Healthy Sports Parents

Some of the healthiest things we can do as sports parents feel completely wrong in the moment. We want to correct every mistake. We want to protect our kids from failure. We want to solve their problems, give them feedback after every game, and keep them from feeling disappointed. But what if those instincts are actually getting in the way of what our kids need most? In this episode, sports psycho...

Youth sports are supposed to help kids grow, compete, fail, learn, and have fun. But somewhere along the way, a lot of adults started acting like fun and hard can’t both exist at the same time. In this episode of  Healthy Sports Parents , Jonathan Carone sits down with former player, coach, and creator Jake Savickifor a conversation about what kids actually need from the adults around th...

Congressman Chris Deluzio and Senator Cory Booker join Healthy Sports Parents creator Jonathan Carone for a conversation about the newly introduced Let Kids Play Act and why they believe youth sports in America are becoming inaccessible for too many families. Instead of focusing only on the details of the legislation, this conversation explores the bigger questions underneath it all: Why do youth...

Youth sports can feel like they’re all about the next game, the next season, or the next level. But what if the bigger opportunity has nothing to do with any of that? In this episode of  Healthy Sports Parents , Jonathan Carone sits down with Lisa Willis to talk about what sports are really meant to give our kids. From her journey through UCLA and the WNBA to her work as a coach tod...

Youth sports are not about winning. They’re about helping our kids become the best version of themselves possible. In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Jeremy Alland, team doctor for the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, for a practical and honest conversation about injuries, overuse, and what parents need to understand about their child’s long-term health. T...

A lot of families hit a point where rec league doesn’t feel like enough anymore, and the next step seems obvious: move to club (travel) sports where kids will get more games, more training, and more opportunity. But before making that jump, it’s worth slowing down and understanding what actually changes when you leave rec behind. In this episode, Jonathan is joined by author Karen Scholl – a mom w...

A lot of families start the youth sports journey with the same goal in mind: play at the highest level possible and see where it goes. But what happens when you actually get there… and realize it wasn’t what you thought it would be? In this conversation, Jonathan sat down with Britt Lee, co-founder of Pure Athlete and a dad who’s walked the full path. His son reached Division I tennis. He also had...

Youth sports can quickly take over family life, leaving parents feeling pressure to specialize early, chase opportunities, and keep up with everyone else. But what if taking youth sports back starts with one simple shift at home? In this episode of the Healthy Sports Parents podcast, ESPN college football reporter and sports mom Heather Dinich joins the conversation to talk about balancing youth s...

What happens when we stop trying to control our kids' sports experience and start helping them own it? In this episode, retired USWNT player and current youth coach / pro team owner Leslie Osborne shares why the healthiest sports journeys are the ones driven by kids, not adults. From playing multiple sports growing up to navigating injuries and life after soccer, Leslie reflects on how ownership,...

Youth sports matter. We care because our kids care. But somewhere along the way, it’s easy for that care to turn into pressure, stress, and taking things way more seriously than we ever intended. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with comedian and sports dad  Dustin Nickerson  to talk about the realities of being a sports parent – the long tournaments, the awkward sideline dynamics, th...

Youth sports can feel heavier than it’s supposed to. Not because parents don’t care. But because they care so much. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with former Nike sports marketer Jordan to pull back the curtain on what’s really shaping the youth sports experience today. From the way brands speak to us, to the rise of travel teams, to the pressure to keep up with other families, there’s more...

Youth sports need more trustworthy adults in kids’ lives. In this episode, Jonathan talks with  Dr. Katlin Okamoto of the U.S. Soccer Foundation  about the single biggest thing youth sports needs right now. It’s not better drills, more tournaments, or earlier specialization. It’s adults who understand that their influence goes far beyond the scoreboard. They explore why coaches often bec...

Youth sports development often focuses on skills, reps, and results. But there’s a missing piece that determines whether kids actually grow, last, and enjoy the journey. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with  Dr. Jonathan Jenkins , Team Clinical and Performance Psychologist for the  New England Patriots  and Behavioral Sport Psychologist for the  Boston Red Sox , to talk abo...

This conversation is an extended version of my interview with Mike Schultz for Parents ’ 100-Year Digital Issue, where he’s being spotlighted as one of today’s most inspiring parents. What actually lasts when the season ends? What happens once you step off the podium and go back to real life? In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Paralympic gold medalist, inventor, and dad Mike Schultz to talk...

In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan sits down with Jason D’Rocha from Sportball to talk about what youth sports are actually for and how early experiences shape kids long after the final whistle. Jason shares why sport can be one of the safest places for kids to do hard things, fail, recover, and grow. They unpack why fun and confidence have to come before competition, what parents...

Youth sports head injuries explained for parents who want to stay informed without being afraid. In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan sits down with  Dr. Christopher Nowinski , co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and one of the leading voices on concussions and CTE, for a calm, honest, and practical conversation about brain health in youth sports. Together, they unpa...

College sports recruiting can feel overwhelming, expensive, and confusing - especially when everyone online seems to have a different answer. In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with three Division I head coaches from softball (Helen Peña, Ball State), women’s volleyball (Dan Meske, University of Louisville), and men’s soccer (Bobby Muuss, Wake Forest) for an hones...

Most parents want the same thing: to support their kids well and help them grow through sports. But somewhere along the way, support can quietly turn into pressure, often without us realizing it. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with  Stacey Nuveman-Deniz , a Division I head coach, Olympian, and sports parent, to talk honestly about where that line actually is and how easy it is to cross i...

Youth sports were never meant to feel like an all in decision with no off ramp. But for a lot of families, that is exactly where things end up. The pressure ramps up, the schedules get overwhelmed, and the choices for where to play start to disappear. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Jennifer Paulett, Director of Corporate Citizenship at ESPN, to talk about the Take Back Sports campaign an...

How youth sports can help your kid grow in 2026 As we close out the year, Eric Williams and I sat down to talk through nine lessons we hope every kid learns through youth sports in 2026. This one is fun, honest, and packed with the kinds of conversations we all want our kids to experience as they grow up through sports. We walk through each lesson on a five minute clock. Some we nail. Others… we d...

In the Season 2 finale, Jonathan sits down with Brea Schmidt — creator of  The Top Bleacher  — for an honest conversation about what kids really need to hear from their parents in youth sports. Together they walk through seven simple but powerful phrases that build confidence, resilience, and connection between parents and their athletes. From “You are more than your sport” to “I love wa...

How does ADHD actually show up in kids — and what does it mean for youth athletes? In this episode, Dr. Joey Case, a sports psychologist at Mississippi State, joins  Healthy Sports Parents  to unpack how ADHD impacts focus, effort, and motivation in sports. He explains what parents and coaches often mistake for laziness or attitude, why ADHD isn’t a character flaw, and how to help kids t...

When a child’s self-worth becomes tied to their performance, every game, race, or competition can feel like a verdict on who they are. In this episode, two-time Olympian Kate Ziegler shares her journey from national records and Olympic appearances to the emotional toll of defining herself by results — and how she finally learned to separate her identity from her performance. We talk about: The hid...

Your kid is not defined by their wins and losses. In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Liberty University Head Coach Ritchie McKay joins Jonathan Carone for one of the most grounded, heartfelt conversations we’ve ever had about identity, faith, family, and loving the game more than the win. Coach McKay has led Liberty basketball to NCAA Tournament wins and conference championships, but what...

When people talk about  Daddy Ball , it usually comes with eye rolls and complaints about favoritism. But the truth is far more complicated. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with state champion coach Julie McCann and her daughter Audrey to talk about what it’s really like when your parent is also your coach. They share the blurred lines between coach and mom, the higher expectations that c...