Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen
Youth Inc.
Youth sports in America are at a crossroads — and Greg Olsen is here to lead the conversation forward. As a former NFL All-Pro tight end, youth coach, and father of three, Greg brings unmatched passion and perspective to Youth Inc, the podcast redefining how we think about sports, parenting, and the next generation of athletes.
Each week, Greg sits down with top athletes, coaches, scientists, entertainers, and everyday sports parents to explore what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s next in youth sports. From mental health to coaching culture, specialization to equity, no topic is off-limi
Each week, Greg sits down with top athletes, coaches, scientists, entertainers, and everyday sports parents to explore what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s next in youth sports. From mental health to coaching culture, specialization to equity, no topic is off-limi
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 24, 2026 • 20min
Daniel Jones Interview , Working Out with Christian McCaffrey, and the Best Youth Sports Movies
This week: Greg recaps a trip to LA that somehow ended with a 5:30 AM workout alongside Christian McCaffrey. Then Daniel Jones joins the show to open up about life off the field and the cause closest to his heart. Plus, listener questions and the debate everyone's been waiting for — what's the greatest youth sports movie of all time?
Mar 17, 2026 • 26min
Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings on What it Actually Takes to Reach the Highest Level
Kerri Walsh Jennings, three-time Olympic gold medalist and legendary beach volleyball star who co-founded youth programs. She reflects on a multi-sport childhood that built grit. She warns about specialization and overtraining in youth sports. She explains the fundamentals, trust, and communication that made her partnership work. She shares what competing while pregnant and parenting taught her.
Mar 10, 2026 • 19min
US Women's Hockey Gold Medalists Talk Youth Sports & Growing Up on the Ice
Hayley Scamurra, a relentlessly hardworking Olympic gold medalist known for late development and toughness, and Kelly Pannek, a Minnesota-raised Olympian praised for hockey IQ and coaching roots, talk growing up on the ice, playing multiple sports, coaching influences, team bonding, and why hockey builds resilience and joy for young athletes.
Mar 4, 2026 • 48min
"Range" Author David Epstein on Talent, Trainability, and Why Constraints Build Better Athletes
David Epstein, bestselling author and science journalist known for The Sports Gene and Range, explains why trainability often beats raw talent. He discusses why broad early development outperforms early specialization. He previews Inside the Box and how constraints and reflective practice boost learning. He contrasts Norway’s development model with the US and warns that phones harm attention and practice quality.
5 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 58min
Moneyball Author Michael Lewis on the Broken Business of Youth Sports
Best-selling author Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Blind Side, Going Infinite) joins Greg Olsen to talk about the youth sports industry — how it got so expensive, why parents keep spending, and what his own family's journey through travel softball taught him about the system. From coaching his daughters in Berkeley to watching the business side explode, Lewis breaks down what's really driving the youth sports machine.Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.youth.inc/newsletterFor more, visit https://www.youth.inc/
Feb 19, 2026 • 26min
Miracle on Ice Goalie Jim Craig on What USA Hockey Needs to Win Gold
Greg Olsen sits down with Jim Craig — the goalie who backstopped the 1980 Miracle on Ice team to gold — to talk about what it really takes to win at the Olympics. Jim breaks down his journey from community college to Lake Placid, what Herb Brooks did that no other coach could, and why he believes this American team has what it takes. A must-watch for any hockey fan following the U.S. Olympic run.
Feb 17, 2026 • 48min
Bryce Young Tells Greg Olsen About His Comeback Season & Future in Carolina
Panthers legend Greg Olsen sits down with franchise QB Bryce Young for a conversation Carolina fans have been waiting for. Bryce opens up about everything — being told he was too small his entire life, what Nick Saban was really like behind closed doors at Alabama, getting benched in the NFL for the first time ever, and the mindset shift that fueled one of the best comeback stories in the league. Two Panthers icons, one incredible conversation.Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.youth.inc/newsletterFor more, visit https://www.youth.inc/
Feb 12, 2026 • 17min
BONUS: What Alec Ingold & JJ Jansen Wish Every Youth Coach & Parent Knew
Greg Olsen is out this week, so Alec Ingold and JJ Jansen step in to hold it down. Alec — a Dolphins fullback who's all-in on youth development — and JJ — a 17-year Panthers veteran and dad of young athletes — sit down to talk about what actually matters in youth sports. They get into coaching youth baseball, the coach-parent dynamic, finding a role for every kid on the team, and why the lessons learned between the lines stick with you long after the season ends.Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.youth.inc/newsletterFor more, visit https://www.youth.inc/
Feb 10, 2026 • 24min
What Pro Athletes Really Think About Youth Sports Today: Youth Inc.'s Best from Radio Row
Harrison Phillips, NFL defensive lineman and Special Olympics advocate, reflects on inclusion and lifelong passion for sport. Kerri Walsh Jennings, Olympic beach volleyball legend, shares lessons on longevity, teamwork, and joyful coaching. Cam Newton, charismatic NFL quarterback, talks about developing young quarterbacks and embracing discomfort to grow. Multiple short conversations focus on youth sport culture, coaching, and why playing broadly matters.
Feb 3, 2026 • 42min
Why Youth Sports Trigger Parents (A Sports Psychologist's Perspective)
What's really going on inside you when you're watching your kid play?In this episode, guest host Jonathan Carone of Healthy Sports Parents sits down with Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, a Boston based sports psychologist, to unpack why youth sports bring out emotions we didn't know we had. From sideline insecurities to the comparison trap to losing our identity in our kid's performance, Dr. Jenkins breaks down the psychology behind it all.For more from Jonathan, visit https://healthysportsparents.com/Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.youth.inc/newsletterFor more, visit https://www.youth.inc/
