Youth $ports

A Dream That Wouldn't Die

Episode 20: Roni Robinson (Former high school football/basketball standout who spent 4.5 years in jail before beginning his redemption story)
- Roni Robinson was once a candidate for Mr. Kentucky football and Mr. Kentucky basketball in the SAME season with letters from college coaches piling up in trash bags...
- Robinson was a hometown hero, with his whole life ahead of him, packing the stands on Friday nights in his small town of Frankfort, Ky. 
- Robinson was set to play football AND basketball for the University of Tennessee... but there was just 1 problem: The ACT. 
- When Robinson couldn't get the ACT score he needed, the D-1 dream faded and the reality of JUCO was staring him in the face. Robinson, who says his family was struggling to put food on the table and buy clothes, turned to the streets. 
- One night changed the trajectory of Robinson's whole life. Facing a 10-20 year sentence for armed robbery, Robinson's football/basketball future seemed to die...
- Robinson outlines the next 4.5 years of his life spent in jail and how he used his love and skill in basketball and football to get through his sentence. "Basketball was my hustle."
- At 23 years old and 6 years out of organized sports... Robinson's dreams of playing college football and basketball seemed as unlikely as ever. The dream wouldn't die for Robinson and his life is now dedicated to his community and helping young kids learn from his own mistakes. 
- A true story of the very real struggles young athletes face and how redemption, however unlikely, is still possible. 

RANKINGS: Assessing or Obsessing?

Episode 19: Scott Strode (Blue Chips Nation/Prep Hoops Scout)
- Scott Strode works as a basketball writer/scout for PrepHoops 
- Strode sees himself as a connector/referral service between college coaches and players, helping both sides to streamline the recruiting and evaluation process. 
- With many colleges operating on $500 recruiting budgets (No, seriously!), efficiency is crucial. 
- We discuss the obsession with rankings, especially on the side of the parents and players. But guess who really does NOT care about rankings? THE COLLEGE COACHES. Not one time has Strode ever been asked where a player was ranked. 
- What is the 1st question college coaches ask Strode? "Can they defend?"
- Youth sports has become a free market enterprise. No one is forcing parents to spend the $, but at the same time... Are those who stand to gain from their business financially being honest with parents?
- Are people more worried about the attention/social media posts when it comes to offers, commitments, camp invites, etc. than the substance behind it?
- Strode breaks down the current state of AAU basketball and the obsession with shoe circuits. Not necessarily enough talent to justify that many teams in small areas, traveling all over the country for these events. 
- Real talk: Most kids attend college regionally. Most basketball coaches (outside of maybe D1) recruit regionally. 
- And a serial killer comparison you simply were not ready for...
- The HOT TAKES are back! (Tucker/Strode 2028)

The Price WE Pay

Episode 18: Kobe Johnson (Soccer parent/Former soccer player)
- A story of sacrifice and love in the world of youth sports. 
- The 5-6 day weekly grind of being a high school athlete
- Sports can teach kids life lessons: Managing time, prioritizing, working with others, etc. 
- When you sit down and actually add up all of the expenses (10K, 20K... etc...), is it really worth it? Would it have been better to just put that $ into a college fund?
- Some advice on the ID camps. You can't do them all. Pick wisely. Ask questions. Do your research. 
- Coaches need to be honest with kids and parents, but kids and parents also have to want to hear it. Delusion is a powerful drug. 
- Doesn't have to be a "D1 or bust" mentality. It's all about finding the right fit for YOU as a player. Don't worry about the clout of D-1. 
- The sacrifices parents make in order to help their children reach their dreams...
- Kobe has no regrets. She takes the "we will make it work" mentality and believes this is what she signed up for in being a parent. It's worth it to her to be there for her daughter. 
- What happens if after 10+ years of putting time, energy, money, travel, etc. into a sport... your kid decides they are finished. They don't want to play anymore. Then what?
- Sports can be a way for a parent to bond with their child. It can be a lifelong connection. 
- Advice: Be REALISTIC with your child. Not everyone's child is Kobe Bryant or Sophia Smith. A little honesty won't kill them. 
- Uh oh... We forgot the HOT TAKES.

Tipping Point

Episode 17: Katie Filiatreau (Physical Therapist)
- The frequency in which Early Sports Specialization is happening these days is ALARMING! (Spoiler alert: It's NOT good for your kids' long-term future)
- Comparison: Using patient-first language vs. Using athlete-first language. Are we unintentionally putting pressure on our athletes when parents refer to themselves as "Soccer Moms" and "Baseball Dads?"
- The pressure to return to play as quickly as possible. But you only get 1 body, 2 knees, 2 shoulders... Long-term vs. Short-term
- TRUTH BOMB: Early specialization leads to higher risk of overuse injuries. Specialization does NOT equate to greater higher level success at the sport. Diversification is actually statistically better. 
- With the crazy schedules these young athletes are having to keep... Do they really even LOVE the sport anymore?
- Parents help teach kids what they love. Do they really love the sport that much, or is it just the only thing you've allowed them to be exposed to?
- A mind boggling story of the parents of an 8 year-old holding their child back (flawless academically) so he would be more developed in high school for his baseball "career."
- Which begs the question... Should we be making major life/academic choices based on athletics? Especially at a young age?
- It's a problem if the youth sports system makes you feel behind if you haven't already started playing for a travel team by the age of 12. 
- You can work harder than everyone else and the reality is... you still might not be as good as they are. And some of it comes down to... GENETICS!
- An increase in athletes presenting with chronic pain issues at dangerously young ages. 
- Shift from injuries due to just overuse to injuries due to central nervous system problems (cell phone use, mental health issues, lack of sleep, social relationships, etc.)
- Straight from the mouth of a Physical Therapist: YOUR CHILD NEEDS AT LEAST A 3 MONTH BREAK from their sport, and ideally 6 weeks consecutively. (They can play other sports in that time). 
- Beware of coaches, organizations, trainers, etc. who are telling you otherwise or who are telling you to specialize early. 
- Will medical advice be the tipping point to spark change? Or will it be kids or young adults who have just finished up their youth sports career saying, "We aren't going to do this anymore."
- Advice: Don't sacrifice your athlete's long term future for a short term pay off that may never even come...
 
 

Keeping Up With the Joneses

Episode 16: Tansy Coats (Parent of 3/Elementary school teacher)
- The struggles of juggling the weekly youth sports schedule of 3 children. 
- Constantly dividing and conquering. "It takes a village."
- The inequity in opportunity to participate in sports based on family structure, support, transportation, financial ability, etc.
-Sports are supposed to be the great equalizer... but have we created yet another system of haves and have nots?
- Setting boundaries as a family such as only playing 1 sport per season. 
- What about the "other siblings" who may not play sports? Where do they fit into the equation?
- Even at young ages, there's an over-emphasis on winning and a lack of emphasis on development. 
- A comparison: Early tracking of children in education vs. Early tracking of children in youth sports. 
- If we have trophies, rings, wrestling belts, "signing days," etc. for kids by the age of 10, what's left for them to experience later in life?
- TOO MUCH! We don't have to celebrate every small victory in life like it's the Super Bowl
- Are we really doing all of the "extra" for a social media post? 
- And of course... MORE HOT TAKES!
 

Halftime Recap

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!

Changing the Game

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

A Broken Record

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)

A Conversation With My Dad

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. 

Hindsight is 20/20, But the Pressure is 100

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!