Healthy Sports Parents

What 32 Years of Coaching Taught Me About Youth Sports (with Coach Travis Hudson, WKU Volleyball)

Coach Travis Hudson has spent 32 years building Western Kentucky volleyball into one of the best mid-major programs in the country. Along the way, he’s learned a lot abou

Every Kid Is On Their Own Timeline (with Jordan Palmer, retired NFL QB)

Every kid develops on their own timeline. The challenge for parents is believing that when it feels like everyone else's kid is getting ahead. Former NFL quarterback and

How To Raise Confident Kids Through Youth Sports (with David Epstein)

David Epstein has spent years making the case for range, exploration, and giving kids time to discover what fits. His new book, Inside the Box, makes what initially sound

What Kids Actually Need From Youth Sports (with Abby Wambach)

What does it actually take for a kid to love sports for the long haul? World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach joins Jonathan Carone for a con

BONUS: Could this be the future of youth sports? (with Renata Simril, CEO of LA84 Foundation)

Youth sports is one of the most influential institutions in childhood. It teaches teamwork, resilience, leadership, confidence, and community. Millions of families inves

BONUS: 7 Things That Feel Like Bad Sports Parenting But Aren't (with Dr. Joey Case, Miami Marlins)

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

Fun and Hard Can Both Exist in Youth Sports (with Jake Savicki)

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

BONUS: Let Kids Play (with Senator Cory Booker and Representative Chris Deluzio)

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 Your Kid Needs Sports To Be Bigger Than Sports (with Lisa Willis, retired WNBA player)

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

Raising Healthy Humans Through Youth Sports (with Dr. Jeremy Alland, Chicago Bulls + White Sox)

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 si

Club Sports 101: What Parents Need to Know Before Leaving Rec League (with Karen Scholl)

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 ga

What a D1 Dad Wants Parents to Know About the Youth Sports Journey (with Britt Lee, Co-Founder Pure Athlete)

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 actuall

Taking Youth Sports Back One Family at a Time (with ESPN College Football Reporter Heather Dinich)

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 tak

Giving Kids Ownership of Their Youth Sports Journey (with Leslie Osborne, retired USWNT)

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 / pr

Youth sports are serious. Just not *that* serious. (with comedian and sports dad Dustin Nickerson)

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 serio

Why Good Parents Feel So Much Pressure in Youth Sports (with Jordan Rogers)

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 Nik

The Biggest Thing Youth Sports Needs Right Now (with Dr. Katlin Okamoto, US Soccer Foundation)

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

The Missing Piece in Youth Sports Development (with Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, sports psychologist)

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.

Youth Sports, Identity, and Life After the Medal (with Paralympic Gold Medalist Mike Schultz) – a collaboration with Parents.com

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 inspir

Youth sports should build humans, not just athletes (with Jason D'Rocha, VP Sportball)

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