Rhett Parker welcomes Steve Neyens, a firefighter, devoted husband, and the father of Houston Astros first round draft pick Xavier Neyens. The episode opens with a familiar youth sports reality: once your kid becomes known, your identity can quietly shift too. You are not Steve anymore. You are “X’s dad.”

From their small town roots in Mount Vernon and Nooksack Valley, Steve shares why their family never bought into the idea that one path fits every athlete. Xavier played multiple sports, built real friendships, and still developed into an elite player. The focus was not constant movement or chasing the next best thing. It was staying grounded, staying healthy, and steadily getting better.

This conversation also widens beyond baseball. Steve talks about his daughter Harper’s volleyball journey, the time and cost of club sports, and what it feels like to be near the finish line as a sports parent. The biggest theme is simple and hard to live out: you do not have to do it all, and it is going to be okay.