Adam Carolla Show Brooks Laich on Why Kids Would Rather Be Influencers than Athletes + Newsom’s $20 Million Diaper Scam EXPOSED!
May 13, 2026
Brooks Laich, former NHL center turned entrepreneur and founder of World Playground, shares his shift from hockey to business. He discusses training, discipline, and translating athletic fundamentals to other careers. He argues social media lures kids away from sports with shortcuts to fame. He also explains why team routines build lasting skills and how travel inspired his company.
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Why Kids Pick Influencers Over Athletes
- Kids prefer influencer careers because social media shortens the path to perceived fame and money compared with decades of athletic grind.
- Brooks Laich contrasts quick perceived success online with sports' years of invisible skill building and delayed rewards.
Make Every Day About One Skill
- Do embrace daily repetition to build mastery: make every day about improving one core skill until it compounds.
- Laich describes waking at 13 and structuring every decision around "does this make me a better hockey player?"
How Borrowed Hurdles Built An NHL Career
- Brooks Laich recalls borrowing school hurdles at 13 and doing 300 hurdle reps after school to get faster and stronger.
- That homemade training routine became his everyday behavior and set the foundation for an NHL career.