Dadville with Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin Pure Athlete: Why Dads Cuss
Sep 23, 2025
Britt Lee, co-founder of Pure Athlete and author, joins fellow co-founder Brad Williams, an athletic director, to unveil the realities of youth sports. They candidly discuss why parents often sacrifice spiritual commitments, like skipping church for tournaments. The duo tackles the dangers of early specialization and pressures that make kids feel they can't quit. They also highlight the importance of prioritizing mental health and rebuilding the fun in sports, reminding parents to support their children’s authentic journeys over trophies.
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Don't Default Into Specialization
- Expect early specialization and year-round club pressure as the norm today.
- Choose deliberately rather than defaulting into the expensive, time-consuming travel path.
Market Forces Raised The Stakes
- Club and travel sports expanded by parent demand for higher competition and coaches chasing that market.
- Supply-and-demand turned youth sports into a business that raises stakes earlier.
The Middle Kids Face Tough Choices
- Borderline athletes now often must specialize to make competitive high school teams.
- The era of multi-sport development for most kids is waning unless they're elite.
