Be Valiant - Powered by Valiant Sports Society

Jonathan Carone, founder of Healthy Sports Parents, joins Valiant Sports Society CEO & Founder, and host, Todd Merkow to talk about what youth sports parenting looks like when the focus shifts from pressure and performance to joy, growth, and long-term development. In this episode, Jonathan shares how his own experience as an athlete, coach, and dad shaped his mission to help parents better unders...

In this episode of Be Valiant , host Todd Merkow sits down with former Olympian, elite beach volleyball player, and coach Liz Masakayan for a candid, real-world conversation about what youth sports has become—and what it should be. Drawing from her experience as both an athlete and coach, Liz breaks down the growing tension between structure and freedom in youth sports. From the pressures of tryou...

In this episode of Be Valiant, Todd sits down with former Arizona State standout and SportsForce CEO Andrew Beinbrink to unpack the reality of youth sports development and the college recruiting process. Andrew shares his journey from multi-sport athlete to pro baseball, and how those experiences shaped his mission to help families navigate one of the most confusing—and often misunderstood—paths i...

In this episode of Be Valiant , host Todd Merkow sits down with Christian Lavers — founder and president of the ECNL (Elite Clubs National League) and a lifelong coach who has helped shape the modern landscape of elite youth soccer and college recruiting. Christian shares his own youth sports journey, how his parents approached sports in their household, and what ultimately pulled him from finance...

In this episode of Be Valiant , Todd Merkow sits down with Dr. Erik Dean , Medical Director for Sports Medicine at HonorHealth and a former University of Arizona Division I football player, for a no-fluff conversation every sports parent needs to hear. Dr. Dean breaks down what he's seen change over 25 years treating athletes—especially the sharp rise in early specialization , overuse injuries , a...

Be Valiant sits down with Joel Votaw, Arizona's State Referee Administrator and a longtime youth sports parent, for a conversation from the perspective most families never hear: the middle of the field. Joel shares what today's referee landscape really looks like—why a huge percentage of officials are teenagers, what drives the ongoing referee shortage, and how sideline behavior (from parents and...

This episode is a must-listen for softball parents (and yes—baseball parents too). Todd Merkow sits down with Crystalrae States, a former Division II catcher, longtime coach, and the founder/owner of Boilermaker Softball Club in Pennsylvania—built with a clear mission: female-first development, led by high-quality coaches, and anchored in perspective, communication, and care. Crystalrae shares her...

In this heartfelt and often hilarious episode of Be Valiant , Todd Merkow sits down with longtime friend Linda Santo —sports parent, sports media veteran, and the daughter of Chicago Cubs icon and MLB Hall of Famer Ron Santo—for a wide-ranging conversation about youth sports culture, pressure, and what it really takes to protect kids' confidence and joy. Linda begins with her own unique upbringing...

In the final episode of the three-part series "When the Dream Unexpectedly Changes," Todd Merkow sits down with longtime family friend Will Proctor to hear the athlete's full story—after earlier conversations with Will's parents, Jeff and Lisa Proctor. Will shares how sports shaped his identity from a young age, how baseball became his obsession, and how early success brought elite opportunities—a...

In Part 2 of 3 of When the Dream Unexpectedly Changes , Todd Merkow sits down with Lisa Proctor —attorney, former ranked junior tennis player in Texas, marathoner, and the mother at the center of the Proctor family's youth sports journey. Lisa shares her own athletic story first: a highly competitive tennis career that unraveled in her senior year as she struggled with what we now recognize as the...

In this episode of Be Valiant , host Todd Merkow is joined by longtime friend, sports media executive, and Valiant Sports Society board member Jeff Proctor for the first conversation in a three-part family series examining youth sports, pressure, injury, and identity. From Jeff's perspective as a former collegiate athlete and father of two, this episode explores what it's like to support a child n...

In this episode of Be Valiant , host Todd Merkow sits down with longtime Arizona sports broadcaster and sports parent Jody Jackson for a candid conversation about navigating youth sports, competition, and mental health. Jody shares her unique perspective as a former collegiate athlete and the parent of two high-level youth athletes—a quarterback and a pitcher—two of the most pressure-filled positi...

