Episode 79: Jenna Filipkowski (Psychologist/Soccer Mom) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Jenna Filipkowski, a youth soccer parent and psychologist who offers a refreshingly honest look at the youth sports landscape. Jenna admits she never loved soccer growing up, becoming a “professional soccer mom by happenstance.” Together, we explore how quickly youth sports become intense, expensive, and all-consuming, why parent behavior on the sidelines would be considered wildly dysfunctional in a normal workplace, and how social hierarchy, information gatekeeping, and fear of missing out quietly shape the youth sports experience. We also talk about the unexpected beauty of it all—and how, done right, sports can create a lifelong bond between parent and child. 🔹 A Soccer Parent by AccidentJenna didn’t grow up loving the game but found herself fully immersed once her son started playing. 🔹 The “Vibe Checker” RoleRather than focusing on tactics or technique, Jenna embraces being the supportive manager and emotional temperature-checker. 🔹 Drinking from a Fire HoseYouth sports offer incredible benefits, but the intensity, cost, and commitment escalate fast. 🔹 When Soccer Dominates Family LifeJenna estimates that more than 50% of daily conversation with her spouse revolves around youth soccer. 🔹 The 5:30 Practice PuzzleMaking it to practice requires near-perfect logistical alignment and parents feel it every weekday. 🔹 Why It’s Still Worth ItWatching your child improve, love something, and have big moments makes all the stress feel meaningful. 🔹 Kid-Centered… but Parent-BlindYouth sports revolve around kids, yet often ignore the realities of working parents and family schedules. 🔹 Sidelines as a Psychological Case StudyFrom a psychologist’s lens, much of the behavior we normalize on the sidelines would be labeled toxic in any workplace. 🔹 The Social Hierarchy of TeamsStar players, inner circles, and “power families” shape team dynamics more than we like to admit. 🔹 Information Is CurrencyGatekeeping knowledge about clubs, teams, and opportunities becomes a quiet form of power. 🔹 Fear, Panic, and FOMOParents worry about falling behind, missing opportunities, or making the “wrong” choice in an opaque system. 🔹 Presence Over PerfectionDespite the chaos, youth sports can be one of the few places parents are fully present and deeply connected. 🔹 A Lifelong Bond—If You Let It BeHandled well, youth sports don’t end after the final whistle—they can become a positive, shared language well into adulthood, starting with the car ride home.

Episode 78: Leslie Davis (Cross Country and Track Coach at Lafayette HS) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Leslie Davis, former Kentucky state champion in the 800 and now a cross country and track coach (and English teacher) at Lafayette High School in Lexington, KY. We dig into why running may be the most inclusive and accessible sport in schools, how it teaches kids to choose hard things, and the real mental, physical, and emotional challenges young runners face… from discipline and burnout to body image and puberty. Davis shares what makes track and field so uniquely diverse, and why the boom of running in Kentucky is giving more kids a place to belong. 🔹 From State Champ to Educator-Coach Davis reflects on her journey from elite athlete to coaching both cross country and track while teaching in the classroom. 🔹 The Case for Multi-Sport Athletes Why playing multiple sports does more than prevent injury. It exposes kids to different team cultures before they silo off in middle/high school. 🔹 Running Is for Everyone Cross country and track offer one of the most inclusive spaces in youth sports: affordable, accessible, and built for improvement at any level. 🔹 The Oldest Form of Competition “How fast can you get from Point A to Point B?” Davis explains the universal simplicity that makes running so powerful. 🔹 You Don’t Need $300 Shoes As running booms in America, we talk about gear culture, expensive watches, and why grit still matters more than gadgets. 🔹 Choosing to Do Hard Things “How do you get someone to choose pain?” Davis shares how running teaches kids they can handle discomfort in sport and in life. 🔹 Coaching the Mind, Not Just the Body Why mental skills are just as critical as physical training for young athletes. 🔹 A Stadium Full of Specialists Track and field requires a massive, diverse coaching staff—yet gets a fraction of the funding football does. 🔹 Every Kind of Kid Belongs From multi-sport athletes in EVERY sport to first-time athletes, Davis explains how track represents every corner of the school community. 🔹 A Fresh Start in High School Unlike travel-heavy sports, running gives kids a chance to try something new in high school and still find success. 🔹 Discipline vs. Obsession We unpack Type A vs. Type B athletes, burnout, and how discipline can quietly slide into unhealthy extremes. 🔹 Body Image & Food Talk Matter Davis urges parents to be mindful of how they talk about eating and bodies, especially with motivated young runners. 🔹 Puberty and the Female Athlete An under-discussed reality: girls’ bodies change, performance may dip, and it can feel like losing “the magic.” But, “You don’t suddenly suck.” 🔹 What the Sport Is Really About “The point is to see what our bodies can do, not what they can look like.” 🔹 Why Kids Keep Showing Up At the end of the day, kids just want something fun, challenging, and team-centered… and running is exploding in Kentucky because of it.

