The Pure Athlete Podcast

If you're a sports parent, and especially if you have multiple kids, you know what we're talking about. Today's youth sports culture is so consuming, it's a challenge to keep sports from dominating our family life. We want to do all the things to help our kids achieve their sports goals, but we also have family goals that are equally important (or maybe more important in the long run). How do we j...

11-year NFL QB Nick Foles is our guest on this episode, sharing great insights from his sports story that began as a multi-sport athlete growing up in Texas to becoming the Super Bowl MVP for the Philadelphia Eagles. Foles discusses how he developed his abilities as a youth and high school player, how he handled disappointment and adversity in college including how close he game to quitting, how h...

Renowned sports psychologist Dr Caroline Silby has spent the last few decades working with high performance athletes in a variety of sports, including several Olympic Gold Medalists. On this episode, she shares her expertise, techniques, and tools to help young athletes achieve BELIEF, the mental state that enables maximum performance in the biggest moments. The guys talk with her about how young...

The intensity of youth sports is increasing, and that's not debatable. Kids are playing more at younger ages - more practices, more tournaments, more games. More pressure to perform exists, and the expectations are higher than ever. As a result of these factors, the risk of burnout is also greater than ever. We've all heard the phrase "burnout," but what is it and what does it really look like? Wh...

Former NFL player, Head Coach, College Head Coach and current ESPN NFL Analyst Herb Edwards guests on this episode, and his reputation as a guy with vast experience who always shoots straight with his opinions is evidenced as he talks with the guys. In addition to sharing his own youth sports story, including the impact of his parents who allowed Herm to steer his own ship, he also shares interest...

3x Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings joins the show, sharing her continued passion for volleyball (beach and indoor), and for the growth of women's sports. Kerri shares how her love for volleyball began at an early age, in the midst of playing multiple sports and loving the "free play" aspect of childhood sports that was strongly encouraged by her parents. She also shares her experiences and deve...

We welcome former NFL 2x Pro Bowl QB Matt Schaub to the show on this episode! Matt played for 17 yrs in the NFL, after a stellar college career at the University of Virginia including being the ACC Player of the Year in 2002 and the NFL Passing Yards Leader in 2009. Matt was a 3-sport star in high school, and as a current sports dad of a son and four daughters. Matt shares his youth sports story,...

Does social media have a big potential impact on the youth sports journey? You bet it does. With teens averaging over 4 hours per day on social platforms, and 68% of pre-teens active on at least one social platform, we need to understand the impact on our young athletes. On this episode, we discuss the positive role social media can play in helping young athletes with motivation, skill development...

On this episode, one of America's favorite and most respected sportscasters joins the guys and begins by sharing his thoughts about the upcoming final season of Inside the NBA, as well as a hilarious story involving Charles Barkley. EJ then opens up about his days as a walk-on first baseman for the Georgia Bulldogs, his experience being cut his sophomore year, and his thoughts on the current state...

Former MLB Star Matt Holliday and his wife Leslee are raising their four kids in today's complex world of youth sports. Their oldest two boys shared their dad's passion for baseball, and their talent led the family into the crazy world of travel ball. As a senior in high school, Jackson became the first pick in the MLB draft. His brother, now a high school senior, looks to following a similar path...

We kick off Season 3 with a great conversation with Baylor Men's Head Basketball Coach Scott Drew, one of college basketball's most successful and most respected coaches. Coach Drew shares how his basketball playing days ended early in high school due to his size, but he pursued his passion for the game as a coach. He discusses the incredible influence his dad had on him, his coaching philosophy,...

On this season's final episode, Jeff and Britt address a number of questions and comments from listeners covering a wide range of youth sports topics, including some controversial ones. The guys also share some of their favorite, most impactful moments from Season 2, including important advice from Falcons QB Kirk Cousins and Coach Tony Dungy. This video is sponsored by Guardian Sports, the nation...

