The Pure Athlete Podcast

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? What are the factors that create burnout? What are the signs that my kid is experiencing it? And what steps can parents and coaches take to mitigate the risks of this happening? On this episode, the guys discuss the burnout issue in a comprehensive way, sharing from their personal experiences and from recent research It's easy to believe that burnout will never happen to your kid, but if you don't have a good understanding of the issues, you won't recognize it until it's too late.

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 interesting stories from his time as an NFL coach, including a fascinating story about 9/11 as the new coach of the New York Jets. Coach Edwards also talks about his time coaching the Arizona State Sun Devils, discussing the transfer portal, NIL, and some advice for parents. Finally, Herm shares his philosophy on coaching that is applicable to coaches at all levels.

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 development as a club and high school player who was eventually recruited to play Indoor at Stanford, where she became a 4x All American, NCAA Player of the Year, and NCAA Champion. Kerri also shares what drew her from Indoor to Beach, discusses her thoughts on what makes a great teammate, shares her advice on playing both club AND school volleyball, and also talks about her 1440 organization. In addition, as a mom of three young athletes, Kerri discusses her approach to sports parenting.

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, and discusses today's youth sports culture, including his thoughts on specialization, and on parenting. He also talks about overcoming adversity throughout his sports career, and shares his thoughts about the importance of leadership development and which of his teammates he most admired for leadership during his NFL career.

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, key learnings, and recruiting. In addition, most of the discussion is focused on creating awareness for young athletes, parents, and coaches on the negative influence social media can have on the youth sports journey. Studies point to perfectionism, performance comparisons, body image issues, self promotion/absorption issues, bullying and much more that add even more pressure and stress on young athletes, contributing to anxiety, depression, and emotional withdrawal. Parents and coaches need to be aware of these issues, and be intentional with boundaries and/or guidance to help their young athletes pursue their goals in a healthy way.

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 of youth sports. In addition, EJ will inspire and challenge you as he shares his experience as a father of six, on "blackberry moments," and on the things that matter most in life. You will enjoy this episode and we hope you share it with others.

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. Their younger son and daughter had other passions, which Matt and Leslee were equally committed to supporting. In this episode, Matt and Leslee share their hearts for how they wanted to raise their kids, not just as athletes, but as high-character people. They share how they are navigating the craziness of sports and other activities to support their kid's dreams, but not at the expense of their marriage, their family life or their faith. You will be challenged and encouraged to hear Leslee's and Matt's hearts and wisdom as a sports mom and dad trying to get all of it right.

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, how he stays balanced in the midst of the demands of big time college basketball, his approach to recruiting people who fit his program, and so much more. Coach Drew also shares about the role his faith plays in how he coaches and develops his players, and he shares his answers to five rapid-fire questions from Jeff. You may not be a Baylor fan before listening to this episode, but you will likely be after listening.

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 nations leading impact reducing soft-shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. For more visit guardiansports.com. This episode is also sponsored by Booster Enterprises Inc, the leading high school athletics fundraising partner. For more info, go to choosebooster.com-- Follow us @pureathleteincwww.pureathleteinc.com

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 discuss why we all want to win, the positive aspects that result, while also talking about the positive aspects of losing (yes, there really are some). They also share their thoughts on the bad responses to both winning and losing, from arrogance to sour attitudes, from kids and parents alike. Finally, we've all seen ugly examples of really poor responses to both winning and losing and the guys call some of these out as a reminder to all of us to seize these opportunities to teach out young athletes to compete to win, to win with grace, and to respond to losing with the right attitude. This episode has something for everyone - don't miss it. This video is sponsored by Guardian Sports, the nations leading impact reducing soft-shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. For more visit guardiansports.com. This episode is also sponsored by Booster Enterprises Inc, the leading high school athletics fundraising partner. For more info, go to choosebooster.com-- Follow us @pureathleteincwww.pureathleteinc.com