Inner Athlete Podcast

Your child dreams of playing college soccer in the US. As a parent, you’re wondering how realistic a full scholarship is, what a partial offer might leave your family paying and what your child can do now to give themselves more options.

On the Inner Athlete Podcast, Trent Pirihi speaks with John Stevanja, founder of Upper 90 College, about how scholarships and recruitment work for young Australian soccer players. They discuss why full scholarships are so competitive, how school results can open up more opportunities and why a program outside Division 1 might be a better fit for your child.

In this episode, you’ll hear about

✔ What full and partial scholarships can cover and what to look for in an offer

✔ How strong school results can widen your child’s scholarship options

✔ What to consider when comparing colleges, from playing time to balancing soccer and study

✔ How early physical preparation and relationships with college coaches can help your child prepare for recruitment

Help your young player build the foundations

Our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence, shares practical ways to help your child build strength, speed and confidence through structured training.

👉 Download your free parent guide: https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716

If you’d like a clearer picture of where your child is now and what to work on next, Inner Athlete’s three-session Quick Start Trial includes a movement and fitness assessment, an individualised coached training session and a parent consultation with our Head Coach.

👉 Book your Quick Start Trial: https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-start-trial

Is Division 1 always the best pathway for young Australian soccer players looking to study and play in the United States? Not necessarily.

In Episode 159 of the Inner Athlete Podcast, host Trent Pirihi speaks with John Stevanja, Founder of Upper 90 College, about the different pathways available to Australian soccer players, including NCAA Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA and junior college programs.

Drawing on real recruiting experiences, John explains why the most prestigious college isn't always the best fit and how choosing the right environment can make a difference to an athlete's development, playing opportunities and future career.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why Division 1 isn't always the best choice for every athlete
The differences between NCAA divisions, NAIA and junior college pathways
How playing time and the right environment influence athletic development
Why junior college can be a valuable stepping stone to a four-year college
How visiting programs and connecting with coaches can help athletes make informed decisions
A practical listen for parents supporting a young soccer player with college ambitions and wanting to make informed decisions about their child's sporting and academic future.

Ready to support your young athlete’s long-term development?

Help your child build strength, confidence and better movement with individualised coaching at Inner Athlete.

Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence, for practical ways to help your child become stronger, faster and more confident through safe, structured training.

Download your free parent guide: https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-fru...

Support your young soccer player’s next step

Inner Athlete’s Quick Start Trial includes an athlete assessment, a coached strength and conditioning session, and a parent consultation to understand your child’s needs and goals.

Book your Quick Start Trial: https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-st...

Could your child’s passion for soccer help them gain an education, grow in confidence and create opportunities beyond sport?

Host Trent Pirihi is joined by John Stevanja, founder of Upper 90 College, to explore how young Australian soccer players can combine competitive soccer with a university education in the United States.

They discuss the training environments and performance resources available through US college soccer, alongside potential pathways into professional and semi-professional football. The conversation also looks beyond playing opportunities to the value of education, the importance of the right guidance and preparing for life after competitive sport.

For parents, it’s an opportunity to consider the bigger picture: how soccer can support your child’s development while helping them build options for their future.

Whether your child dreams of playing professionally or is still discovering what they want, this episode explores why their education and personal growth deserve a place in the plan.

Help your young athlete build confidence

Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence, for practical ways to help your child become stronger, faster and more confident through safe, structured training.

Download your free parent guide: https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716

Support your young soccer player’s next step

Inner Athlete’s Quick Start Trial includes an athlete assessment, a coached strength and conditioning session, and a parent consultation to understand your child’s needs and goals.

Book your Quick Start Trial: https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-start-trial

Could your child’s passion for soccer open the door to a US college education? For parents of young Australian soccer players, understanding the pathway can help you support their ambitions and make informed decisions about their future.

Host Trent Pirihi sits down with John Stevanja, founder of Upper 90 College, to explore how young players can pursue soccer in the United States while continuing their education.

Drawing on his own football journey, John explains why choosing a pathway involves more than what happens on the pitch. They discuss the importance of education, player development and finding a college environment where your child can thrive academically, athletically and personally.

Whether your child is already dreaming of US college soccer or you’re simply exploring what might be possible, this conversation offers a starting point for understanding the opportunities and considerations ahead.

Help your child move from frustration to confidence.
Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence, and discover how to help your young athlete build strength, speed and confidence with a safe, structured approach.

https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716

Support your young soccer player’s next step.
Inner Athlete’s Quick Start Trial includes an athlete assessment, a coached strength and conditioning session, and a parent consultation to understand your child’s needs and goals.

Book your Quick Start Trial: https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-start-trial

How can you help your child build confidence, handle setbacks and take the next step in their sport?

Host Trent Pirihi sits down with former US college lacrosse players Bryce Walker and Connor Egan to reflect on their sporting journeys, the best advice they received from coaches, and what they wish they’d known before heading to the United States.

From the value of playing multiple sports to developing resilience and a strong work ethic, Bryce and Connor explore the lessons that stay with young athletes long after the final whistle.

For parents supporting a child with sporting ambitions, this conversation offers practical insights into encouraging their growth, navigating challenges and preparing for the demands of higher-level competition.

Help your child move from frustration to confidence.
Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence, to help your young athlete become stronger, faster and more confident, safely and efficiently.

https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716

Ready to support your young athlete’s next step?
Inner Athlete’s Quick Start Trial includes an athlete assessment, a coached strength and conditioning session, and a parent consultation to understand your child’s needs and goals.

