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Youth sports are supposed to build confidence, resilience, and be fun, but for many kids, they’ve become a source of stress and burnout. In this episode, I sit down with journalist and author Harvey Araton to unpack what’s gone wrong in the youth sports industry and what we can do to fix it. We explore how sports culture has shifted over the years, what today’s youth athletes are really up against, and how parents can support healthy athlete development without adding more pressure.

You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of how to protect your child’s mental health and keep the true benefits of sports front and center.

Guest: Harvey Araton is a journalist and author whose latest book focuses on the state of youth sports. Drawing on his extensive experience as a sports journalist, he brings a deep, informed perspective on how youth sports have evolved, where the system is failing kids, and what needs to change to better support families and young athletes.

In This Episode: We start by looking at how youth sports have changed over the years from local, community-based teams to a high-pressure, high-cost machine that often mirrors professional sports. Harvey and I talk about how this shift impacts kids, families, and coaches, and what gets lost when winning, rankings, and exposure become more important than development, fun, and growth.

Resources: Grab your copy of Harvey Araton’s new book The Goal of The Game on youth sports (mentioned in this episode).

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If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe wherever you listen so you don’t miss future episodes on youth sports, parenting, and performance. Share this episode with another parent, coach, or youth athlete who might be feeling the weight of today’s sports culture and could use a fresh, healthier perspective.