Youth sports have become increasingly all-or-nothing. Make the team. Commit more time. Play at a higher level. Keep up, or eventually there may not be a place for you anymore.

Amanda Carey believes there’s another way.

Amanda is the President of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and a multi-time professional mountain biking champion. In this conversation, she talks with Jonathan Carone about what happens when youth sports make belonging the starting point instead of something kids have to earn.

They get into why kids need safe chances to make bad decisions, how sports can build independence, the value of letting kids choose their own level of competition, why teenagers need opportunities to play just for fun, and how competitive kids can learn to use that drive to make the people around them better.

They also talk about exercise and ADHD, the unique benefits of repetitive sports like mountain biking, swimming and running, and why giving kids ownership over their sports experience can help them build a relationship with movement that lasts long after their competitive years are over.

This episode uses mountain biking as the example, but the bigger question applies to every sport:

How do we create more places where kids of different abilities, interests and goals can play, grow and belong?

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More from NICA:

Website: https://nationalmtb.org/

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Coach Travis Hudson has spent 32 years building Western Kentucky volleyball into one of the best mid-major programs in the country. Along the way, he’s learned a lot about what actually matters in developing athletes and raising kids through sports.

In this episode, Coach Hudson and Jonathan Carone talk about why parents feel so much pressure to rush their kids to the next team or level, why development matters more than tournaments, how to know when to push your kid and when to back off, and why every child needs a different path. Coach Hudson also shares what he learned while watching his own son go from never playing a high school volleyball match to becoming the starting libero at Ohio State.

More than anything, this conversation is a reminder that your kid’s sports journey doesn’t need to end with a college roster spot to be successful. There’s a lot of good happening right now if we’re willing to stop chasing what’s next long enough to see it.

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Every kid develops on their own timeline. The challenge for parents is believing that when it feels like everyone else's kid is getting ahead.

Former NFL quarterback and longtime quarterback coach Jordan Palmer has worked with some of the best quarterbacks in football, including Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Trevor Lawrence. But as a dad of four, he's also navigating the same questions the rest of us are: When should we push? When should we back off? How do we help our kids build real confidence? And what happens when they just aren't ready to take that next step yet?

In this episode, Jordan and Jonathan Carone talk about why kids have to decide for themselves when they're ready to level up, how parents can support that process without pressing the button for them, and why failure and adversity are an important part of becoming a confident athlete.

They also talk about building confidence without making kids dependent on praise, celebrating the things kids can control, why winning isn't the only way to measure progress, the value of playing multiple sports, and why parents may be trying too hard to create the perfect sports journey for their kids.

Whether your kid dreams of playing in the NFL or just wants to have fun with their friends, their path belongs to them.

In this episode:

• Why every young athlete develops on a different timeline
• When parents should push and when they should wait
• Why it's your kid's "button to press"
• How to build confidence that doesn't depend on praise
• What parents and coaches should celebrate beyond goals and touchdowns
• Why failure and adversity can be good for young athletes
• The value of traditional and nontraditional sports
• Why the perfect youth sports path doesn't exist

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More from Jordan Palmer:

QB Summit: https://qbsummit.com/

Thread Performance: https://threadperformance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanpalmer

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David Epstein has spent years making the case for range, exploration, and giving kids time to discover what fits. His new book, Inside the Box, makes what initially sounds like the opposite argument: sometimes we need more constraints, not more options.

David joins Jonathan Carone to explore what happens when you put those two ideas together in youth sports and parenting. They wrestle with some of the messier questions parents face:

When does persistence become a sunk cost?

How do you know when it's okay to let your kid quit?

Why can immediate feedback actually make things worse?

How can we give kids enough structure to grow without taking away the curiosity that helps them figure out who they want to become?

It's a conversation about giving kids room to explore, challenges that help them grow, and the freedom to fail while they're figuring it all out.

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More from David Epstein:

Website: https://davidepstein.com/

Inside The Box: AMAZON

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidepstein

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#youthsports #sportsparent #travelball #raisingathletes

New episodes every Wednesday.

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What does it actually take for a kid to love sports for the long haul?

World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach joins Jonathan Carone for a conversation about what happens when adults stop trying to manufacture motivation and give kids the space to discover what they actually love. They talk about the pressure inside modern youth sports, why a kid's desire has to come from within, and why reaching the highest levels isn't the only way sports can matter in a child's life.

Abby also opens up about realizing that part of her own drive as a young athlete came from wanting her mom's attention and love, and what that experience has taught her about parenting and the messages kids can attach to achievement.

They also dig into what girls need from sports, why relationships and belonging can be such powerful motivators, and how parents can create environments where their daughters want to keep playing.

Finally, Abby shares one of the most important ideas from the conversation: sports can give parents and kids a shared language that lasts long after they're done playing.

For parents raising young athletes, this conversation is a reminder that kids don't need adults to map out where sports will take them. They need the space to figure out why they want to play in the first place.

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More from Abby Wambach:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbywambach/

Welcome To The Party podcast: https://welcometothepartyshow.com/

Website: https://abbywambach.com/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Youth sports is one of the most influential institutions in childhood.

It teaches teamwork, resilience, leadership, confidence, and community. Millions of families invest thousands of dollars and countless hours into it every year.

Yet unlike schools, parks, or public health, no one is really in charge.