Episode 77: Jordan Heuglin (Trinity Boys Soccer Head Coach) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Jordan Heuglin, head soccer coach at his alma mater, Trinity High School in Louisville, KY, to talk about winning at a high level without losing perspective. Jordan reflects on his unconventional soccer journey, the pressure parents and players feel in today’s youth sports landscape, and why culture—not trophies—has become the true measure of success. 🔹 From Rec Soccer to the Top of Kentucky Soccer Jordan shares his rare path to high-level soccer, playing mostly recreationally until freshman year at Trinity, when he realized club soccer was necessary just to keep up. 🔹 The Burnout Blessing Coming to club soccer later helped Jordan avoid burnout, a perspective that now shapes how he thinks about long-term player development. 🔹 Why Parents Feel the FOMO Jordan points out that every player on Trinity’s roster last season had club experience, helping explain the pressure families feel to start early. 🔹 Pressure vs. Expectations Jordan reframes expectations as a positive..proof that people care…and explains why perspective determines whether pressure becomes productive or destructive. 🔹 Rethinking What “Success” Really Means Only one team wins the final game each season, so measuring success solely by championships guarantees failure for everyone else. 🔹 Culture Over Everything Coming off of back-to-back 18+ win seasons, Jordan says this past year was one of the most memorable of his career because of the team’s culture. 🔹 Building Leaders Within the Team Jordan breaks down how a leadership team and bi-weekly meetings help him take the pulse of the program and address issues early. 🔹 The Stages of Becoming a Team From forming to storming to performing, Jordan explains why teams that move quickly through early stages often have an edge. 🔹 Talent Gets You There. Character Keeps You There. Following a successful first year, Jordan revamped his tryout process to prioritize coachability, work ethic, competitiveness, and body language. 🔹 College Coaches Are Asking a New Question Beyond talent, Jordan reveals the lingering question college coaches now ask: “How are the parents?”—and why that matters more than ever. 🔹 When Culture Is on the Line Jordan is clear: no amount of talent is worth culture degradation, and he shares why putting expectations and values in writing is essential. 🔹 The Bigger Picture Jordan also weighs in on the public vs. private state championship debate and the importance of supportive athletic directors who align with a program’s vision.

🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Cameron Korab, founder of the Youth Sports Business Report, to unpack why the word business makes so many people feel uncomfortable when placed next to youth sports and why ignoring that reality might be hurting families more than helping them. With the industry valued at $54 billion and projected to skyrocket to $300 billion by 2035, Korab breaks down what’s driving the growth, who’s entering the space, and how the right brands could actually lower the cost for families. 🔹 The Business Nobody Wants to Talk About People get uncomfortable admitting youth sports is an industry, but the numbers don’t lie: it’s already a $54B market and rapidly expanding. 🔹 A Mission to Inform Korab created the Youth Sports Business Report to be the most trusted source for news, insights, and analysis across the entire youth sports landscape. 🔹 Everyone Is Connected to Youth Sports Like “the 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon,” almost everyone either played youth sports or knows someone who did…making it a universal topic. 🔹 The Narrative Has Turned Negative Korab believes the national conversation often focuses on what’s wrong, overshadowing how positive youth sports can be when done right. 🔹 Private Equity’s Long Game PE firms entered youth sports 15–20 years ago, eyeing consolidation and opportunity. Korab sees a chance for new players to improve the space rather than exploit it. 🔹 Recreational vs. Travel: A Shift in Balance Rec sports should make up the biggest slice, but the explosion of travel teams (A through M squads) has crowded out traditional rec options. 🔹 Brands Could Become Heroes With the right intentions, big brands could step in to relieve financial pressure instead of adding to it. 🔹 The Wild Potential of the Audience The youth sports audience is as large—or larger—than that of all professional sports combined, with over 55 billion cumulative annual touchpoints. 🔹 Good Actors vs. Cash Grabs Korab argues that “good actor brands” could reshape affordability, while I raise concerns about pop-ups chasing quick money off parents’ FOMO. 🔹 Families Want Simplicity Parents are overwhelmed by too many apps, platforms, and teams. A major consolidation feels overdue. 🔹 Hoping for a Better Future If the right companies step into the space, youth sports could become more accessible, less predatory, and more balanced for families. 🔹 A Final Hot Take We wrap with a spicy truth bomb about how to actually know whether your employer values you.