If you're playing youth sports, you're experiencing winning and losing regularly. Some experience one more than the other, but over the course of time, we all experience both. As parents and coaches, how do we teach young athletes the value of responding properly to both? Do we even model the right responses, or are we also too caught up in the results? On this episode, Jeff, Britt, and Brad discu...

Former NBA star Jamal Crawford is our guest on this episode, sharing his youth sports story of growing up with the game of basketball in Seattle. Jamal dove into a wide array of topics in this week's episode. How did he develop his elite ball handling skills? How did his parents impact his journey? What was his recruiting process like? He even shares the secret to how he won the NBA 6th Man award...

On today's episode, Brad and Britt talk to Dr Abigail Federer, a leading sports concussion specialist at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, shares her expertise and experience treating both male and female young athletes with concussion injuries. Brad introduces the subject by discussing his son's story of suffering concussions while playing three different sports, including the concerns shared by man...

Super Bowl Champion Tight End Ben Watson is our guest on this week's episode. Not only was Ben a 2nd Team All-SEC player at the University of Georgia and a first round pick in the NFL draft, Ben also had an outstanding 15 yearr career in the NFL, playing for the Patriots, Browns, Saints, and Ravens. In addition to his on-field success, Ben has always been known as a man of strong character, as evi...

On this week's episode, the guys discuss toxic behavior and culture in youth sports. While we all love youth athletics, if you've been involved for any length of time you have likely encountered toxic parents. These parents can be disruptive, yelling inappropriate comments or remaining silent when they should address bad behavior. We've even experienced or heard stories of toxic coaches who try to...

This week, Jeff, Britt, and Brad unpack some of the most important moments from the recent speeches given by Tom Brady and Roger Federer, two of the best and most admired athletes of all time, who share key lessons and insights from their inspirational journeys. -- Follow us @pureathleteinc www.pureathleteinc.com

This week we’re excited to have Hall of Famer, Stanley Cup Champion, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist & NHL MVP….former professional hockey defenseman, Chris Pronger! Considered one of the all-time great defenseman, Chris stopped by the pod to share some of the wisdom he gained on the way to the top of hockey. He didn't hesitate to show us the intensity and passion he has for the game and youth sports...

New Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is our guest in Part 2 from this month's Pure Athlete Live event in front of 1500+ athletes, parents, and coaches in Atlanta. Kirk shares his youth sports story, lessons learned from his dad, how he overcame a season-ending injury in the first game of his junior year in high school, his college experience, the disappointment of being taken in the 4th round of the NFL dr...

New Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is our guest in Part 1 from this month's Pure Athlete Live event in front of 1500+ athletes, parents, and coaches in Atlanta. In this episode, Kirk shares his youth sports story, lessons learned from his dad, how he overcame a season-ending injury in the first game of his junior year in high school, his college experience, the disappointment of being taken in the 4th ro...

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we're welcoming Nicole Lyon, a mental health expert, former elite college swimmer, and co-owner of Roots Therapy in Atlanta. Not only does Nicole have experience specializing in sports performance and mental health for young athletes, she's also an NCAA Champion swimmer from the University of Georgia, who participated in her first Olympic Trials at the age of 14....

Today we are thrilled to have one of America’s most admired and respected sports figures, Coach Tony Dungy on the show! Coach Dungy is a Hall of Famer, Super Bowl winner as a player AND coach, two-time coach of the year and best-selling author. This accomplished legend stops by to share his personal story as well as many stories from his days as a player and coach, weaving in great insights for pa...

On this special Mother's Day episode, Catie Francoeur, Kay Lee, and Kathie Williams join their husbands to share their perspectives on being sports moms. They discuss the roles they play in supporting and encouraging their kids, including helping them maintain a balance between sports and other important aspects of their lives. They also share how they are able to encourage family priorities and e...

It's finally game day and a chance to pay off all of those hard hours of work and practice. A day meant for relaxation and having fun with other parents as we watch our athletes compete oftentimes morphs into something entirely different. For those of us who have experienced it, we know there are three major components to game day for parents: before the game, during the game, and after the game....