Youth $ports

Episode 15: Jordan Parker (Our 1st repeat guest)

- The Youth $ports Podcast is officially 15 episodes old! We've talked about a LOT of topics.

- This episode serves as a bit of a recap/halftime episode, where we discuss some of the underlying themes and topics of the podcast so far. 

- We discuss the biggest takeaways from Episodes 1-14.

- Jordan turns the questions in Ally's direction to ask some questions about the logistics of the podcast and reflections on the process. 

- THEMES: Maybe college scholarships being the "end goal" is part of the problem, FOMO, early specialization, traveling at the expense of development, youth sports being used as a status symbol, identity being too wrapped up in sports, etc. 

- Parker does not hold back in dropping some truth bombs that need to be heard. 

- A Tom Hanks hot take for the ages!

Episode 14: Katherine Southerland (Founder of a free, all-girls Galaxy Basketball League)

- Southerland started a COMPLETELY FREE basketball organization for K-5 girls only in Louisville Kentucky (Galaxy Basketball Incorporated).  

- Lack of opportunities for young girls who want to play basketball. 

- Co-ed teams exist, but sometimes only 2 girls play at a time. 

- Basketball SHOULD be one of the MOST accessible sports, but AAU is making it so expensive. 

- Are some AAU programs just making money off of families, playing in too many games/tournaments/showcases at the expense of development?

- People just wanting to be able to say “My kid plays AAU,” yet they can’t hit a right-handed layup. 

- Investing money in youth sports is really investing in your community’s future.

- The program was selected as 1 of 50 non-profits all over the United States (1 of 5 girls basketball related programs) to receive the 2024 Sports 4 Life grant. The Women’s Sports Foundation 4 Life program, co-founded by WSF and ESPN in 2014 and supported by the likes of WNBA star Sue Bird, utilizes the power of sport to build a solid foundation for Black, African-American, Hispanic and Native American girls to thrive on and off the field of play.

- This grant allows the 2024 season for Galaxy basketball to be FULLY FUNDED

Episode 13 Guest: Mallory Shake (Former Division 1 Swimmer)

- Mallory tells the story of what it’s like to be identified at a very young age as being exceptional at a sport (by breaking an Olympic swimmer’s previously held record at 8 years old)

- The tug of war playing 2 sports: 1 that you play because you’re really good at it and 1 that you play because you love it. 

- Should you choose the sport you’re good at or the sport you love? How long can you do both?

- The pressure of prioritizing the sport you’re told you are best at. 

- Maybe playing a 2nd sport that you are less serious about is a good breath of fresh air.

- The major differences between individual sports vs. team sports 

- Swimmers are just a different breed…

- “I never had a multi-sport athlete who wasn’t one of the best players on my team.”

- Tunnel vision: Why has playing a sport in college become the end all be all of youth sports? Should it really be the light at the end of the tunnel?

- Learning to identify who you are outside of sports when that’s all you’ve done your whole life. 

- The REALITY of playing a Division 1 sport: It’s not always pretty. 

- The dream isn’t always the dream…The Sophomore slump. Anxiety, lack of sleep, depression, injuries, unbalanced life, long road trips, eating disorders, etc. 

- The struggles, while hard in the moment, help mold you into the person you become as an adult. 

- MORE HOT TAKES (Watch out Disney Adults and Teachers)

Episode 12 Guest: Cy Tucker (7-time state champion, Hall of Fame coach, my Dad)

- The blessing of being able to sit down and have a conversation recorded with my Dad is not lost on me… (He also just so happens to be a 7 time state champion and Hall of Fame girls soccer coach).

- Humble beginnings. Learning the game just by playing, without lots of structure and outside influence.

- The unique bond soccer helped create between a father and daughter.

- Coaching without an ego. Doing whatever it takes to win, including an offside trap story for the ages. 

- The secret sauce behind winning 7 state titles: CULTURE, CULTURE and more CULTURE

- Reflecting on some funny memories, touching moments and unforgettable experiences as a coach for over 40 years

- The gift of being able to see potential and value in players/people where others don’t. 

- Be a STAR IN YOUR ROLE.

- HOT TAKE: The worst question in all of youth sports: “What can I do to get more playing time?” We explain why this common, simple question can be so frustrating and what the better question might be for a player to ask a coach. 

Episode 11 Guest: Jennifer Smith (Retired youth soccer parent)

- Now that her kids are older, Jennifer Smith reflects back on her time as a youth sports soccer parent. Hindsight is 20/20, but she would have done a lot of things differently...

- Non-sports parents on the outside looking in saying... "Are you crazy?" (Like when you reschedule a flight to Italy with your family that has been planned for years for a soccer tournament...For an extra $2,000)

- Whatever it takes not to miss out. Swipe the credit card. Figure it out later. 

