids Drop Down a Level? 18:29 The "Overload" Theory of Development 20:11 Tiering, Late Bloomers, and False Perceptions 26:02 Year-Round Training and Missing Recovery 26:51 The Real Odds of "Making It" 28:39 Private Academies and the Pressure to Specialize 30:49 Kids as Revenue Tools in a Money-Driven System 32:03 Overuse Injuries and "Any Given Monday" 33:38 Why Coach Education Needs to Be Evidence-Based 35:18 The Volunteer Coaching Problem 37:42 The Foundation of Coaching: "What" vs. "How" 42:36 The Punishment Run That Changed How He Coaches 46:24 Pro Coaches as Role Models for Bad Behavior 48:45 What a Parent's Role Should Really Be 51:11 Support Them, Don't Coach Them 53:49 The Real Odds of Playing University Soccer 57:25 Why Parent Behavior Factors Into Recruiting 1:00:11 The Real Goal: Raising Good Humans 1:04:33 Social Media in Youth Sports 1:06:09 How Private Coaching Leads to FOMO 1:08:20 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today Resources ⁠Ilya Orlov⁠ ⁠Any Given Monday ⁠ ⁠Better Sports Parents⁠

Terry McKaig built the most successful post-secondary baseball program in Canada's history at UBC, sending players to the MLB draft year after year. As the father of two active teenagers, he's also very familiar with what the current youth sports environment looks like as a parent not just a coach. In this segment, Terry discusses how he and so many other successful athletes have been cut from a team and how that experience can be a positive one if players are empowered to use it as an opportunity to learn. Listen to the full episode: ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple⁠ Watch on ⁠YouTube⁠

He's spent his career training athletes for the NHL, NFL, Olympics and beyond. And Matt Nichol is telling parents to slow down. Matt has trained some of the best athletes on the planet, but he's clear on one thing: he'd never train a 10-year-old like a pro. So why do so many youth coaches and parents try to do exactly that? In this conversation, Matt and Scott dig into what's actually broken in youth sports right now: the flood of private academies, the misuse of the "10,000 hour rule," and the difference between kids who are overtrained and kids who are simply under-recovered. Matt also takes apart one of the most common arguments parents use to justify early specialization: "Well, Connor McDavid did it." (Spoiler: that logic doesn't hold up, and Matt explains exactly why.) They talk about what Norway is doing differently in athlete development, why the old Soviet sports school model can't be copied today, and what parents should really be looking for in a coach at any level. If you've ever wondered whether your kid is training too much, too early, or in the wrong way, this conversation will change how you think about it. 🎙️ Better Sports Parents is helping parents positively contribute to the youth sports environment. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Chapters: 00:00 Opening 02:02 Introducing Matt Nichol 03:32 How Youth Sports Has Changed in 30 Years 04:36 The Rise of Privatized Youth Sports 06:13 Who Gets Left Behind in a Private System 08:18 The "10,000 Hour Rule" Myth 11:06 Why Kids Quit Instead of Dropping Down a Level 13:16 Redesigning the System vs. Educating Parents 15:51 Early vs. Late Specialization Sports 16:53 Why Connor McDavid Is a Weak Argument 19:12 The Mental Health Cost of Overspecializing 20:20 FOMO Training and Busy Work 22:52 What Overtraining Actually Looks Like 25:34 Under-Recovery: The Bigger Hidden Issue 29:27 The Magic of Unstructured Play 34:06 Is There Too Much Commitment Too Young? 36:42 The Decline of School Sport 40:08 Could Public and Private Sport Merge? 42:28 What Norway Gets Right 45:36 You Don't Have to Choose Between Fun and Elite 48:00 The Soviet Sports School System 56:15 Why Long-Term Athlete Development Is Hard to Implement 1:00:31 Supporting Volunteer Coaches 1:04:23 What to Look for in a Youth Coach 1:09:06 Values Matt's Parents Instilled in Him 1:12:08 What a Parent's Role Should Really Be 1:17:15 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today Resources: Matt Nichol LTAD Framework Better Sports Parents

Allison McNeill is one of the most accomplished figures in Canadian basketball. As a player, she won multiple provincial and national titles before finishing her collegiate career in the NCAA. As a coach, she took over Simon Fraser University's women's program in 1988 and spent 13 years turning it into a perennial national championship contender. She then took the reins of Canada's women's national team, ending a 12-year Olympic absence by guiding them back to the 2012 Games and making them competitive on the world stage. She has coached at every level of the game, from grade twos all the way to the national team, and she still gives back at the youth level today. In this segment, Allison discusses the importance of protecting the joy of sport for all young athletes and some of the factors that are contributing to the loss of that joy in far too many kids. Listen to the full episode: Spotify Apple Watch on YouTube

Jason Strudwick played over 600 NHL games across a 17-year pro career with the Islanders, Canucks, Blackhawks, Rangers, and Oilers. Since retiring, he's become a broadcaster, youth hockey coach, and dad to three kids active in sports, giving him a rare view of the youth sports system from every angle. In this episode, Jason gets refreshingly honest: why he tells parents the truth even when they don't want to hear it, why "your kids aren't your scorecard," and why no five-day camp has ever turned a player into someone 50% better. He and Scott dig into the rise of private academies, the real financial cost of access in hockey, the pressure of FOMO on parents and kids alike, and explains why physical literacy, not early specialization, is the real long-term advantage. He also opens up about his own physical and mental health routine, and the identity crisis so many athletes face when sport doesn't work out the way they hoped. If you're navigating minor hockey, private leagues, camps, or just wondering whether you're doing right by your kid, this conversation is full of hard-earned, no-nonsense perspective. Better Sports Parents is helping parents positively contribute to the youth sports environment. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Chapters: 00:00 Opening 02:08 Introducing Jason Strudwick 03:34 Pushing Kids Harder Than We Pushed Ourselves 07:04 Overexposure and the Injury Risk 08:44 Reading What Your Kid Actually Wants 11:10 "Kids Aren't Your Scorecard" 3:05 No Kid Improves Dramatically in Five Days 15:06 Shane Doan: "We All End Up Here" 18:48 Why Parents Need to Talk to Each Other 23:35 Tell the Truth as a Coach 26:11 The Rise of Private Academies 30:36 The Accessibility Gap in Hockey 32:01 What Age Should Kids Specialize? 36:07 Letting Family Values Lead the Decisions 38:14 Do Travel Tournaments Actually Help? 40:48 The Problem With Super Teams 42:52 Give Your Coaches a Break 44:53 Free Development Tools Online 49:11 Jason's Own Late-Blooming Journey 50:44 Why Multi-Sport Matters 53:24 Skate, Ski, Swim: Physical Literacy for Life 57:38 Physical Activity and Mental Health 1:00:36 When Sport Becomes Your Identity 1:02:56 The Number One Issue in Youth Sports Today 1:05:39 You're Not Paying for Performance 1:07:39 The Real Cost of Access in Youth Sports Resources: Jason Strudwick Got Yer Back Podcast Better Sports Parents

Steve Mesler is an Olympic gold medalist, a former member of the USA Olympic Committee and the co-founder of Classroom Champions. He's also a father navigating today's youth sports landscape and comes face to face with what many consider conventional wisdom with respect to sports parenting. In this segment, Steve challenges a common question he hears in the youth sports ecosystem and advocates for the importance of sport in building self-worth, confidence, and the skills needed to be successful in life. Listen to the entire episode: ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple⁠ Watch on ⁠YouTube