Episode 75: Jordan Parker (Closest thing we have to a co-host) 🎙In this week’s episode, Jordan Parker and I yell at clouds for an hour and 45 minutes. Just kidding, sort of. A few clouds were yelled at, but we also had an interesting dialogue about 4 big things: The recent study about Harvard giving more As than ever and how that translates to youth sports.  The insane prices of sporting events these days (hello, World Cup!)  The parental insanity around post-season awards What we miss about the 90s… A better time.

Episode 74: Jess & Jen Langer (Sisters, former tennis players) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with sisters Jess and Jen Langer, who grew up side by side in the intense world of competitive youth tennis. One sister rose through the national ranks while the other burned out before high school, and together they unpack how personality, pressure, and identity shaped two completely different athletic journeys. 🔹 Sisterhood and Sports Jess and Jen started tennis at a very young age, both showing early promise and climbing quickly through local, regional, and national tournaments. 🔹 When Talent Meets Pressure Though their parents kept things balanced, coaches pushed hard, especially for Jen, who was encouraged to pursue sponsorships and a professional track at just 15. 🔹 The Cost of Early Specialization Jen shares what it was like to leave behind a “normal” high school experience to train at a tennis academy, only to burn out within 18 months. 🔹 Playing for Joy vs. Playing for Results While Jen chased rankings, Jess played because she loved being with friends and was just as excited to sing the national anthem as she was to compete. 🔹 Nature, Nurture, and Birth Order The sisters reflect on how their contrasting personalities (and classic big sister/little sister dynamics) shaped their very different relationships with the sport. 🔹 “You Can’t Outplay Who You Are” Jen talks about being a textbook type-A competitor, while Jess embraced a more balanced, social approach to tennis. 🔹 The Hidden Toll of Youth Sports Despite her success, Jen reveals that she later needed therapy to process the pressure and emotional weight of her early athletic years. 🔹 Homeschooling for Sports: Proceed with Caution The sisters offer honest advice for parents considering homeschooling to accommodate training: it’s a massive decision, and kids may not fully understand the long-term trade-offs. 🔹 Mutual Admiration (and a Little Envy) Jess admires Jen’s drive and intensity; Jen admires Jess’s ability to stay balanced and see beyond competition. 🔹 From Tennis Courts to…Anything But Tennis Ironically, neither sister plays tennis anymore—though Jen keeps getting nudged toward pro pickleball. 🔹 Absolutely Zero Hot Take Skills Despite years of elite competition, both admit they are hilariously terrible at knowing what qualifies as a “hot take.”

Episode 73: Dan Blewett (Coach, Speaker, Former professional baseball player, author)   🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Dan Blewett, former professional baseball player, current author, coach and speaker, for a reflective conversation about masculinity, sports culture, and what it truly means to be “tough.” Dan unpacks how our culture shapes boys and how sports can still be a healthy place to figure it all out. 🔹 The Pressure to Perform We kick off with the intense pressure young boys feel not just to play sports, but to be good at them. 🔹 Baseball in Japan vs. America Dan recalls watching kids in Japan play baseball purely for fun and realizing how rare that is in the U.S. 🔹 The “Play Catch” Experiment A laugh-out-loud story of Dan using dating apps in D.C. just to find someone to toss a baseball with. 🔹 The “Toxic Masculinity” Debate We break down why the term can feel one-sided, and how both genders are capable of toxic behavior. 🔹 Growing Up Male How young boys wrestle with mixed messages about being competitive, emotional, or “too aggressive.” 🔹 Balancing Toughness and Authenticity Dan shares his personal struggle with wanting to be the “tough guy” while staying true to himself. 🔹 Sports as a Safe Space How athletics provide a controlled arena to learn teamwork, conflict, and coexistence. 🔹 Coaching Boys vs. Coaching Girls We debate whether coaches should approach boys and girls differently—and why girls might be more coachable. 🔹 Modeling Steadiness Dan believes the best thing a coach can model isn’t intensity…it’s consistency and calm. 🔹 Redefining Toughness Toughness isn’t just muscle. It’s resilience, grit, and compassion. Sometimes it looks like a single mom or a sick dad still showing up. 🔹 Sports as the Village How being part of a team creates belonging, accountability, and purpose beyond the self.