- Because of all of the money people are spending on youth sports, the result matter THAT much more. 

- The pressure of pay to play on coaches when it comes to playing time decisions

- Extra training: The "secret starter training" 

- The perpetual fear of falling behind (even if it means overuse injuries)

- Walking a tight rope financially every month, taking on a 2nd job, hoping you make ends meet

- Relief that the 1st college bill is actually CHEAPER than the Youth sports bill

- If you don't play club sports, it's hard to even make a high school team these days

- And a comparison for the ages: Youth sports to Multi-Level Marketing Pyramid Schemes

- AND MORE HOT TAKES!

Episode 10 Guest: Sara Martin (Former volleyball coach)

- Hear stories from a coach who fell in and out of love with coaching...

- We are all TOO ACCESSIBLE these days. Cell phones make it instant gratification/communication. Remember phone trees?

- The golden years of coaching: Before it gets too serious and it's still about the love of the game. 

- Club sports aren't for the best players anymore, they are for everyone. 

- Doing what's "best for the team" is harder and harder to get players AND parents to buy into. 

- Everyone is on board for what's best for the team until it impacts THEM. 

- "Parent Goggles" 

- The unique challenges that women coaches face: Family, sacrifices, stereotypes, being treated differently than their male counterparts, etc. 

- "For male coaches winning is the expectation. For female coaches, winning is not enough."

- 98% of parents are supportive. The 2% can drive coaches away from the profession. 

Episode 9 Guest: Mike Webster (Basketball Official/Referee)

- Everyone loves their youth sports, but without refs... There IS no youth sports.

- Referee abuse is a real issue and it's causing MAJOR ripple effects with shortages nationwide, across all sports. 

- Losing more #s in officiating than we are gaining. Not a sustainable model. 

- Quality officiating is declining because there's no incentive to improve. Even bad officials HAVE to get games because of low #s.  

- As coaches, players, fans... you want to show up to a game and trust that you are getting quality officials.  

- If you're yelling at officials, you aren't coaching your team. 

- If something doesn't change with ref shortages, it won't be a pretty picture. And rural areas will be impacted the most disproportionately. 

- Will the shortage actually impact/change behavior toward refs?

- What causes rational people to act so crazy toward refs?

- The average person doesn't know nearly as much about a "call" as they think they do...

Episode 8: Linda Flanagan (Author/Researcher, Take Back the Game)

- Author of Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania are Ruining Kids' Sports-- And Why it Matters

- Sports used to have a different, less central role in family life

- Obesity problems in America... sports are linked to better outcomes in life. So why are we making them more expensive and LESS accessible?

- Pay to play is shutting out potentially great players. 

- 3 major cultural shifts that have caused drastic changes in youth sports: Decline in public funds/private enterprises capitalizing, OBSESSION with our kids, colleges tying athletic performance to admissions. 

- It's dangerous when sports become your identity, or even worse... when your child's sport becomes your identity as a parent. 

- "Empty Nest Coaches"... Yes, this is a real thing

- Are adults taking care of themselves and their own physical and mental well-being?

Episode 7: Trip Rogers (Centre College Women's Soccer Associate Head Coach)

- Hear the truth about recruiting Myths and Misconceptions from a college coach

- There is NO RETURN on investment when it comes to club/travel sports. I repeat, there is no such thing as a return on investment. 

- No one is earning a scholarship at 10, 11, 12 years old... College coaches do not care where you're traveling at that age. Save your $$$

- College coaches salivate over multi-sport athletes

- Do colleges bear some responsibility for the youth sports machine if they are only recruiting at the big/expensive showcase events where only certain clubs have access?

- Did you know... Most people go to college regionally? Only 2% go further than 5-6 hours away.

- Not all scholarships are created equal. Most people are NOT getting full rides. 

- Recruiting RED FLAGS: Poor body language, social media habits and parental dialogue. 

- ID Camp advice

- Surviving college athletics sets you up for success in life/career

- HOT TAKES are back!

Episode 6: Matt Bomeisl (A3 Baseball Academy Owner/Director)

- A3 Academy: An alternative path for high school age athletes, designed to give an edge to serious athletes to prepare them for college/professional baseball. 

- Travel sports are emphasizing creating "mercenary teams" that meet up to play in showcases, but does this come at the expense of development? 

- American sports mentality vs. other countries: More distractions, less unstructured play

- Are these academies the future of high level sports? And if so, are kids missing out on a more well-rounded high school experience?

- Landing on the right side of history with alternative paths. Don't wind up like Bishop Sycamore...

- Are we teetering in a territory where student-athletes are now becoming athlete-students?

- There's nothing wrong with pushing your kids to greatness