201: No Boy Should “Figure Out” Manhood: The Pathway Every Father Must Build For Their Sons

Rite of Passage: A Clear Path Into Manhood register now: https://www.braveco.org/riteofpassage

As a pastor, counselor, and dad, I’m convinced of this: no young man should stumble his way into manhood. In this episode of the BraveCo Podcast, I sit down with my close friend Cole Zick to talk about what most families feel but don’t know how to fix, the lack of a clear, intentional pathway for boys to become grounded, capable men. We get practical about the pain points fathers feel, the pressure of raising teenage sons, and why “just go to church” isn’t enough to form men who can lead, serve, and endure.

We unpack why boys need testing and equipping, and how feedback builds capacity. We talk about the power of coaches, youth pastors, mentors, and a tribe of men, and why “heroes” matter if we want our sons to delay gratification and pursue what’s possible. We also hit real parenting language like trust, freedom, structure, boundaries, and why failure isn’t an indictment, it’s often the training ground when you actually have a plan.

If you’re a dad (or a single mom raising sons) and your boys are in that 10–18 window, I want you to hear this: it’s not too late, but it does require intentionality. If you want to take a real step, join us for the BraveCo Ride of Passage with our Spartan partnership: February 28–March 1, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida (ages 12–19). Register at braveco.org. And if this episode helps you, subscribe, share it with a father who needs a pathway, and let’s rebuild manhood on purpose.

Chapters:
00:00 — No Young Man Should Stumble Into Manhood
01:14 — Cole Zick Returns: The Need for a Real Plan
03:39 — “Come Follow Me, I Will Make You”
04:16 — The Crisis: Men Aren’t Reproducing Discipleship
06:41 — The Weight of Parenting Teenage Sons
07:36 — Building a Network of Trusted Men for Your Boys
15:11 — Testing, Feedback, and Capacity: How Boys Become Men
20:12 — Trust Earns Freedom: Clear Standards at Home
28:46 — The 7 Pillars of Initiation + Ride of Passage Details

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ABOUT BRAVECO: We live in a time where men are hunting for the truth and looking for the codebook to manhood. At BraveCo, we are on a mission to heal the narrative of masculinity across a generation; fighting the good fight together because every man should feel confident and capable of facing his pain, loving deeply, and leading a life that impacts the world around him.