Episode 72: Greta Jarvis (Founder of Center for Active Women) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with the founder of the Center for Active Women for a powerful and eye-opening conversation about the complicated relationship between female athletes, food, body image, and sport. From disordered eating to the taboo topic of missed periods, we dig into what’s really going on beneath the surface of today’s youth sports culture and how we can do better for the next generation of athletes. 🔹 Discipline vs. DisorderWhere the line blurs for driven athletes who want to perfect their bodies for performance, but risk crossing into harmful patterns. 🔹 Eating Disorders vs. Disordered EatingWhy there’s a big difference between the two… and how almost everyone can relate to at least one part of the struggle. 🔹 The Athlete MindsetFocus, dedication, and perfectionism fuel success — but those same traits can increase the risk of unhealthy habits. 🔹 The Culture of SilenceCoaches may avoid saying the wrong thing, but are they saying anything to educate and help? 🔹 Shame & IsolationDespite how common disordered eating is, many athletes suffer quietly, believing they’re the only one. 🔹 When “Healthy” Isn’t HealthyOur guest’s personal story: diagnosed with osteoporosis at 24 after being told it was normal to miss her period for eight years. 🔹 The Normalization ProblemWhy missing periods in young female athletes has become almost expected and why that’s a dangerous misconception. 🔹 Under-Eating & Over-TrainingHow many athletes are unintentionally starving their bodies of what they need  🔹 Breaking the TabooHow to make conversations about periods, nutrition, and health less awkward (and more essential). 🔹 Representation MattersWhy more female coaches, trainers, and leaders in sports can make a huge difference in these conversations. 🔹 Real Talk from the SidelinesCoaches are seeing it firsthand... athletes fainting, lightheaded, or weak... and it almost always comes back to food. 🔹 A Word of CautionThink twice before complimenting someone’s weight loss. What sounds positive might reinforce something dangerous.

Episode 71: Andi Johnson (Georgetown College Hall of Famer and Chief Policy Officer & Director of Regional Engagement for Commerce Lexington) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Andi Johnson, Georgetown College Hall of Famer and Chief Policy Officer & Director of Regional Engagement for Commerce Lexington. From dominating the court to dominating the boardroom, Andi embodies the long-term power of sports. We unpack how athletics shaped her leadership, confidence, and career…and why the habits athletes build early often become their greatest professional advantage. 🔹 From Playground to Policy Room Andi can’t remember a time when sports weren’t part of her life. She had a childhood built on competition, teamwork, and communication. 🔹 Organized Chaos We discuss the shift from kids joining sports organically to today’s ultra-organized youth systems. 🔹 Beyond the Scholarship Dream Andi shares hard truths: if your only goal is a scholarship, there are easier ways to pay for college…and far greater reasons to play. 🔹 Athletes in the Boardroom Roughly 94% of women in C-suite roles were former athletes. Andi explains why that stat doesn’t surprise her one bit. 🔹 The Small-College Advantage A Georgetown president once told employers to hire small-college athletes — for their resilience, time management, and people skills. 🔹 Translating Sports to Life Andi still flashes back to moments from her playing days when navigating workplace challenges. The lessons never fade. 🔹 Confidence in Every Room Whether she’s the youngest, only woman, or least experienced voice at the table, sports taught Andi to stand tall and speak up. 🔹 The Post-Athlete Void We dig into the emotional struggle of leaving sports behind: the loss of identity, the transition, and how society can do better. 🔹 Unlearning the Athlete Mindset What athletes must let go of after their playing days and how to repurpose that drive for long-term success. 🔹 The Real Wins When former athletes look back, it’s never about stats or awards. It’s the memories, friendships, and shared moments that last. 🔹 Hot Take: Digital Hoarders Unite Our “hot take” spirals into self-reflection… and maybe the birth of a new generational label. Are we digital hoarders now?

Episode 70: Dylan Meyer (Founder & CEO of Legacy of Legends)  In this episode🎙: I sit down with Dylan Meyer, the Founder & CEO of Legacy of Legends to talk about his evolution from young sports enthusiast to entrepreneur and advocate for positive change in youth sports. 🔹 From Fan Page to Founder How a kid making photoshops for his favorite player, Dwayne Wade, eventually started running his official fan account.  🔹 The Vetting Problem Legacy of Legends helps parents and athletes find the right camps—not just the popular or expensive ones. 🔹 Not Everyone Gets a Yes Meyer’s team turns away programs that don’t align with their values. Quality coaching, not quantity, is the goal. 🔹 The Youth Sports Money Grab Everyone’s trying to make a dollar off parents’ dreams. Dylan shares how to spot when a “development opportunity” is really just a sales pitch. 🔹 Who’s Qualified, Anyway? Anyone can start a camp. But should they? The lack of consistent coaching standards might surprise you. 🔹 Breaking Down Barriers Camps can get pricey. Legacy of Legends offers grants to help families access the right opportunities without the financial strain. 🔹 The Pro Athlete Paradox When former pros speak out about youth sports, should we listen..or are they too far removed from the current reality? 🔹 Relatable or Out of Touch? Can a professional athlete truly understand the experience of the average youth sports family? 🔹 HOT TAKES Justin Bieber > Taylor Swift? Should adults ALWAYS just hand over that foul ball or homerun to the nearest child in the stands? And do athletes need to ditch the headphones during warm-ups and actually talk to their teammates?

