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Ep. 21 - Rethinking How We Raise Athletes with Dr. Joel Kerr
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In this episode, Dr. Joel Kerr breaks down what young athletes actually need to thrive and the answers may surprise you. He calls on parents to step into the role of “recovery coach”: creating a safe emotional environment, supporting real nutrition, and protecting sleep, rather than critiquing performance or chasing stats. He explains how the student athlete exists in a triangle alongside the coach and the parent, where all three need aligned goals and values to support healthy development
Dr. Joel Kerr or as his athletes affectionally call him, "Dr. J" is an accomplished performance manual therapist, educator, and the visionary founder of BASE – Building an Athletic Structure for Exercise – a comprehensive clinical framework and educational system built to bridge the gap between manual medicine and performance care. With over 17 years of experience working with professional athletes, particularly within basketball, Dr. J has earned a reputation as a forward-thinking leader committed to redefining how clinicians and coaches assess, treat, and train the human body. Holding a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and over 5,000 hours of postgraduate training in Sport Neurofunctional Acupuncture, Dr. J brings a deep understanding of integrated systems, movement science, and evidence-informed care. His ability to seamlessly blend manual therapy, exercise prescription, and neurofunctional techniques has made him a trusted provider among pro athletes seeking longevity, recovery, and performance optimization. Beyond the treatment table, Dr. J is a passionate educator. He has served as a clinical instructor and mentor to hundreds of aspiring clinicians through continuing education programs, college courses, and private mentorship. In 2022, he co-developed the BASE curriculum alongside his wife, Dr. Claire Bacareza, with the mission to equip a new generation of manual medicine clinicians with the tools to observe movement, apply clinical reasoning, and intervene with purpose. BASE emphasizes passive and dynamic interventions, functional anatomy, movement literacy, and performance rehabilitation. BASE is not just a course—it’s a community. At its core, it supports the development of what Dr. J calls the “BASE Eye”: the cultivated skill of observing movement quality before intervention. This concept is central to the BASE system, which prioritizes effectiveness in real-world conditions, blending clinical experience, anatomical understanding, and human connection. The result is a powerful and flexible framework that enhances patient outcomes and builds clinician confidence. Dr. J's work has recently extended into international sport, where he is currently involved in building partnerships with Olympic organizations, athletic federations, and emerging sport performance hubs.Driven by purpose and guided by values of resilience, observation, and collaboration, Dr. J is on a mission to elevate the standard of care in performance and rehabilitation. He continues to build a "homeBASE" of clinicians, coaches, and movement professionals who are committed to learning the language of the body—and helping others return to, or remain in, motion.
Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support!
Learn more about BASE
Follow Dr. J on:
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By Producer: Mariel NicholeSend us a text
In this episode, Dr. Joel Kerr breaks down what young athletes actually need to thrive and the answers may surprise you. He calls on parents to step into the role of “recovery coach”: creating a safe emotional environment, supporting real nutrition, and protecting sleep, rather than critiquing performance or chasing stats. He explains how the student athlete exists in a triangle alongside the coach and the parent, where all three need aligned goals and values to support healthy development
Dr. Joel Kerr or as his athletes affectionally call him, "Dr. J" is an accomplished performance manual therapist, educator, and the visionary founder of BASE – Building an Athletic Structure for Exercise – a comprehensive clinical framework and educational system built to bridge the gap between manual medicine and performance care. With over 17 years of experience working with professional athletes, particularly within basketball, Dr. J has earned a reputation as a forward-thinking leader committed to redefining how clinicians and coaches assess, treat, and train the human body. Holding a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and over 5,000 hours of postgraduate training in Sport Neurofunctional Acupuncture, Dr. J brings a deep understanding of integrated systems, movement science, and evidence-informed care. His ability to seamlessly blend manual therapy, exercise prescription, and neurofunctional techniques has made him a trusted provider among pro athletes seeking longevity, recovery, and performance optimization. Beyond the treatment table, Dr. J is a passionate educator. He has served as a clinical instructor and mentor to hundreds of aspiring clinicians through continuing education programs, college courses, and private mentorship. In 2022, he co-developed the BASE curriculum alongside his wife, Dr. Claire Bacareza, with the mission to equip a new generation of manual medicine clinicians with the tools to observe movement, apply clinical reasoning, and intervene with purpose. BASE emphasizes passive and dynamic interventions, functional anatomy, movement literacy, and performance rehabilitation. BASE is not just a course—it’s a community. At its core, it supports the development of what Dr. J calls the “BASE Eye”: the cultivated skill of observing movement quality before intervention. This concept is central to the BASE system, which prioritizes effectiveness in real-world conditions, blending clinical experience, anatomical understanding, and human connection. The result is a powerful and flexible framework that enhances patient outcomes and builds clinician confidence. Dr. J's work has recently extended into international sport, where he is currently involved in building partnerships with Olympic organizations, athletic federations, and emerging sport performance hubs.Driven by purpose and guided by values of resilience, observation, and collaboration, Dr. J is on a mission to elevate the standard of care in performance and rehabilitation. He continues to build a "homeBASE" of clinicians, coaches, and movement professionals who are committed to learning the language of the body—and helping others return to, or remain in, motion.
Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support!
Learn more about BASE
Follow Dr. J on: