Youth $ports

Sounds Nice, Make it Twice

Episode 85: Wilder Treadway (Returning guest)
🎙 This week on the Youth $ports Podcast: I welcome back Wilder Treadway for Round 2. Honestly, the best way to describe this episode is a complete smorgasbord of women’s sports, youth athletics, culture, Olympic talk, creativity, and some truly unhinged (but necessary) hot takes.
🔹 The WNBA’s current turmoil, as the league and players association head toward negotiations that feel increasingly unstable… with a potential lockout looming.
🔹 How the WNBA has had a 30-year head start, yet the new 3-on-3 league Unrivaled is already lapping it in buzz, innovation, and fan excitement.
🔹 Why Unrivaled’s creativity, from sellout crowds to viral social media moments, is exactly what modern sports leagues need to survive and thrive.
🔹 The brilliance of Unrivaled’s $200,000 one-on-one tournament, and how it exposed the NBA All-Star weekend’s growing problem: zero compelling storylines.
🔹 A bigger conversation about thinking outside the box in 2026… and why leagues can’t rely on tradition alone to hold attention anymore.
🔹 The frustrating reality that brands have missed opportunities for YEARS when it comes to investing in women’s sports and women athletes.
🔹 The lack of early-season excitement in women’s college basketball, and why the sport could learn from women’s volleyball: schedule big matchups early and build momentum.
🔹 The layered reasons behind the issue: cuts to sports journalism, coaches avoiding risky schedules, and a system that rewards playing it safe.
🔹 Wilder’s greatest passion makes an appearance: coach outfits. Covid is over. The spotlight is back. Dress like it matters.
🔹 A passionate plea to stop posting AI-generated caricatures of yourself, your family, or you hanging out with the Grinch… “AI is not telling you the truth, Becky.”
🔹 Wilder’s spiciest cultural hot take: it may be time to bring back… just a little bit of shame.
🔹 Olympic talk through a youth sports lens: how does a child even discover they’re destined for Skeleton or Curling?
🔹 A fascinating discussion of Norway’s youth sports model, and what the U.S. could learn from their long-term Olympic development pipeline.
🔹 The closing reminder: it’s okay to not have a strong opinion about everything… sometimes the healthiest choice is simply sitting one out.

Rebuilding and Redefining

Episode 84: Nate Tucker (Paralympic Gold Medalist, World Champion)
🎙 This week on the Youth $ports Podcast: I sit down with Paralympic World Champion & Paralympic Gold Medalist middle-distance runner Nate Tucker, whose story is equal parts shocking, inspiring, and unforgettable.
🔹 Nate grew up in a one-of-a-kind household  with two Olympian parents still actively competing, where hard work wasn’t preached… it was lived.
🔹 Every morning started with family workouts in the garage… ending in 50-meter sprint races down the street. Nate says, “Rent is due every day.”
🔹 At age 10, Nate’s life changed instantly after a freak golf accident left him with a traumatic brain injury and paralysis on the right side of his body.
🔹 Doctors feared lifelong limitations. Nate had to relearn how to eat, write with his left hand, and navigate a new reality with a stutter and learning disability.
🔹 He opens up about struggling to fit in at school, being bullied, and feeling like his identity was taken away. “I learned I can’t build my identity on sports alone.”
🔹 Running began as therapy… but became a path forward that pushed him beyond what the world expected.
🔹 Nate became a high school All-American competing against able-bodied athletes, breaking school records and finishing among the best in Georgia.
🔹 In college, he faced setbacks, mental roadblocks, and failure, but learned that “you wake up every day entitled to nothing.”
🔹 With encouragement from his mom, Nate pursued the Paralympics… even after spending years hiding his disability.
🔹 He shares powerful insight on “invisible disabilities” and why they can be just as taxing as what people can see.
🔹 Nate broke the world record in his first Paralympic race, and eventually became a T38 Paralympic Olympic Gold Medalist.
🔹 And for Olympic fans… Nate gives incredible behind-the-scenes perspective on what it’s REALLY like: 15,000 miles of training… for 3 minutes and 50 seconds on the world stage.