Episode 69: Ryan Lemond (Former high school sports reporter/current KSR co-host) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Ryan Lemond, co-host of Kentucky Sports Radio, whose true passion has always been high school sports. From his days covering Friday night lights for LEX18 to reflecting on how youth and high school athletics have changed over the years, Ryan brings stories, perspective, and a dose of nostalgia. We talk about what’s been lost, what still matters, and why nothing will ever beat a hometown hero under the lights. 🔹 Friday Night HustleRyan relives the chaos of racing from game to game to capture highlights for the nightly news. 🔹 Local Coverage MagicWhy seeing your name in the paper or on TV after a game once meant everything to athletes and families. 🔹 The Fade of Community StorytellingHow shifts in TV and print media left fewer boots on the ground covering high school sports. 🔹 Relationships That LastFrom Sunday dinners with families to following athletes for 4 years—what Ryan loved most about the job. 🔹 Small Towns vs. Big CitiesWhy county schools still pack stadiums while attendance struggles in larger areas. 🔹 The “Transfer Portal” EraHow open enrollment and kids switching schools hurt hometown pride and school loyalty. 🔹 Chasing Prep SchoolsSuperstars skipping high school ball altogether...and what’s lost when they leave. 🔹 The Death of Multi-Sport AthletesWhy specialization hurts schools, programs, and the athletes themselves. 🔹 Nostalgia vs. NowDo cell phones, distractions, and early specialization explain why things feel different today? 🔹 Natural-Born TalentRyan explains why you can sometimes spot the “it factor” in an athlete as early as age six. 🔹 The “Genetic Milkshake”Yes, Ryan finally shares his famous theory you won’t want to miss.

Episode 68: Wade Gilbert (Award-winning professor, highly acclaimed author of “Coaching Better Every Season”) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Wade Gilbert, an internationally renowned coaching scientist, award-winning professor at Cal State University-Fresno and author of the highly acclaimed book “Coaching Better Every Season.”  🔹 The Science of Coaching Coaching isn’t just an art. It’s rooted in decades of research on athlete development. 🔹 Global Perspective Gilbert has traveled the world, studying how other countries organize and oversee sports. 🔹 The Wild, Wild West “Most countries have a centralized platform. We don’t have that in the United States. It’s really a free for all, wild wild west. Do whatever you want. You and I could start a soccer league tomorrow.” 🔹 Business vs. Development The U.S. sports model is driven by creative groups—but at the end of the day, most are businesses chasing profit, not long-term athlete well-being. 🔹 Best Principles > Best Practices Gilbert stresses that lasting impact comes from principles, not copy-and-paste “best practices.” 🔹 Coaching as Personality Coaching is highly personal…so how do we ensure standards are met without stifling individuality? 🔹 Scoreboard Blindness “Coaches are judged only by wins and losses. If that’s the only thing asked of me, then of course I’ll think my job is to win on Saturday.” 🔹 A Broken System “People are like water. You upskill them, but then you put them back into a broken container.” 🔹 Too Many Games, No Off-Season Every pro league has a mandated off-season. Youth athletes in the U.S.? They often play more games than the pros. 🔹 Ignored Science We’ve had 40+ years of data on what works…but at the local level, guidelines are ignored and kids pay the price. 🔹 The Specialization Myth Most elite athletes didn’t specialize early. The science and the stories both back it up. 🔹 Who’s Responsible? Coaches? Parents? Organizations? Communities? Or is change only possible when the market forces it…when burnout and cost finally make the system unsustainable? 🔹 Rapid-Fire Scenarios We close with a debate: what’s the right way to handle a parent approaching you after a game about their kid’s playing time?