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Renata Simril, president and CEO of LA84 Foundation and founder of the Play Equity Fund, to discuss California's groundbreaking Youth Sports for All Act, a bipartisan effort that passed with 97% support and could reshape how youth sports are supported for generations to come.

They explore why youth sports has become the "Wild West," what a state commission could actually do, why every kid deserves access to play, and what it would look like if we treated youth sports as an investment in the next generation instead of just another extracurricular activity.

Whether you agree with California's approach or not, this conversation raises a bigger question every parent should be asking:

What kind of youth sports system are we building for the kids who come after ours?

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More from Renata Simril:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renataangeleno/

LA84 Foundation: https://www.la84.org/

Play Equity Fund: https://www.playequityfund.org/

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Some of the healthiest things we can do as sports parents feel completely wrong in the moment.

We want to correct every mistake. We want to protect our kids from failure. We want to solve their problems, give them feedback after every game, and keep them from feeling disappointed.

But what if those instincts are actually getting in the way of what our kids need most?

In this episode, sports psychologist Dr. Joey Case returns to discuss seven things that feel like bad sports parenting but aren't. We explore why confidence grows through struggle, how kids develop resilience, and what it looks like to support young athletes without trying to control every outcome.

Topics include:

• Why correcting every mistake can hurt learning and confidence

• The value of letting kids fail in public

• Why the car ride home is usually the wrong place for feedback

• When parents should step in and when they should stay out

• Why connection matters more than performance after a tough game

• The surprising benefits of boredom

• How to know when quitting is the wrong choice and when it's the right one

If you've ever wondered whether you're helping your child grow or simply easing your own anxiety, this conversation is for you.

The goal of sports parenting isn't protecting kids from discomfort but rather helping them develop the tools to handle discomfort when it comes.

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Get early access at HealthySportsParents.com/Course.

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More from Dr. Case:

TikTok: @josephccase

Instagram: @drjosephcase

Substack: https://josephccasepsyd.substack.com

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Youth sports are supposed to help kids grow, compete, fail, learn, and have fun. But somewhere along the way, a lot of adults started acting like fun and hard can’t both exist at the same time.

In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with former player, coach, and creator Jake Savickifor a conversation about what kids actually need from the adults around them in sports.

Jake shares stories from coaching high school baseball, raising his own daughter through youth sports, and learning firsthand how much weight parents’ words, reactions, and expectations can carry. The conversation dives into why so many kids stop loving sports, how parents unintentionally add pressure, and why creating the right environment matters more than chasing the perfect development plan.

Jonathan and Jake also talk about:

• Why fun changes as kids get older
• The difference between hard work and pressure
• Helping kids stay connected to the game long-term
• Why comparison and FOMO lead parents into bad decisions
• The importance of understanding each kid individually
• What happens when kids feel safe to fail
• Why parents matter more than they realize

This episode is a reminder that most kids don’t need perfect coaching, year-round training, or adults obsessing over outcomes. They need support, perspective, encouragement, and the freedom to enjoy the process of growing up through sports.

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More from Jake:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jakesavicki?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakesavicki/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Jake-Savicki-100066450740049/

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Congressman Chris Deluzio and Senator Cory Booker join Healthy Sports Parents creator Jonathan Carone for a conversation about the newly introduced Let Kids Play Act and why they believe youth sports in America are becoming inaccessible for too many families.

Instead of focusing only on the details of the legislation, this conversation explores the bigger questions underneath it all: Why do youth sports matter so much? What happens when sports become a luxury item instead of a community experience? And what role, if any, should the federal government play when families are being priced out?

Jonathan talks with Congressman Deluzio and Senator Booker about private equity in youth sports, stay-to-play requirements, rising costs for families, youth sports data privacy, and the growing concern that community-based leagues and facilities are disappearing as larger companies consolidate control over more parts of the sports ecosystem.

The conversation also goes beyond policy. Senator Booker shares how sports shaped his life and taught him lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and unity, while Congressman Deluzio reflects on growing up in community baseball and why he believes every kid deserves the chance to play regardless of their family’s income.

Whether you agree with the bill or not, this episode is ultimately about something much bigger than politics: preserving the role youth sports can play in helping kids grow into healthy adults and keeping those opportunities accessible for future generations.

Episode recorded May 13, 2026.

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Youth sports can feel like they’re all about the next game, the next season, or the next level. But what if the bigger opportunity has nothing to do with any of that?

In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with Lisa Willis to talk about what sports are really meant to give our kids. From her journey through UCLA and the WNBA to her work as a coach today with Texas Sports Academy, Lisa shares how the lessons that mattered most had nothing to do with stats or accolades, and everything to do with mindset, resilience, and identity.

Together, they unpack why so many young athletes are more skilled than ever but often struggle with confidence, pressure, and failure, and what parents can do to help shift that. Lisa explains why habits matter more than highlight moments, how to help kids handle tough emotions after games, and why separating identity from performance is one of the most important things we can teach them.

This conversation keeps coming back to one simple idea: sports should be bigger than sports. Not because of what kids achieve, but because of who they’re becoming in the process.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between wanting your kid to succeed and wanting them to enjoy the experience, this episode will help you approach it in a more grounded, intentional way.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t simply to raise a great athlete. It’s to raise a great human.

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More from Lisa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawillis40/

Website: https://lisacwillis.com/

Texas Sports Academy: https://sportsacademy.school/

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