When people talk about Daddy Ball, it usually comes with eye rolls and complaints about favoritism. But the truth is far more complicated.

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with state champion coach Julie McCann and her daughter Audrey to talk about what it’s really like when your parent is also your coach.

They share the blurred lines between coach and mom, the higher expectations that come with being “the coach’s kid,” and the honest conversations it takes to make that relationship work.

This isn’t the cliché story of unfair playing time. It’s a real look at the challenges, tensions, and surprising gifts of living through what people call Daddy Ball.

New episodes every Wednesday.

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Youth sports motivation for parents - intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation - playing for yourself vs playing for the team - practical ways to support your athlete without adding pressure.

Mental performance coach Lindsey Nadler joins us to unpack what truly drives kids in sports and how parents can lead in a way that fuels growth instead of shutdowns. We cover internal motivation vs external rewards, why “finding the why” matters, and a second layer most people miss - being motivated by personal improvement vs being motivated by the team.

You’ll hear real stories from the field - from dollar-per-goal experiments to chicken-nugget dugout chants - and how those quick wins can be used to steer kids back to love of the game. Lindsey also explains what’s happening in the brain, how to praise the process, and how to guide instead of push.

What we cover

• Internal vs external motivation - and how to shift kids toward internal drive
• Fun as a real tool - using short-term incentives without creating long-term dependence
• Praise that builds resilience - process, discipline, effort, and being a great teammate
• Playing for self vs playing for team - strengths, pitfalls, and how sport type changes the calculus
• The “motivation triad” in the brain - conserve energy, seek pleasure, avoid pain
• Age-appropriate expectations - why a nine year old’s “why” looks different from a teen’s
• Travel sports and pay-to-play - clarity on goals, roles, and what you’re actually signing up for
• Guiding over pushing - questions that build ownership and confidence

Helpful prompts you can use this week

• What do you love most about your sport right now
• What do you want from this season - fun, friends, getting better, playing time
• If you could practice one part every day, what would it be
• You said your goal was X - is today’s energy getting you there

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MORE FROM Lindsey:

http://www.tiktok.com/@elitementaledge

https://www.instagram.com/elitementaledge

New episodes every Wednesday.

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Youth sports should be about more than pressure, performance, and early specialization. In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, we sit down with Jonny Martin, cofounder of Football Fun Factory, to explore how parents can help their kids fall in love with sports first, before worrying about competition or skill development.

Drawing from years of coaching experience and working with thousands of kids across the UK, Jonny shares practical, emotionally grounded advice for parents who want to raise happy, confident, and resilient young athletes without pushing them too far, too soon.

Whether your child plays recreational or elite-level sports, this conversation will help you shift your mindset, build stronger connections, and create an environment where your kid actually wants to keep playing.

In this episode:

• Why fun should come before fundamentals
• How early pressure kills long-term love for the game
• The difference between encouragement and performance pressure
• How to respond after mistakes or losses
• What “being their biggest fan” looks like in real life

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Find out more about The Football Fun Factory:

https://thefootballfunfactory.co.uk/

New episodes every Wednesday.

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Former MLB outfielder Travis Snider joins us to talk about one of the biggest challenges in youth sports today: identity. When our kids start believing their value comes only from performance, stats, or wins, it sets them up for anxiety, burnout, and a shaky sense of self.

In this conversation, Travis shares openly about his own struggles tying his worth to baseball — from being labeled “that kid” at 10 years old, to fighting pressure and panic attacks in high-stakes games, to the identity crisis he faced when his career ended. Now as a dad and coach, he’s determined to help the next generation of athletes develop resilience, joy, and identity that go deeper than sports.

We cover:

• How early pressure and achievement-based identity shape kids
• What parents can do to protect their child’s sense of self
• Why rest, fun, and unstructured play matter more than extra reps
• Practical ways to handle the car ride home, feedback, and emotional control
• How apologizing and repairing with our kids builds long-term trust

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your child from tying their entire self-worth to wins and losses, this episode will give you perspective, tools, and encouragement.

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MORE FROM TRAVIS:

https://www.3athletics.com

https://www.instagram.com/3aathletics/

https://www.instagram.com/lunchboxhero23/

New episodes every Wednesday.

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What happens when a world-class athlete becomes a youth sports parent?

In this episode, former professional runner and NCAA champion Sara Slattery joins us for a real, vulnerable conversation about the shift from elite competition to everyday parenting. We talk about what it’s like watching your child navigate sports, how early pressure can steal the joy, and why stepping back is sometimes the most loving thing a parent can do.

Sara shares what drove her as a young athlete, what led her own daughter to walk away from sports, and the quiet ways we pass down expectations without even realizing it. If you’ve ever wrestled with the tension between pushing and protecting – or wondered how to help your child find their own path – this conversation is for you.

We cover:

The cost of early success in youth sports

How to respond when your kid wants to quit

Letting go of your own identity to support theirs

Why fun matters more than we think

EDITING NOTE: We had some audio issues and lost the first ten minutes of the conversation where Sara had the opportunity to talk about her kids and what it's like being mom to them. Sorry about that!