Pulling Back the Curtain

Episode 83: Greg Visinho (Former Division III Women's Soccer Coach/Current club coach)
🎙 This week on the Youth $ports Podcast: I sit down with Greg Visinho, a former Division III women’s soccer coach and current club coach, to pull back the curtain on the realities of Division III athletics and the pressure-filled recruiting culture surrounding youth soccer.
🔹 What the Division III experience actually looks like when there are no athletic scholarships and why “student-athlete” is truly in the right order.
🔹 Dismantling the “D1 or bust” mentality and how this narrative often starts at the club level, not with college coaches.
🔹 Why so many athletes grow up with an inflated view of their ability, and how that disconnect can lead to disappointment, anxiety, and burnout.
🔹 The uncomfortable truth about club soccer as a business...commitment posts, acronyms, branding, and selling the dream.
🔹 Why Division III provides a well-rounded, rigorous, and meaningful college experience, even without the national spotlight.
🔹 The stigma attached to non–Division I athletics—and why it couldn’t be further from reality.
🔹 The role academics play at the D3 level, including majors that are often off-limits at some Division I programs.
🔹 A real conversation about massive Division III rosters and JV teams: developmental opportunity or enrollment strategy?
🔹 Greg explains the administrative pressure to carry large rosters and why “healthy and vibrant” can mean very different things to coaches vs. college administrators.
🔹 Recruiting patience at the D3 level: why many kids aim higher than is realistic, and how reality eventually sets in.
🔹 Why promises of playing time can be fool’s gold, and how misleading expectations often start long before the college level.
🔹 The big message for families: most kids can play college soccer somewhere—but we need to take the pressure off and redefine what success actually looks like.

Talking Shop with Craig Skinner

Episode 82: Craig Skinner (University of Kentucky volleyball coach)
🎙 This week on the Youth $ports Podcast: I sit down 1-on-1 with Kentucky Volleyball head coach Craig Skinner, one of the most accomplished coaches in college sports.
🔹 Fresh off a national championship appearance, 9th straight SEC regular season title, 21st NCAA Tournament, and a 2020 national championship, Skinner reflects on excellence and what comes after the confetti falls.
🔹 From carrying trophies to carrying firewood, Craig opens up about the quiet moments after an incredible season and the calm after the storm.
🔹 He shares the story of meeting his wife Meg, the reality of two coaches in one marriage, and the best blunt advice his wife gave him after his 1st SEC loss: “Shut up and get back to work.”
🔹 Marriage, coaching, and life wisdom: “The more you give, the more you receive.” Unconditional trust > perfection.
🔹 A powerful message for youth sports parents: Be the parent, not the coach. Your kids need you to be the same person after their best game and their worst.
🔹 Skinner explains why failure is a gift for kids and why always rescuing them does more harm than good.
🔹 He almost left coaching for banking… and admits he’s questioned the path more than once—but always finds his way back. 
🔹 Why winning has never been the goal: “Winning is a by-product of the micro and macro decisions you make every day.”
🔹 Transformational vs. transactional coaching, and why Skinner says today’s college athletics feel “worse than the Wild West.”
🔹 What made this Kentucky team special: different roles, equal value.
🔹 Recruiting truths parents NEED to hear: heart is non-negotiable, parents doing everything for their kid is a red flag, and they are not recruiting your 7th or 8th grader.
🔹 Plus: Eva Hudson, insane schedules, former players showing up decades later, and the randomest way a recruit has ever landed on his radar.

2026 Youth $ports Ins & Outs

Episode 81: Jordan Paker & Toni Cannon (Heated Rivals)
Repeat guests Jordan Parker and Toni Cannon join host Ally Tucker to deliver the 2026 Youth Sports Ins & Outs. We want the Ins to stay and the Outs to go! ... And a special guest joins us for the 1st time to drop a few In/Out bombs. 
A few teasers for the Ins:
- Saying "no" to absurd youth sports travel, expenses, competition, etc. 
-T-shirt jerseys
- Messy parents
- More ridiculous sporting events. 
- And many, many more...
 
A few teasers for the Outs:
- College level graphics, social media announcements, AI-generated graphics, etc. 
- Going to your kid's practice and watching every minute
- Self-tanner
- Apple Watches
- And many, many more...

Included

Episode 80: Chris Collins (Ability to Include, Inc.)
🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Chris Collins of Ability to Include, a nonprofit focused on reducing disparities in education, recreation, and advocacy for children with special needs and their families. We talk about how Chris’s love of soccer and background in special education shaped his coaching philosophy, why sports are one of the most powerful (and underused) tools for teaching social and emotional skills, and how inclusive programs can change the lives of not just kids—but entire families. 
🔹 From Soccer Player to Inclusive CoachChris shares how growing up around soccer and coaching competitively intersected with his early work supporting preschoolers with special needs.
🔹 Teaching Meets CoachingHe explains how strategies used in special education translate seamlessly to motivating athletes in competitive environments.
🔹 Applied Behavior Analysis on the FieldChris breaks down how ABA principles help reinforce effort, behavior, and emotional growth through sport.
🔹 Praise Is the BaselineRegardless of wins or losses, positive feedback at the end of practice should be non-negotiable.
🔹 TOPSoccer and Inclusive PlayA look at the national TOPSoccer program and its mission to provide meaningful soccer experiences for athletes of all abilities.
🔹 Why Volunteers Matter So MuchVolunteer coaches and mentors are essential in creating safe, fun, and engaging environments for inclusive sports.
🔹 Sports Teach What Curriculum Can’tSkills like flexibility, communication, emotional regulation, and handling loss develop naturally on playgrounds and soccer fields.
🔹 Generalizing Skills to Real LifeChris explains why the ultimate goal is helping kids apply classroom learning to real-world situations.
🔹 A Different Kind of Coaching FulfillmentTransitioning away from club soccer, Chris reflects on the gratitude and perspective he’s gained from inclusive coaching.
🔹 Breaking the Isolation for FamiliesAbility to Include provides community and connection for families who often feel isolated raising children with disabilities.
🔹 Sports as a Lifelong ConnectorChris shares how his strongest friendships came through sports and why every family deserves those same opportunities.
🔹 The Missing Piece: Adults with DisabilitiesWe discuss a major blind spot in society: limited programs and community options for individuals with special needs after high school.
🔹 Hot Take Life AdviceA personal lesson learned the hard way: never compare a friend’s ex to vanilla ice cream… especially if they might get back together.

A Different Lens

Episode 79: Jenna Filipkowski (Psychologist/Soccer Mom)
🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Jenna Filipkowski, a youth soccer parent and psychologist who offers a refreshingly honest look at the youth sports landscape. Jenna admits she never loved soccer growing up, becoming a “professional soccer mom by happenstance.” Together, we explore how quickly youth sports become intense, expensive, and all-consuming, why parent behavior on the sidelines would be considered wildly dysfunctional in a normal workplace, and how social hierarchy, information gatekeeping, and fear of missing out quietly shape the youth sports experience. We also talk about the unexpected beauty of it all—and how, done right, sports can create a lifelong bond between parent and child.
🔹 A Soccer Parent by AccidentJenna didn’t grow up loving the game but found herself fully immersed once her son started playing.
🔹 The “Vibe Checker” RoleRather than focusing on tactics or technique, Jenna embraces being the supportive manager and emotional temperature-checker.
🔹 Drinking from a Fire HoseYouth sports offer incredible benefits, but the intensity, cost, and commitment escalate fast.
🔹 When Soccer Dominates Family LifeJenna estimates that more than 50% of daily conversation with her spouse revolves around youth soccer.
🔹 The 5:30 Practice PuzzleMaking it to practice requires near-perfect logistical alignment and parents feel it every weekday.
🔹 Why It’s Still Worth ItWatching your child improve, love something, and have big moments makes all the stress feel meaningful.
🔹 Kid-Centered… but Parent-BlindYouth sports revolve around kids, yet often ignore the realities of working parents and family schedules.
🔹 Sidelines as a Psychological Case StudyFrom a psychologist’s lens, much of the behavior we normalize on the sidelines would be labeled toxic in any workplace.
🔹 The Social Hierarchy of TeamsStar players, inner circles, and “power families” shape team dynamics more than we like to admit.
🔹 Information Is CurrencyGatekeeping knowledge about clubs, teams, and opportunities becomes a quiet form of power.
🔹 Fear, Panic, and FOMOParents worry about falling behind, missing opportunities, or making the “wrong” choice in an opaque system.
🔹 Presence Over PerfectionDespite the chaos, youth sports can be one of the few places parents are fully present and deeply connected.
🔹 A Lifelong Bond—If You Let It BeHandled well, youth sports don’t end after the final whistle—they can become a positive, shared language well into adulthood, starting with the car ride home.

