August 21, 2025

$40 Billion Youth Sports Industry: Are We Helping Kids Thrive or Burning Them Out?

58 minutes

Youth sports are a $40 billion industry in the U.S.—but is all that investment actually helping kids, or adding unnecessary pressure, costs, and burnout? Jason, Gabe, and MDV break down the pros and cons of growing up in today’s youth sports culture, the role of parents and coaches, and how to keep sports fun and meaningful. Plus, Jason’s prep for BJJ Master Worlds, and the wild world of bodysurfing competitions.

Timestamps:
0:00 Baseball player charges a catcher—dirty play or just the game?
5:30 Do you back up your kid or turn it into a teachable moment?
8:00 Unsportsmanlike celebrations—where’s the line?
11:00 The pros and cons of youth sports
13:30 How to avoid the costs, politics, and pressure of youth sports
15:59 Specializing at a young age—helpful or harmful?
16:40 Why California is prime for youth sports
17:49 What we’d do differently navigating youth sports as parents
19:27 The joy of watching your kids compete
23:18 Why Ava wanted to start a school sport (and how impressionable young girls are)
25:00 What makes a good coach?
26:35 MDV competes at the World Championships of body surfing
29:29 How bodysurfing is judged (and why conditions matter)
31:45 Lessons learned—you can’t control the conditions or the judges
34:20 How competition feels different now
36:50 Jason prepares for BJJ Master Worlds
39:00 One wrong step can change everything
41:27 “This is what it takes to win”—Jason’s mindset shift
45:09 Why BJJ is not CrossFit and how Jason approaches it differently
49:30 Fighters are some of the most gracious people you’ll ever meet
54:40 There are levels to every game
57:00 Wrapping it up