Surviving Youth Sports

Surviving Youth Sports is a podcast and platform where athletes, parents, and coaches share real stories and honest perspectives from every level of the game. Our guests include the influential voices behind the superstars, parents, mentors, coaches, and former athletes who have lived the experiences that shape today’s sports culture. Expect real conversations about the journey behind the scenes, mental health, motivation, recruiting, parenting, and personal growth. Subscribe for weekly episodes that reveal the truth about what it really takes to survive youth sports.

Surviving Youth Sports is a health podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 35 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Surviving Youth Sports, a health show with 35 episodes published.

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  Surviving Youth Sports

  Frank Decembrino: How Adults Ruin Youth Sports

  Sep 30, 202643 min

  Youth sports are supposed to be about the kids. But somewhere between travel teams, private training, exposure, money, playing time, and adult expectations, it can become hard to tell whose experience it really is. Frank Decembrino, founder of Clubhouse Baseball Academy and longtime leader of the Boilermakers baseball program, joins Rhett to talk honestly about the business and culture surrounding youth sports. They dig into the difference between being profitable and profiteering, programs taking credit for players they didn’t develop, private equity entering youth sports, and why transparency matters more than a team’s record or social media presence. They also explore one of the hardest things for parents to do: get out of the way. Sometimes losing a position, sitting the bench, talking to a coach, or dealing with disappointment is exactly the experience a young athlete needs. And eventually, no matter how much parents invest or sacrifice, they can’t make their kid want it. Follow Frank: @decembrino7 Clubhouse Baseball Academy: @clubhousebaseballacademy

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  Surviving Youth Sports

  David Durand: Expectations can Steal The Joy of Youth Sports

  Sep 23, 202632 min

  Expectations Can Steal the Joy of Youth Sports When does “I want to get better” become “I have to get better or I’m falling behind”? Mental performance consultant David Durand joins Rhett Parker to talk about the pressure surrounding young athletes and how quickly sports can become tied to identity, expectations, comparison, and fear of failure. David shares his own experience specializing early, training obsessively, dealing with burnout, and eventually realizing that hard work alone couldn’t guarantee where basketball would take him. They discuss perfectionism, physical and mental development, social media, genetics, the D1 chase, and why what matters at 12 years old might look very different a few years later. This conversation isn’t about telling kids not to dream big. It’s about recognizing when the pursuit of that dream starts taking something away from them. How do we help kids chase what they want without making them feel like who they become depends on where sports take them?

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  Surviving Youth Sports

  Alyson Stemas: Parents Aren’t Crazy. They’re Uninformed.

  Sep 9, 202639 min

  Parents get called “crazy” in youth sports all the time. But what if a lot of that behavior comes from parents trying to navigate a system they don’t fully understand? Former competitive figure skater and youth sports parent Alyson Stemas joins Rhett to talk about raising a competitive young golfer, the pressure parents feel to keep up, and what happens when families invest significant time and money without a clear understanding of development or their role in it. They discuss parents cheating for their kids, early specialization, comparison, the difference between supporting and coaching your own child, and why sometimes your kid will listen to a coach say the exact same thing they refuse to hear from you. A conversation about giving parents better information, creating healthier communication between coaches and families, and remembering that the return on youth sports doesn’t always have to be a scholarship. Sometimes it’s having a kid who still loves their sport when they’re 75.

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  Surviving Youth Sports

  Bill Hoopes: Parents Are Losing Themselves in Youth Sports

  Aug 26, 202644 min

  Parents spend years driving to practices, sitting through tournaments, paying for lessons, and helping their kids chase their dreams. But somewhere along the way, how many parents start losing themselves in the process? Bill Hoopes, longtime softball coach, tournament director, author, and founder of Lead Your Journey, joins Rhett to talk about the pressure surrounding youth sports from both sides of the fence. They discuss why comparison creates false urgency, how constant instruction can strain the parent-athlete relationship, and why more games, more exposure, and more training don't always mean better development. Bill also shares what he's seen happen to parents who spend years making youth sports their entire world. Because eventually the games end. The question is whether we can support our kids fully without losing our own health, relationships, and identity along the way. Connect with Bill Hoopes: Instagram, Facebook & TikTok: @60ForMe Lead Your Journey: leadyourjourney.com

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  Surviving Youth Sports

  Craig Bishop: What Parents Say They Want vs. What They Actually Chase

  Aug 12, 202638 min

  Craig Bishop: What Parents Say They Want vs. What They Actually Chase What do parents really want from youth sports? Most of us would say development. But when the pressure of competition sets in, do our decisions tell a different story? In this episode, Rhett Parker sits down with longtime coach, parent, instructor, and facility owner Craig Bishop for an honest conversation about the realities of youth sports. After decades of coaching elite athletes, Craig shares how becoming a parent completely changed his perspective and made him a better coach. Together, they explore the tension between winning and development, why ages 11 to 14 are some of the most misunderstood years in sports, and how parents and coaches can better support young athletes through those critical seasons. This conversation isn’t about choosing one “right” path. It’s about understanding our motivations, setting realistic expectations, and remembering that the relationships we build along the way often matter more than the scoreboard. In this episode: • Why many parents say they value development but end up chasing wins • How becoming a parent changed Craig’s approach to coaching • Why puberty, not the opposing team, is often the biggest challenge between ages 11 and 14 • The difference between providing value and simply winning games • Why empathy and self-awareness can transform the youth sports experience Whether you’re a parent, coach, or athlete, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the pressures, expectations, and perspective shifts that come with surviving youth sports.

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