Clocking In

Episode 78: Leslie Davis (Cross Country and Track Coach at Lafayette HS)
🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Leslie Davis, former Kentucky state champion in the 800 and now a cross country and track coach (and English teacher) at Lafayette High School in Lexington, KY. We dig into why running may be the most inclusive and accessible sport in schools, how it teaches kids to choose hard things, and the real mental, physical, and emotional challenges young runners face… from discipline and burnout to body image and puberty. Davis shares what makes track and field so uniquely diverse, and why the boom of running in Kentucky is giving more kids a place to belong.
🔹 From State Champ to Educator-Coach Davis reflects on her journey from elite athlete to coaching both cross country and track while teaching in the classroom.
🔹 The Case for Multi-Sport Athletes Why playing multiple sports does more than prevent injury. It exposes kids to different team cultures before they silo off in middle/high school.
🔹 Running Is for Everyone Cross country and track offer one of the most inclusive spaces in youth sports: affordable, accessible, and built for improvement at any level.
🔹 The Oldest Form of Competition “How fast can you get from Point A to Point B?” Davis explains the universal simplicity that makes running so powerful.
🔹 You Don’t Need $300 Shoes As running booms in America, we talk about gear culture, expensive watches, and why grit still matters more than gadgets.
🔹 Choosing to Do Hard Things “How do you get someone to choose pain?” Davis shares how running teaches kids they can handle discomfort in sport and in life.
🔹 Coaching the Mind, Not Just the Body Why mental skills are just as critical as physical training for young athletes.
🔹 A Stadium Full of Specialists Track and field requires a massive, diverse coaching staff—yet gets a fraction of the funding football does.
🔹 Every Kind of Kid Belongs From multi-sport athletes in EVERY sport to first-time athletes, Davis explains how track represents every corner of the school community.
🔹 A Fresh Start in High School Unlike travel-heavy sports, running gives kids a chance to try something new in high school and still find success.
🔹 Discipline vs. Obsession We unpack Type A vs. Type B athletes, burnout, and how discipline can quietly slide into unhealthy extremes.
🔹 Body Image & Food Talk Matter Davis urges parents to be mindful of how they talk about eating and bodies, especially with motivated young runners.
🔹 Puberty and the Female Athlete An under-discussed reality: girls’ bodies change, performance may dip, and it can feel like losing “the magic.” But, “You don’t suddenly suck.”
🔹 What the Sport Is Really About “The point is to see what our bodies can do, not what they can look like.”
🔹 Why Kids Keep Showing Up At the end of the day, kids just want something fun, challenging, and team-centered… and running is exploding in Kentucky because of it.