Episode 67: Katie "Katrina" Moore (Former collegiate athlete turned youth sports parent) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with my former college soccer teammate, Katie "Katrina" Moore, who is navigating the world of youth sports now as a parent. The constant conundrums that come up, putting her former athlete mind at odds with the reality of the interests of the kids she's raising. Lessons, regrets, hopes, etc... It's real talk from a youth sports parent in the midst of it all RIGHT NOW.  🔹 From Athlete to Parent How Katie’s mindset changed once she was on the sidelines instead of in the game. 🔹 The Activity Overload Katie shares how their kid had already tried nearly 10 organized activities by age 7—and why that might’ve been too much, too soon. 🔹 Are We Asking Too Much, Too Early? Do young kids even need structured sports? And why is it so hard to find low-pressure, affordable options? 🔹 Fool’s Gold? Just because a kid is coordinated or interested early does that mean we should double down? Or pump the brakes? 🔹 Parental Disappointment When your kid isn’t ready to engage in sports the way you hoped…what now? 🔹 Starting Too Soon, Quitting Too Soon Are we prematurely judging kids’ potential because they started before they were developmentally ready? 🔹 Where’s the Joy? Youth sports should be full of laughs, silliness, and snack breaks. Why are we treating 6-year-old soccer like it’s the World Cup? 🔹 Adults, Do Better It’s on coaches, clubs, and parents to make sure sports are age-appropriate. First graders shouldn’t be traveling every weekend. 🔹 Can You Say No? That internal guilt when parents try to protect balance but feel pressured to give in to the chaos of youth sports culture. 🔹 Too Many Voices When coaches and parents are shouting over each other during games, kids can’t learn or think for themselves. 🔹 Development vs. Outcome Coaches coach. Parents panic. Conflicting messages create confusion…what does that do to a kid’s confidence? 🔹 HOT TAKE: Kids at Breweries? Because if we’re talking about age-appropriate behavior… we had to go there.

Episode 66: Vincent Minjares (Aspen Institute- ACL Pledge) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Vincent Minjares of the Aspen Institute to dig into a topic that’s personal for me: ACL injuries. I’ve lived through one myself, and I’ve coached far too many athletes—especially female soccer players—through this brutal setback. The phrase “It’s not if, but when” has become way too common. But after this conversation, I’m more convinced than ever that we don’t have to accept that reality. 🔹 Why This Hits Home My own ACL journey and the players I’ve coached who’ve gone through it. 🔹 The Fear Factor Why athletes (and parents) feel ACL injuries are inevitable, especially in girls’ sports. 🔹 The Game-Changer How 15–20 minutes of neuromuscular training, a few times a week, makes a measurable difference. 🔹 The Price Tag: $0 These prevention strategies are free. Literally. There’s no excuse not to use them. 🔹 A Coach’s Regret Why I wish I had made ACL prevention a priority earlier in my career. 🔹 Parents’ Big Questions Is it the turf? The menstrual cycle? Genetics? Sleep? Where the science actually points. 🔹 Culture Check Why youth sports spends endlessly on gear and travel but skips basic prevention. 🔹 Hope > Helplessness We’ll never erase the risk entirely, but we are not powerless. 🔹 A Call to Action Coaches, parents, athletes—no more excuses. We must do better. National ACL Injury Coalition (as.pn/aclcoalition)    Sign the ACL Pledge (as.pn/aclpledge) How you can take action to address the ACL injury crisis (after signing the pledge)  List of neuromuscular training programs (for finding the exercise program that's right for you)  Field Guide for Reducing Serious Knee Injuries (for club, school and program leaders looking to introduce NMT with teams)   

Episode 65: Jordan Parker (5-time pod guest, Hot Take expert) 🎙️Jordan Parker comes on the Youth $ports Podcast for an unprecedented 5th time and today’s episode is meant to lighten up the air a little bit… It’s time for a Hot Takes ONLY episode. Almost ALL of the hot takes had nothing to do with sports (with a few sprinkled in).  Teasers: 🔹How can club soccer teams justify the $ they charge and yet… Kids who have been playing for 10 years still can’t use their left foot???? Parents, demand a refund.  🔹"I've never met someone with as rubbery of a neck as my Mom…”  🔹"I can already feel people’s daggers coming into my soul…” 🔹The absolute grip weighted vests currently have on middle-aged white women.  🔹A creative solution/punishment for hitting “Reply All” on emails 🔹Loose stool in a pool…. I promise you’re not ready for this one.  🔹PDA in the line for roller coasters… 🔹Sunscreen pills…Justice for people with fat fingers…Opposite of justice for Android users  🔹My most embarrassing story that involves my ex’s family 🔹..And baby girl, enough with the holes in the jeans look.  The episode wraps up with a Rapid Fire Questions section that includes a life update and one really, really important question for Jordan Parker…