Book your Quick Start Trial:
https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-start-trial

In this episode of The Inner Athlete Podcast, Trent Pirihi speaks with Melbourne Lacrosse Academy coaches Bryce Walker and Connor Egan about their firsthand experiences of college lacrosse.

From demanding training schedules to moving away from home, they share the opportunities and challenges young athletes face—both on and off the field.
Parents will gain a clearer understanding of the physical preparation, independence and resilience this pathway requires, and how to support their child without adding unnecessary pressure.

Inside this episode:

• What an in-season week looks like for a college athlete
• Adjusting to college life and living away from home
• Managing form slumps, selection pressure and setbacks
• Balancing strength and conditioning, recovery and wellbeing
• Key differences between Australian and US athlete development
• Preparing for college sport and deciding whether it’s the right fit

A practical listen for parents and young athletes considering the US college pathway.

Ready to support your young athlete’s long-term development?
Help your child build strength, confidence and better movement with individualised coaching at Inner Athlete.

Book your child’s Quick Start Trial here 

Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence – A Parent’s Guide to Helping Young Athletes Get Stronger, Faster, and More Confident, Safely and Efficiently.

What does it take for a young Australian athlete to compete in US college sport?
Trent Pirihi joins former college lacrosse players Bryce Walker and Connor Egan to explore their journey from Australian junior sport to the US—and what athletes and parents should know before pursuing this pathway.
They share how playing multiple sports shaped their development, the realities of college recruitment, and the demands of balancing training, competition, academics and life away from home.
In this episode:

• Playing multiple sports versus specialising early
• What to prioritise during the teenage years
• Preparing for college recruitment and the transition overseas
• The role of strength and conditioning
• Balancing study, sport and recovery
• Managing pressure, injuries and setbacks
• Supporting your child’s ambitions without adding pressure

An honest look at preparing for college sport and building skills that extend beyond competition.
Help your child build strength, confidence and resilience.
Access our Parents Guide, From Frustration to Confidence, https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716
Ready to take the next step?
Register for our Quick Start Trial and discover how our Prepare → Progress → Perform approach supports your child’s development.

Should young athletes specialise early, or can playing multiple sports create a stronger foundation for long-term success?

Host Trent Pirihi speaks with Bryce Walker and Connor Egan about their journey from Australian junior lacrosse to US college sport. They share how multi-sport participation developed their athleticism, movement skills and competitiveness—and when lacrosse became their priority.
In this episode, we discuss:

• The pathway from Australian youth sport to US college athletics
• The benefits of playing multiple sports
• When young athletes should specialise
• Strength and conditioning during the teenage years
• Balancing school, sport, training and recovery
• Advice for parents supporting young athletes

Want to help your child become stronger, faster and more confident—safely and effectively? Download our free Parent’s Guide: https://inner-athlete.com.au/

Ready to give your child a clear, individualised plan for their athletic development?
Learn more about our Quick Start Trial: https://inner-athlete.com.au/

What does it take for a competitive young swimmer to improve their athletic performance, overcome setbacks and compete with greater confidence?
In Episode 152 of The Inner Athlete Podcast, NCAA swimmer Felix de Bruyn shares the mindset, habits and lessons that helped him progress from junior swimming to competing at the college level.


Parents and young swimmers will learn:

How Felix overcame his biggest setback
The best advice he has received
What young swimmers should stop worrying about
The habit that separates successful athletes
How coaches support confidence and long-term athlete development
What being an “Inner Athlete” truly means
Whether your child is chasing a new PB, aiming for state or national
qualifying times, or learning to manage the demands of competitive swimming, this episode offers practical lessons in resilience, confidence and youth athlete development.

It also highlights why the right support, individualised strength and conditioning, injury prevention strategies and consistent training habits are important for helping young athletes build a strong physical foundation and achieve long-term success in sport.

Ready to help your young athlete become stronger and more confident?
Get started with Inner Athlete’s Quick Start Trial:

https://inner-athlete.com.au/quick-start-trial
Download our free parent guide, From Frustration to Confidence:
https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716

Behind every successful youth athlete is a group of people helping them build
confidence, resilience and belief. The right support system can shape how a
young athlete responds to pressure, setbacks and long-term sporting challenges.

In Episode 150 of The Inner Athlete Podcast, Felix Dressel de Bruyn reflects on
the coaches, parents, mentors and training partners who influenced his journey
from junior swimmer to NCAA athlete. He shares the lessons that helped shape
his mindset, improve his performance and stay committed through the
challenges of youth sport. This episode explores why long-term athlete
development depends on more than talent and training alone.

Parents will learn how to support their child’s sporting journey without creating
unnecessary pressure, what effective youth coaches do differently and why
mentors and training partners matter. Felix also explains how positive
conversations, strong relationships and the right environment can help young
athletes develop confidence, resilience and a healthier long-term approach to
performance.

Ready to help your young athlete become stronger, more confident and better
prepared for the demands of their sport?

Book a FREE Discovery Call with Inner Athlete:
https://inner-athlete.com.au/contact-us

Download our free parent guide, "From Frustration to Confidence – A Parent’s
Guide to Helping Young Athletes Get Stronger, Faster and More Confident,
Safely and Efficiently":
https://inner-athlete.com.au/from-frustration-to-confidence-790716