Culture Shock

Episode 77: Jordan Heuglin (Trinity Boys Soccer Head Coach)
🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Jordan Heuglin, head soccer coach at his alma mater, Trinity High School in Louisville, KY, to talk about winning at a high level without losing perspective. Jordan reflects on his unconventional soccer journey, the pressure parents and players feel in today’s youth sports landscape, and why culture—not trophies—has become the true measure of success.
🔹 From Rec Soccer to the Top of Kentucky Soccer Jordan shares his rare path to high-level soccer, playing mostly recreationally until freshman year at Trinity, when he realized club soccer was necessary just to keep up.
🔹 The Burnout Blessing Coming to club soccer later helped Jordan avoid burnout, a perspective that now shapes how he thinks about long-term player development.
🔹 Why Parents Feel the FOMO Jordan points out that every player on Trinity’s roster last season had club experience, helping explain the pressure families feel to start early.
🔹 Pressure vs. Expectations Jordan reframes expectations as a positive..proof that people care…and explains why perspective determines whether pressure becomes productive or destructive.
🔹 Rethinking What “Success” Really Means Only one team wins the final game each season, so measuring success solely by championships guarantees failure for everyone else.
🔹 Culture Over Everything Coming off of back-to-back 18+ win seasons, Jordan says this past year was one of the most memorable of his career because of the team’s culture.
🔹 Building Leaders Within the Team Jordan breaks down how a leadership team and bi-weekly meetings help him take the pulse of the program and address issues early.
🔹 The Stages of Becoming a Team From forming to storming to performing, Jordan explains why teams that move quickly through early stages often have an edge.
🔹 Talent Gets You There. Character Keeps You There. Following a successful first year, Jordan revamped his tryout process to prioritize coachability, work ethic, competitiveness, and body language.
🔹 College Coaches Are Asking a New Question Beyond talent, Jordan reveals the lingering question college coaches now ask: “How are the parents?”—and why that matters more than ever.
🔹 When Culture Is on the Line Jordan is clear: no amount of talent is worth culture degradation, and he shares why putting expectations and values in writing is essential.
🔹 The Bigger Picture Jordan also weighs in on the public vs. private state championship debate and the importance of supportive athletic directors who align with a program’s vision.

It's a Business, Man

🎙 In this episode: I sit down with Cameron Korab, founder of the Youth Sports Business Report, to unpack why the word business makes so many people feel uncomfortable when placed next to youth sports and why ignoring that reality might be hurting families more than helping them. With the industry valued at $54 billion and projected to skyrocket to $300 billion by 2035, Korab breaks down what’s driving the growth, who’s entering the space, and how the right brands could actually lower the cost for families.
🔹 The Business Nobody Wants to Talk About People get uncomfortable admitting youth sports is an industry, but the numbers don’t lie: it’s already a $54B market and rapidly expanding.
🔹 A Mission to Inform Korab created the Youth Sports Business Report to be the most trusted source for news, insights, and analysis across the entire youth sports landscape.
🔹 Everyone Is Connected to Youth Sports Like “the 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon,” almost everyone either played youth sports or knows someone who did…making it a universal topic.
🔹 The Narrative Has Turned Negative Korab believes the national conversation often focuses on what’s wrong, overshadowing how positive youth sports can be when done right.
🔹 Private Equity’s Long Game PE firms entered youth sports 15–20 years ago, eyeing consolidation and opportunity. Korab sees a chance for new players to improve the space rather than exploit it.
🔹 Recreational vs. Travel: A Shift in Balance Rec sports should make up the biggest slice, but the explosion of travel teams (A through M squads) has crowded out traditional rec options.
🔹 Brands Could Become Heroes With the right intentions, big brands could step in to relieve financial pressure instead of adding to it.
🔹 The Wild Potential of the Audience The youth sports audience is as large—or larger—than that of all professional sports combined, with over 55 billion cumulative annual touchpoints.
🔹 Good Actors vs. Cash Grabs Korab argues that “good actor brands” could reshape affordability, while I raise concerns about pop-ups chasing quick money off parents’ FOMO.
🔹 Families Want Simplicity Parents are overwhelmed by too many apps, platforms, and teams. A major consolidation feels overdue.
🔹 Hoping for a Better Future If the right companies step into the space, youth sports could become more accessible, less predatory, and more balanced for families.
🔹 A Final Hot Take We wrap with a spicy truth bomb about how to actually know whether your employer values you.