In this episode of Fighting for Overtime, Coach Tony sits down with veteran soccer player, coach, and author Heidi Smith to explore the 140-year journey of women’s soccer through the lens of her new book Play On! Heidi shares her experiences on and off the field, tackling tough conversations around sexism, identity, coaching challenges, and the mental health struggles facing today’s youth athletes.

From the emotional side of coaching girls, to the pressure kids face from parents and burnout in sports, Heidi offers insights that are both deeply personal and universally relevant. She also discusses how Play On confronts the culture of silence around abuse in women’s sports while highlighting stories of resilience, recovery, and community.

For more info on Heidi and her book visit: www.heidismithwriter.com

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show here on all platforms: www.linktr.ee/fightingforovertime

About Fighting For Overtime

In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

When bringing awareness causes hateful pushback from the local community. Is this what the world of youth sports has become?

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime

In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

DJ Dickson has faced injuries, tough competition, and the challenges of chasing a dream in baseball. From growing up with his dad as his coach to playing at UVA Wise, and now mentoring the next generation through his hitting clinic, DJ’s journey proves that setbacks don’t define you — how you respond does. Tune in to hear his story of resilience, dedication, and the love of the game."

***Follow DJ's Hitting Clinic Page for More Info -- www.instagram.com/djdickson.hitting

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

Are parents pushing their kids too hard on their pursuit of the next level? We discuss............

In this episode of Fighting for Overtime Youth Sports, Coach Tony sits down with Mike Odes (his former 7th Grade Teacher) — whose experiences on the field/court and in the classroom, set the stage for a positive foundation in youth sports. During this passionate conversation, Mike opens up about all the outside interference a current day youth athlete hears and how he tries to change the narrative of current day competition. His resume below.......

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

What happens when the adults in charge stop playing fair? In this powerful episode, I speak with Chrissy Collison, the President of Upper Southampton Softball, who shares why they were shockingly removed from their league — not because of their performance, but because they challenged the rules. Hear how bullying, intimidation, and unfair treatment by league leadership left young players sidelined and heartbroken. This is a must-listen for any parent who believes in standing up for what's right — on and off the field.

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

The relentless push for early specialization and profit-driven youth sports isn’t just changing the game—it’s harming kids’ education, fracturing family time, and turning communities into battlegrounds for the next 'elite' athlete. And as another sprawling sports complex opens, the system only digs in deeper. Coach Tony Talks about it..........

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime In this podcast, we delve deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

Where did the fun go when playing youth sports? Are kids over-lessoned causing their IQ to suffer? While sports may not be for every kid, being a part of a TEAM can be very beneficial for a young child if built the right way. 

In this episode, Coach Tony talks about the misconceptions when it comes to coaching a youth sports team and why 70% of all young players are quitting sports before the age of 13. It's all here plus more on this week's episode of Fighting for Overtime. 

***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightingforovertime/

About Fighting For Overtime In this podcast, we delve deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.

Are you fully prepared for the college recruiting process? Could your past impact your chances?.......

In this episode, National College Scout, Mackenzie Bellows-Schissel, gives her experiences as a DIV 1 Player, DIV Coach, & Scout. 

Follow Mackenzie's Work: : https://linktr.ee/mac_schissel 

***Follow the Pod - Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show everywhere here: https://linktr.ee/fightingforovertime

From Burnout to Balance to Breakthroughs........

In this powerful episode of Fighting For Overtime, Coach Tony sits down with Hanna Howard, CEO of Rematch U.S. and former Division I basketball standout and college coach. With over 15 years of experience on the sidelines at elite programs like TCU and Fresno State, Hanna brings a rare perspective—as an athlete, coach, parent, and now a tech leader—on how youth sports are evolving.

Together, they dive into how Rematch U.S. is using cutting-edge technology to transform how young athletes capture, share, and learn from their own performances. From the platform’s game-changing "auto-rewind" highlight feature to the deeper mental health conversations surrounding burnout and athlete development, this episode covers it all.

Whether you're a parent, coach, or young athlete, this discussion offers honest insight into the challenges and solutions shaping the future of youth sports.

📌 Topics Covered:

How Rematch U.S. is more than just highlight reels

The balance between talent and tech in youth sports

Mental health, burnout, and the role of parents

Coaching insights from the D1 level to the boardroom

🔗 Learn more about Rematch U.S.: https://www.rematch.tv/us/ 

***Follow the Pod - Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show everywhere here: https://linktr.ee/fightingforovertime

When a youth athlete battles herself inside and out, it brings out the ultimate competitor. This is her story......

In this episode, we sit down with Noelle Baxter, a former standout in both AAU and high school basketball, who carried her love of the game from the travel soccer fields of CRUSA to the hardwood of Kutztown University. Raised in Warminster, PA, and shaped by top-tier programs like Heat Hoops, Mid-Atlantic Magic, and Archbishop Wood, Noelle brings us inside the mind of a competitor who never stopped grinding.

We explore the full arc of her sports story—starting in youth travel leagues, pushing through the intense AAU circuit under Coach Kari Cairone, and later elevating her game under Coach Mike McDonald at one of Pennsylvania’s most dominant high school programs. She opens up about life as a student-athlete in college, mental burnout, rediscovery, and what it took to fight through the moments most people never see.

Segment by segment, we dig into:

The early days of soccer and the transition to basketball

The unglamorous grind of AAU ball and its mental toll

High expectations and emotional walls at Archbishop Wood

Life lessons from Kutztown, both on and off the court

Setbacks, sacrifices, and how she rebuilt herself mentally

Whether you're an athlete, a coach, or someone who’s ever struggled to stay in the game—this episode delivers the heart of what it means to fight for overtime.

***Follow the Pod - Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately. Remember, you are not alone! #mentalhealthawareness #YouthSports

Follow the show everywhere here: https://linktr.ee/fightingforovertime