Episode 64: Michael Lippert (Former soccer coach, current realist) 🎙 In this episode: Michael Lippert brings the unfiltered voice of truth to Youth $ports. Known for saying the hard things most people avoid, Lippert challenges long-held assumptions about pay-to-play, professional coaches, and the upside-down pyramid of youth sports. His central thesis? “Everything in youth sports today is better than it used to be… except the players.” 🔹 The Core Truth Despite more money, resources, and opportunities, players aren’t necessarily improving. 🔹 The Pay-to-Play Distraction Lippert argues the real problem isn’t pay-to-play…it’s parents avoiding accountability. 🔹 Parents Have No Excuse With today’s access to information, parents can’t claim ignorance about the youth sports landscape. 🔹 Coaches for a Living vs. Coaches in the Community Are full-time “professional” coaches better—or are they incentivized to keep parents happy at all costs? 🔹 The Exodus of Good Coaches Community-rooted coaches are leaving, replaced by those chasing club paychecks and multiple teams. 🔹 The 10,000-Hour Trap Malcolm Gladwell’s concept gave parents permission to overtrain kids with “no days off” pressure. 🔹 Cult-Like Club Culture Lippert likens clubs to cults: everyone doing the same thing, no one asking hard questions. 🔹 The Upside-Down Pyramid Youth sports should have the widest base in recreational play, but instead the elite tier has ballooned. 🔹 Talent Always Finds a Way If a kid is truly exceptional, politics won’t stop them from being noticed. It’s not rocket science…It’s obvious on the field. 🔹 Fun, Health, and Longevity Too often, if kids aren’t “college-track,” parents push them out instead of letting them simply enjoy sports. 🔹 The Productive Contrarian Lippert positions himself as the realistic voice among past guests. “I love you Ally, but there’s been some insane people who have come on your podcast…”

Episode 63: Scott Spillman (Executive Director of Mudsock Youth Athletics) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Scott Spillman, executive director of Mudsock Youth Athletics in Fishers, Indiana. We unpack what happens when an entire town decides youth sports should be about community first instead of chasing wins and dollars. From volunteers powering the system, to Marvel-movie moments of survival, to a Jeff Goldblum reference you won’t forget, this one is a blueprint for what rec sports can look like when everyone rows in the same direction. 🔹 One Umbrella How Fishers brought all of its recreational sports together under one organization — and why that’s so rare. 🔹 Taming the Wild Wild West Scott’s take on how Mudsock counters the fractured, for-profit, “our kids, our money” model dominating youth sports. 🔹 Powered by Volunteers Why the true backbone of the program isn’t facilities or funding, but an army of people donating their time. 🔹 Community Over Championships The mission: raise kids, not just athletes. Winning takes a backseat to belonging. 🔹 Partnerships That Matter How aligning with the city and school district changed the game, especially when field space is scarce. 🔹 A Marvel Movie Plotline The pivotal forks in the road that could have gone wrong… and the right moves that kept things thriving. 🔹 Do Kids Really Need Turf? A candid look at the “state-of-the-art facility” arms race and whether it prices kids out of the game. 🔹 Why Fishers? Scott’s theory on why this model thrives in Indiana, complete with a Mean Girls nod: “We aren’t trying to make fetch happen.” 🔹 The Secret Ingredient Maybe it isn’t money at all… maybe it’s people investing themselves instead of just writing bigger checks. 🔹 The Enemy Within Scott’s concern that the biggest threat may be inside the community itself: image, ego, and money. 🔹 Jurassic Park Wisdom “Youth sports is Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park” — just because we can doesn’t mean we always should. 🔹 A Classroom, Not a Cage Match Scott’s vision: treat youth sports like school. If we want every student to learn, why don’t we want every kid to succeed in sports?

Episode 62: Brandon Ramsey (KSR/Basketball Scout) 🎙 In this episode: Brandon Ramsey is ankle-deep in the high school and college basketball worlds: former college coach, high school scout, and basketball analyst for Kentucky Sports Radio. If he says it, you can trust it. Together we unpack the real recruiting process for 98% of players who aren’t top-20, 5-star prospects. From inflated promises to showcase madness to the trickle-down chaos of NIL and the transfer portal… this one’s a reality check every parent and player needs to hear. 🔹 The 98% Reality For the vast majority of high school players, recruiting is messy, confusing, and full of mixed messages (often through no fault of their own).  🔹 Scholarships Beyond the Power 5 Opportunities exist far outside the blueblood programs… but most families don’t know where or how to look. 🔹 The Bill of Goods Problem Parents and players are often sold unrealistic dreams, and there’s always another coach willing to feed the delusion. 🔹 The AAU Expansion The circuit has grown horizontally—more tournaments, more shoe brands, more travel—everyone wanting a slice of the pie. 🔹 The “N” Division Dilemma Families spend thousands traveling across the country to play in the lowest-tier bracket of a showcase. Is that really worth it? 🔹 Coaches Caught in the Middle Tell players the truth and risk losing them… or keep them happy and keep the roster full. 🔹 Development vs. Exposure Brandon says too many teams have become “Exposure Vehicles” instead of focusing on player growth. 🔹 The NIL & Transfer Portal Effect Fewer roster spots, shorter timelines, and more focus on proven transfers over untested high school talent. 🔹 The Vanishing Development Window College coaches want instant production. Development has become someone else’s job. 🔹 Follow the Money Even college coaches must pay steep entry fees just to watch these events. So who are they really serving? 🔹 Rapid-Fire Wrap-Up UK hoops tidbits, hot takes… and the shocking fact that Brandon hasn’t watched a movie in 15 years.

Episode 61: Brenda Hilton (CEO of Officially Human) 🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Brenda Hilton, CEO and founder of Officially Human, to talk about the people in stripes who keep the games fair but often are the lightening rod for the most criticism. We dig into the emotional temperature of the stands, why fans lash out, and what it actually takes to humanize officials in youth sports. From financial stakes to technology to the unexpected ripple effects of sports gambling, this one pulls back the curtain on a world most of us only think about when we’re yelling at it. 🔹 Meet Officially HumanHow Brenda went from sports administration to launching a movement that advocates for officials at every level. 🔹 Without Them, There’s No GameWhy officials aren’t just part of the machinery... they are the backbone of fair competition. 🔹 The Fan FactorHow emotions, investment, and sideline culture can turn an ordinary game into a verbal gauntlet for officials. 🔹 Seeing the Person, Not the StripesThe small but powerful mindset shifts that make officials feel human again. 🔹 The Entitlement EquationWhen thousands spent on club teams leads parents to expect and demand way more than they should. 🔹 Programs That Make a DifferenceFrom public service announcements to league-wide resources, how Officially Human is changing fan behavior. 🔹 Recruitment on the RopesWhy the treatment of officials is making it harder to find  (and keep) good ones. 🔹 Tech: Friend or Foe?How video replay, apps, and social media both help and hurt the officiating profession. 🔹 The Gambling EffectWhy the rise of sports betting is making the job harder, even for officials working youth and amateur games. 🔹 Everybody Has Bad DaysA closing reminder that no one ...player, fan, or official... gets it perfect every time.

Episode 60: Wilder Treadway (Former Associate Director of Athletic Communications- Stanford Women's Basketball) 🎙 In this episode: There’s a good chance this will go down as one of my all-time favorite episodes. It’s long, but worth every minute. I sit down with Wilder Treadway to take a hilarious, heartfelt, and at times jaw-dropping journey through our early days at Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR), his path through college athletics, and the complex, evolving world of women’s basketball. From ankle monitors to media narratives to Planet Fitness horror stories… this one has everything. 🔹 KSR: The Wild WestWilder and I revisit our KSR College days—where content was chaotic, access was shockingly wide open, and the internet was still finding its footing. 🔹 Back When Blogs Were KingWe share unbelievable (but true) stories from covering UK women’s basketball in 2013—long before the sport’s current surge in popularity. 🔹 Internet Time MachineYou’ll laugh (and maybe cringe) at just how different things were a decade ago in the world of sports media and college coverage. 🔹 The Road to StanfordWilder traces his path from the ASUN Conference to Penn, and finally to Stanford, where he became associate director of athletic communications. 🔹 COVID Season ChaosWilder delivers an oral history of Stanford’s 2021 national championship run, set during one of the most bizarre, stressful seasons imaginable. 🔹 Testing, Travel & Ankle MonitorsYes, ankle monitors. Wilder recounts covering a team during a season with 3x daily testing, intense travel restrictions, and surreal moments of isolation. 🔹 A Seat in Front of Cameron BrinkThe stress of being close to Cameron Brink on the plane...one positive test could’ve changed everything. The stakes were high, and the emotions even higher. 🔹 More Than Just a GameThe magic of that championship run was hard-earned—and the stories from it are some of the most compelling in Youth $ports history. 🔹 Women’s Hoops on the RiseWe dive into the Caitlin Clark Effect, and how one star helped boost visibility..but also why the sport’s evolution is about much more than one player. 🔹 Tension in the Ticker TapeFrom revenue sharing to league marketing missteps, we explore why the WNBA sometimes gets in its own way—and how fans and media can do better. 🔹 Honest Takes, Hard TruthsSexism, lazy narratives, and underfunded departments. Wilder and I don’t shy away from the messy middle in women’s sports coverage. 🔹 Grand Finale ShenanigansTo close things out, I go off about Planet Fitness behavior, and share one of the most embarrassing stories I’ve ever told on air. There were tears. From laughter. Truly.