The Pure Athlete Podcast

If you are a parent or coach of young athletes, you need to learn all you can about the common mental health challenges and issues experienced by many young athletes. On this episode, Dr Riley Nickols, counselor, sports psychologist, author, and founder of Mind, Body, Endurance shares his expertise and experience gained by working with many elite, young athletes. Dr Nickols discusses the the topic of performance anxiety in youth sports, providing perspective on the difference between normal nervousness vs true anxiety that can become crippling for a young athlete. the discussion includes the signs that parents and coaches can identify, and the reality that the physical discomfort of play that many athletes are used to ignoring often leads to trying to press through mental health issues that shouldn't be ignored. Dr Nickols also discusses the area of perfectionism that many athletes wrestle with, including how to have a healthy approach. In addition, Dr Nickols has deep expertise in the areas of disordered eating, eating disorders, and overtraining, which many young athletes wrestle with, both girls and boys. Finally, Dr Nickols discusses the mental health challenges that often accompany physical injuries that athletes experience, providing guidance on how to address these challenges and provide adequate attention to the overall mental health of your young athlete.

While rehabbing from a fractured rib, Cy Young winning pitcher Chris Sale joins the show to hang out with Jeff, Britt, and Brad and talk a little baseball, youth sports, and parenting. We've talked many times about how kids may be late bloomers in sports and Chris is a great example of that. Throughout youth and high school, no one expected Chris to be a big leaguer, though he loved baseball, as well as other sports, and had great support from his parents and coaches. As a skinny left-hander, Chris topped out around 87-88 mph in high school and didn't land a Division 1 scholarship. Instead, Chris pitched at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he had an average first two years. The summer before his junior year was a pivotal time for Chris and he shares all about what happened that led to his prolific big-league career. Chris also talks about arm care for young pitchers, when to begin throwing curveballs, his sports-parenting approach with his three boys, and much more. Plenty of great insights from Chris for kids, parents, and coaches.

Jeff and Britt launch Season 4 of the show looking back at some of the best moments in Season 3 and sharing some of the exciting plans for the next year. In addition, the guys have a rich discussion about the different phases of the youth sports journey...the Getting Started phase, the Getting Serious phase, and the All In phase. The guys share how they define each phase as well as what goals parents and kids should be pursuing in each of these phases. Too many times today, we tend to seek goals in the early phases that can't be realized until the latter part of the journey, robbing some of the fun out of the journey for both kids and parents. Taking the time to understand what the goals in each phase should be helps us gain perspective on how to be more effective sports parents. The guys also discuss the challenges in each phase - yes, each phase has them - and the wins, or positive opportunities that each phase provides for young athletes and families. As school starts back, this is a great topic to ponder and reset your priorities for sports parenting in the coming year, based on the phase your young athlete is in.

Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, Director of Emory Sports Medicine and a renowned injury prevention expert, shares valuable insights on youth sports specialization. He discusses the risks of high-intensity sports on young athletes’ bodies and the fine balance of early specialization versus multi-sport participation. Jayanthi emphasizes the importance of free play to foster creativity and enjoyment, while offering practical load management advice tailored to age. His research highlights the significant differences in injury propensity between male and female athletes, advocating for a thoughtful approach to training.

As summer ends and college football approaches, we thought it was time to replay one of our most popular episodes, with Frenchy's good buddy Coach Dabo Swinney. Dabo shares his compelling youth sports journey, including how he credits sports for giving him sanctuary from a difficult family situation. The coach shares incredible insights about coaching, what he prioritizes in his interactions with players and his coaches, life lessons that are available in sports, how he parents his own kids, and his unique overall approach to coaching in the current state of college football. If you are a coach, this episode will inspire you to strive for excellence but also to prioritize the impact you make in player's lives.

Having just Ethan Holliday drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the Colorado Rockies, following his brother Jackson being drafted #1 overall several years ago, we believe it's a great time to replay our conversation with Mom and Dad. 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. In addition to Ethan and Jackson, Matt and Leslee have another younger son and daughter who have other passions, which Matt and Leslee are 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.

If you aren’t familiar with Coach Ballgame (James Lowe), you are missing out on one of Major League Baseball's best and most important ambassadors. This week, the guys have an inspiring conversation with Coach Ballgame, learning about his story as a talented college player to being MLB’s representative to promote the fun and life lessons available to youth players all over the country. Coach Ballgame shares a pivotal moment in his baseball career, involving a college at bat against Justin Verlander. He discusses how his relationship with Joe Buck led to his current role with MLB, and share the primary message he takes to kids, parents, and coaches around the country. This episode is full of positive, challenging, and specific advice for youth coaches and parents to ensure kids learn the game, learn to love the game, and most importantly, learn important life lessons from the game - and his message extends beyond the diamond to other sports and activities. If you are a youth coach or parent, you don’t want to miss this fun and informative episode.

Join Dr. Mark Kovacs, a renowned sports science expert and founder of the Kovacs Institute, as he shares crucial insights on youth sports physical development. He discusses the risks of overtraining during growth spurts and the impacts of Vitamin D deficiency on athletes. The conversation highlights the critical need for regular bloodwork to optimize performance and addresses the differences in development between boys and girls. Additionally, Dr. Kovacs explores sport specialization and debates which sports require the highest level of athleticism. Tune in for essential advice on maximizing youth athletic potential!

In this engaging discussion, Justin Su'a, a mental performance expert with experience in MLB, NFL, PGA, and ATP, shares insights on nurturing a winning mindset for young athletes. He dives into overcoming mental hurdles like confidence issues and negative self-talk. Justin emphasizes the importance of resilience, communication, and goal-setting strategies. He offers practical advice for parents on motivating their kids and navigating the complexities of performance anxiety. His positive approach inspires athletes to train both mentally and physically for success.

“Take Back Sports” is a major new Youth Sports initiative from ESPN focused on some of the critical challenges in Youth Sports. This week, Kevin Martinez, who heads up this initiative for ESPN, joins us to talk about four critical areas of challenge in Youth Sports and what the Take Back Sports initiative is doing to help bring about solutions that will impact the next generation and the future of youth sports. Kevin transparently discusses the reasons ESPN has taken an active role in helping address today's challenges in youths sports, as well as some of the partners that are joining in this endeavor.