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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What does healthy support actually look like in youth sports?

In this episode, Louisville volleyball head coach Dan Meske joins us to unpack what truly helps young athletes thrive — and what might be unintentionally holding them back. We talk about early specialization, burnout, recruiting myths, the rising cost of club sports, and the one thing every college coach looks for that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet.

Whether your kid is just starting out or already dreaming big, this conversation will give you real clarity and calm in the middle of a pressure-packed youth sports world.

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:

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What happens when everything you worked for suddenly feels like too much?

This week’s guest, Jackie Reyneke, opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of being a Division I athlete at Princeton — from high expectations and identity struggles to injury, loss, and the quiet moments when she questioned if it was all worth it.

In this powerful episode, Jackie shares:

What her parents did right while she was growing up in sports

How the death of her best friend shifted her entire path

The invisible overlap between concussions and mental health

Why returning from injury isn’t just physical

And how parents can become a steady presence instead of added pressure

Jackie now works with athletes to build confidence, set meaningful goals, and navigate the mental side of sports and life. Her story is raw, honest, and full of insight for any parent raising a kid through competitive sports today.

Whether your child is dealing with an injury, mental health challenges, or the pressure to perform, this episode is for you.

FOLLOW JACKIE ON SOCIAL:

Follow Farrell on social:

https://www.instagram.com/powerforward.coach/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567147372336

VIEW JACKIE'S WEBSITE:

https://www.powerforward.coach/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Bobby Muuss has coached at the highest levels of college soccer for nearly 30 years. But when he’s not on the sidelines at Wake Forest, he’s coaching his son’s rec team right alongside the rest of us.

In this episode, Coach Muuss shares the powerful perspective he’s gained from both worlds: the high-stakes world of Division I soccer, and the joy (and chaos) of Saturday morning youth games. He opens up about what he’s learned as a dad, why parents need to stop coaching from the sidelines, and how pressure can rob kids of the joy that brought them to sports in the first place.

Whether you’re raising a future college athlete or a kid who just wants to play with their friends, this episode will remind you what really matters.

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Jeremi Barnes didn’t plan to become a youth sports ref with millions of views across social media. But what started as a way to help out turned into a calling — not just to officiate games, but to connect with kids, model respect, and remind everyone why youth sports actually matter.

Jeremi shares his own athletic journey (including how he set a school record in triple jump just two months after learning the event), how he became a referee, and why he believes how you treat kids matters more than the scoreboard.

We talk about:

Why younger referees can connect with players in a powerful way

What kids actually hear (and feel) when parents yell from the sidelines

Why your sideline behavior is shaping your kid’s character

How older siblings can play a huge role in the journey

The real impact of encouragement, presence, and modeling emotional control

If you care more about your kid than the scoreboard, this conversation will hit home. It’s honest, funny, and full of perspective every sports parent needs.

FOLLOW JEREMI ON SOCIAL:

Follow Farrell on social:

https://www.tiktok.com/@theyoungref

https://www.instagram.com/jeremibarnes

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Food is one of the most personal - and complicated - parts of parenting.

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Farrell Frankel, a Licensed Sports Dietitian who works with youth and college athletes, to talk about how we approach food, body image, and nutrition as sports parents. The conversation covers everything from fueling young athletes to unlearning harmful food messages we grew up with.

Farrell shares practical, compassionate advice for how to talk to kids about food without triggering shame, how to handle dinner during packed practice nights, and how sports can set the stage for lifelong well-being, even if dinner sometimes comes from the drive-thru.

You’ll hear:

Why some well-meaning food talk can backfire

How to make food a positive part of your child’s life

Why your kid’s body is going through normal (and necessary) changes

What Farrell wishes every parent knew about fast food and busy nights

How sports shape kids beyond the field—and why that matters more than macros

If you’ve ever wrestled with how to feed your kid, what to say about their body, or how to keep things healthy without getting weird, this one’s for you.

ABOUT FARRELL:

Farrell Frankel is a Licensed Sports Dietitian who specializes in sports

nutrition and athlete performance. Farrell has worked with elite athletes for ten years. Farrell worked at Penn State University as the Assistant Director of Nutrition, she was the Director of Football Nutrition at West Virginia University, and Farrell started the Sports Nutrition Program at Boston College where she was the Football Dietitian for 4 years. Farrell currently has a sports nutrition private practice where she meets with athletes for nutrition coaching. She also speaks to teams, high schools and colleges. Farrell has over 100K followers on Tik Tok and uses her platform, Fueled By Farrell, to highlight how sports dietitians are an integral member of an athletes performance team. Her Tik Tok videos have been featured by ACC Network, College Gameday, Overtime SZN and ESPN CFB.

Fueled by Farrell:

https://www.fueledbyfarrell.com/

Follow Farrell on social:

https://www.tiktok.com/@fueledbyfarrell

https://www.instagram.com/fueledbyfarrell

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:

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https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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