The Chaotic World Of Youth Sports — Vol 70 🏆

As a sports parent and coach, I know how complicated youth sports can be at times. So I’d like to share some helpful articles that shed light on the challenges we face… and some funny ones that might even give us an opportunity to laugh at ourselves. Please enjoy… and please click here to try our iSport360 app, which is the first-ever mobile platform to help kids, coaches and parents have a better youth sports experience.

The Professionalization of Youth Sports

Can you imagine the pressure on Greg Zuerlein as the LA Rams called on him to try a 57-yard field goal in overtime to seal the game against the New Orleans Saints?  Well unfortunately, that pressure, which was once reserved for professional and college athletes, is now being placed on kids in sports (and their parents) at the youngest ages.

John O’Sullivan, and his book Changing the Game has been a driving force behind iSport360 and our effort to improve youth sports for kids.  His recent article “The Professionalization of Youth Sports” is right on point. To read the full article, click here.

Yes I Do Play My Favorites (And The 6 Things I Look For In An Athlete To Be On The Starting Roster)

At times I have been accused of playing my favorites. Let me be very clear: Yes, I do play my favorites. — I am a youth coach. Before you stop reading let me also say I believe it is very important everyone plays in youth sports. But this is not the NBA and I do not have to play my best players in order to keep my job. Winning is not the point, but wanting to win is. A benefit of coaching youth sports is there is less pressure to win. Click hereto read the full article.

Does Your Coach Have The Right Training

We can count on our friends at the Aspen Institute for industry leading research on youth sports. Additionally, they are at the spearhead of Project Play 2020, a multiyear effort to grow youth sport participation, with partners such as NBC, MLB, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Amazon, The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, NBA, ESPN, NHL and more.  But their latest data is concerning.  While there are millions of well-intentioned youth sport coaches in our country (and we solute each and every one of them), most need better training. To read the full article click here.