In Part 2 of my conversation with longtime coach and youth sport observer Shaun Reid, we move from diagnosing the problems in youth sports to dealing with them directly. Shaun has coached hundreds of athletes across ages and levels, and he’s clear-eyed about what’s actually shaping kids’ experiences today—parent involvement, sideline pressure, pay-to-play incentives, early specialization, and a coaching pipeline that often lacks real training.

This episode is practical. We talk about what parents should say before and after games, how coaches can create clarity without caving to pressure, and why honest expectations are the only path to healthier youth sport environments.

Part 1 unpacked the “system.”

Part 2 focuses on solutions, behaviors, and better models going forward.

Topics Discussed

• The real root issue in youth sports today—and why it’s not talent or cost
• How parent over-involvement erodes enjoyment and development
• What to actually say before and after games to support your child
• Why breaking down a kid’s performance usually backfires
• Pay-to-play realities: where it works and where it harms families
• The age when playing time should shift from equal to earned
• The transparency gap fueling parent–coach conflict
• Youth sport dropout rates, identity risk, and long-term impact
• How early specialization accelerates burnout
• What youth sports could look like in 10 years if nothing changes
• The missing coaching education pipeline in the U.S.
• Why the “barrier to entry” for coaching is too low—and what should change
• How to build trust with parents without catering to them
• Rapid-fire: books, models, lessons, and influences
• Note: Episode ends abruptly due to Shaun’s lost connection

About the Impactful Coaching Project

The Impactful Coaching Project equips coaches, parents, and leaders to build healthier, more holistic sport environments grounded in competence, care, and constancy. Through research, education, writing, and the Beyond Coaching podcast, ICP focuses on practical systems that support long-term athlete wellbeing—not just short-term outcomes.

Learn more: https://impactfulcoachingproject.com

Listen to the Episode

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4XZrfisl0lv82qFPtfipVz
• Substack: https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com