In this powerful and deeply human episode of Be Valiant, Todd Merkow sits down with Mark Hilinski, co-founder of Hilinski's Hope and father of Tyler Hilinski, the Washington State quarterback who died by suicide in 2018. Todd opens with the sobering reality that college sports continues to face devastating losses—reminding listeners that high-achieving athletes can carry unseen mental and emotiona...

As we take a short holiday pause from releasing new episodes, we wanted to re-share another conversation that continues to resonate deeply with parents and athletes. This episode features an open and thoughtful conversation with my oldest daughter,  Madison , about her youth sports experience — including pressure, expectations, confidence, setbacks, and how athletes learn to advocate for themselve...

As we head into the holiday break and take a brief pause from releasing new episodes, we wanted to re-share one of the most meaningful conversations from the Be Valiant podcast. This episode features an honest and deeply personal conversation with my daughter, Sydney Merkow, about her youth sports journey — including identity, pressure, expectations, confidence, and the emotional realities that of...

Host Todd Merkow talks with Kirsten Jones — former Division I volleyball player, Nike executive, performance coach, and author of  Raising Empowered Athletes — about what it really takes to help kids thrive in sports and in life. Drawing on her experiences as both a parent and professional, Kirsten shares insights into confidence, mental health, motivation, and how to redefine success in youth ath...

Host Todd Merkow sits down with former Arizona State University women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne — one of the winningest coaches in Pac-12 history — for a powerful conversation about leadership, culture, and the evolving landscape of youth and college sports. Charlie shares insights from decades of coaching elite athletes, discusses the mental and emotional challenges young players fa...

In this powerful conversation, Todd Merkow sits down with journalist, coach, and parent Linda Flanagan, author of Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports — and Why It Matters. Together, they unpack what the modern youth sports ecosystem really looks like — from the billion-dollar pressures on families to the hidden toll it takes on kids' mental health.   This book is a mus...

Host, Todd Merkow sits down with Arizona sportscaster and longtime youth sports parent Kevin McCabe to reflect on how high school athletics have changed over the years. Kevin shares insights on the as a sports parent, the high school athlete system, and how shifts affect kids who want to play multiple sports. Together, they talk about the role of coaches in shaping culture, the challenges families...

Valiant Sports Society, founder and CEO, Todd Merkow talks with Dr. Robert "Bob" Dranoff, longtime commissioner of the East Coast Conference (NCAA Division II), about the sweeping changes in college athletics and what they mean for families. From NIL and transfer rules to the viability of smaller colleges, Bob offers a commissioner's view on where college sports are headed. The conversation also e...

In this episode, Todd talks with USA Today columnist and author Steve Borelli about the rise of travel sports and their impact on families. Steve shares insights from his reporting and his own experience as a sports parent, diving into the costs, pressures, and cultural shifts shaping youth athletics today. Together, they explore how commercialization, burnout, and parent expectations affect kids...

In this episode, Todd reconnects with longtime friend and coach Mike Strati to talk about the realities of youth sports from both the sidelines and the bench. Mike shares his perspective as a dad, coach, and mentor on what kids really need to thrive in today's competitive environment. Together, Todd and Mike dive into culture, coaching styles, the balance between development and performance, and t...

Todd and his daughter Sydney revisit her years in competitive soccer — from early youth leagues to the pressures of high school and club play. Sydney shares what it was like to balance joy with expectations, mental health, navigate challenging health issues, and grow as both a leader and a player. Together, father and daughter reflect on the lessons soccer gave her on and off the pitch, and what e...

Host of Be Valiant, Todd Merkow, sits down with his oldest daughter, Madison Merkow, for an honest conversation about growing up in the world of competitive volleyball. From indoor gyms to the sand courts, Madison shares the highs and lows of her experience: the pressure of tryouts, the coaching experiences, the emotional challenges of injuries, and the joy of finding her place in beach volleyball...