Surviving Youth Sports

What is the youth sports dream really costing families? In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports, Rhett Parker sits down with Bobby Minor, a former Division I player, coach, recruiting evaluator, organization director, and father who has spent decades around the game of baseball. Together, they unpack the rising costs of travel sports, the pressure created by rankings and invitations, the reality...

Justin Furtado, founder of BTG Basketball and host of Beyond the Scoreboard , joins Rhett for an honest conversation about one of the most uncomfortable parts of youth sports: not playing. From playing time battles to overinvolved parents, Justin and Rhett explore how the lessons kids learn through disappointment often matter more than the scoreboard. They discuss why being on the bench isn’t alwa...

Former MLB All-Star Michael Saunders knows what it’s like to chase the dream. From representing Canada in the Little League World Series to spending nearly a decade in the Major Leagues, baseball has been a huge part of his life. But today, he’s navigating youth sports from a different perspective: as a dad. In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports, Michael shares why none of his kids play baseba...

What if the biggest threat to youth baseball isn't a lack of talent, but the system surrounding the game? This week, Rhett sits down with Deven Morgan, Director of Youth Baseball at Driveline Baseball, for a conversation about athlete development, pitch counts, multi-sport participation, overuse injuries, and the growing pressure families face in modern youth sports. Deven shares why "kids are not...

What if the biggest youth sports decision isn't which team your child joins, but whether they ever had the chance to choose for themselves? This week, Rhett Parker sits down with Jason D'Rocha, Vice President of Sportball, to discuss early specialization, parent expectations, and why exposing kids to multiple sports may be one of the most important investments families can make. The conversation e...

This episode is one of the most important conversations we’ve had on Surviving Youth Sports. Rhett sits down with Carson Leiden from A World Free of Suicide, Corey and Kelly Widman from Widdy’s Work, and Carlos Ramirez from JR98 Inc. to talk about mental health, suicide prevention, pressure, identity, grief, and the realities many athletes and families quietly carry. The conversation explores how...

This week on Surviving Youth Sports, Rhett sits down with coach, parent, endurance athlete, and fitness business owner Devon Brown for an honest conversation about burnout, pressure, rankings, recruiting, and what happens when youth sports starts taking over family life. Devon shares what it’s like raising three boys on completely different athletic journeys, including one son currently ranked #1...

Matt Dumouchelle joins Surviving Youth Sports to talk about youth hockey, athlete development, parenting, and the pressure surrounding modern youth sports culture. Matt is a contributor for The Coaches Site, host of Coaching Crossover, and someone deeply involved in helping youth sports organizations improve the experience they create for kids and families. This conversation explores: • Early spec...

Alonzo Mitz and Logwone Mitz join Surviving Youth Sports as the show’s first father-son duo, bringing two different generations of football, parenting, and perspective into one conversation. Alonzo shares his journey from Florida to the University of Florida and the Seattle Seahawks, while Logwone reflects on growing up in Washington, becoming a multi-sport athlete, and navigating life after footb...

Derek Bingham joins Surviving Youth Sports for a personal conversation about what it really looks like to coach, parent, and stay present in the middle of a busy sports life. As the longtime head baseball coach at Lake Washington High School, Derek has spent more than two decades helping other people’s kids grow through sports. But this episode goes deeper than wins, titles, or coaching experience...

Jason Collinsworth, host of the I Hate Soccer Podcast , joins the show to talk about a question more families are starting to ask but don’t always say out loud: When did youth sports stop being fun? After more than 20 years of coaching and working closely with players and parents, Jason has seen the same patterns play out again and again. Pressure from adults. Club culture driven by status. Kids s...

Drew Reiners, founder of West Coast Premier Tournaments, joins Rhett Parker to unpack a side of youth sports that rarely gets talked about. With nearly two decades of experience running large-scale baseball events, Drew shares what it actually takes to organize tournaments that thousands of families depend on each year. This conversation goes beyond schedules and logistics. It explores the tension...

Brandon Harmon is a college baseball coach at Gonzaga, a dad of three, and right in the middle of what he calls the youth sports blender. Something every day. Practices. Games. Car rides. Repeat. In this conversation, he and Rhett Parker talk through what that actually looks like. The nonstop schedule, the pressure to chase opportunities, and the challenge of balancing development with enjoyment....

At one point, Andrew Walling was at the top. Throwing mid-90s. Big opportunities. A path that looked like it was only going one way. Then it didn’t. Injuries, pressure, and the weight of expectations started to take over. Confidence slipped. The yips showed up. And for the first time, he questioned if he even wanted to keep playing. This episode is about that fall… and the climb back. Finding the...

Rhett sits down with longtime coach and mentor Marc Wiese, whose career spans youth baseball, high school state championships, college programs, and USA Baseball. Having coached his own sons and thousands of players along the way, Marc brings a perspective shaped by both success and reflection. This conversation centers on what youth sports really becomes over time. The relationships, the environm...

In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports , host Rhett Parker sits down with basketball coach James Lane to talk about the reality of youth sports from multiple perspectives. James has lived nearly every side of the game. He played Division I basketball, coached at the college and high school level, helped run a youth basketball league with more than 70 teams, and now coaches his own daughters whi...

In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports , Rhett Parker sits down with Tara Henry, General Manager of Softball America and a leader in international softball development. Tara shares what she’s learned from coaching and traveling around the world and how youth sports culture in the United States often prioritizes winning over development. The conversation explores coach education, parent influenc...

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, Ian Ritchie shares an honest look at youth sports rankings, projection versus performance, and the emotional pressure placed on families navigating elite baseball. From Perfect Game rankings to development on the national stage, Ian explains why rankings can create confusion, frustration, and misplaced focus. He also shares a powerful story involving Roman...

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Ian Ritchie, father of Atlanta Braves first-round pick JR Ritchie, shares honest lessons about parenting in youth sports. This episode explores coaching your own child, holding a higher standard without damaging the relationship, and supporting siblings who choose different paths. From Bainbridge Island Little League to elite travel baseball, Ian reflects o...

In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports , Rhett sits down with Angie Mentink. Many know Angie from her work covering Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners. Others remember her playing days with the UW Softball Huskies and the Colorado Silver Bullets. But here, she speaks as a parent navigating the realities of youth sports with two very different sons. Angie reflects on parenting witho...

In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports , Rhett Parker sits down with college baseball coach Justin Cunningham to talk about youth sports parenting, perspective, and what changes when you move from the dugout to the stands. Justin has coached at multiple levels of college baseball and currently leads at Lyon College, but this past year he experienced the game differently — as the father of Conno...

In this Surviving Youth Sports Short, Xavier Neyens shares a humble and genuine player’s perspective on what it really means to “make it.” After listening to his father’s episode, Xavier reflects on his journey through youth sports, high school baseball, and basketball, and what truly mattered along the way. For him, success was never just about results, rankings, or future opportunities. It was a...

Rhett Parker welcomes Steve Neyens , a firefighter, devoted husband, and the father of Houston Astros first round draft pick Xavier Neyens . The episode opens with a familiar youth sports reality: once your kid becomes known, your identity can quietly shift too. You are not Steve anymore. You are “X’s dad.” From their small town roots in Mount Vernon and Nooksack Valley, Steve shares why their fam...

Episode Description In this episode of Surviving Youth Sports , Rhett Parker sits down with Gabe Grinder , head baseball coach at Southeastern University, to talk about youth sports development, parental pressure, and what kids actually need to grow and stay in the game. From 8U baseball to college athletics, this conversation explores where youth sports is falling short and how adults can do bett...

Episode Description In this opening episode of Surviving Youth Sports , host Rhett Parker sits down with producer Maika’i Derouin to explain why this podcast needed to exist. What begins as a conversation about parenting and coaching quickly becomes a deeper reflection on how complex, emotional, and personal the youth sports journey really is. Rhett shares how years of experience as an athlete, co...