Healthy Sports Parents

Youth sports is one of the most influential institutions in childhood.

It teaches teamwork, resilience, leadership, confidence, and community. Millions of families invest thousands of dollars and countless hours into it every year.
Yet unlike schools, parks, or public health, no one is really in charge.

In this episode, Jonathan sits down with Renata Simril, president and CEO of LA84 Foundation and founder of the Play Equity Fund, to discuss California's groundbreaking Youth Sports for All Act, a bipartisan effort that passed with 97% support and could reshape how youth sports are supported for generations to come.

They explore why youth sports has become the "Wild West," what a state commission could actually do, why every kid deserves access to play, and what it would look like if we treated youth sports as an investment in the next generation instead of just another extracurricular activity.

Whether you agree with California's approach or not, this conversation raises a bigger question every parent should be asking:

What kind of youth sports system are we building for the kids who come after ours?

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HEALTHY SPORTS PARENTING COURSE

Get access at HealthySportsParenting.com.

Use code SUMMER15 for 15% off before August 19.

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More from Renata Simril:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renataangeleno/
LA84 Foundation: https://www.la84.org/
Play Equity Fund: https://www.playequityfund.org/

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Code: HSP50 for 50% off

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#youthsports #sportsparent #travelball #raisingathletes
New episodes every Wednesday.

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Some of the healthiest things we can do as sports parents feel completely wrong in the moment.

We want to correct every mistake. We want to protect our kids from failure. We want to solve their problems, give them feedback after every game, and keep them from feeling disappointed.

But what if those instincts are actually getting in the way of what our kids need most?

In this episode, sports psychologist Dr. Joey Case returns to discuss seven things that feel like bad sports parenting but aren't. We explore why confidence grows through struggle, how kids develop resilience, and what it looks like to support young athletes without trying to control every outcome.

Topics include:
• Why correcting every mistake can hurt learning and confidence
• The value of letting kids fail in public
• Why the car ride home is usually the wrong place for feedback
• When parents should step in and when they should stay out
• Why connection matters more than performance after a tough game
• The surprising benefits of boredom
• How to know when quitting is the wrong choice and when it's the right one

If you've ever wondered whether you're helping your child grow or simply easing your own anxiety, this conversation is for you.

The goal of sports parenting isn't protecting kids from discomfort but rather helping them develop the tools to handle discomfort when it comes.

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HEALTHY SPORTS PARENTING COURSE

Get early access at HealthySportsParents.com/Course.

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More from Dr. Case:

TikTok: @josephccase
Instagram: @drjosephcase
Substack: https://josephccasepsyd.substack.com

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

Tomahawk Shades
https://tomahawkshades.com

Code: HSP50 for 50% off

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

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Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
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https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
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Youth sports are supposed to help kids grow, compete, fail, learn, and have fun. But somewhere along the way, a lot of adults started acting like fun and hard can’t both exist at the same time.
In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with former player, coach, and creator Jake Savickifor a conversation about what kids actually need from the adults around them in sports.
Jake shares stories from coaching high school baseball, raising his own daughter through youth sports, and learning firsthand how much weight parents’ words, reactions, and expectations can carry. The conversation dives into why so many kids stop loving sports, how parents unintentionally add pressure, and why creating the right environment matters more than chasing the perfect development plan.
Jonathan and Jake also talk about:

Why fun changes as kids get older
The difference between hard work and pressure
Helping kids stay connected to the game long-term
Why comparison and FOMO lead parents into bad decisions
The importance of understanding each kid individually
What happens when kids feel safe to fail
Why parents matter more than they realize

This episode is a reminder that most kids don’t need perfect coaching, year-round training, or adults obsessing over outcomes. They need support, perspective, encouragement, and the freedom to enjoy the process of growing up through sports.

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More from Jake:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jakesavicki?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakesavicki/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Jake-Savicki-100066450740049/

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

Onsides
https://www.getonsides.com/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

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Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
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Congressman Chris Deluzio and Senator Cory Booker join Healthy Sports Parents creator Jonathan Carone for a conversation about the newly introduced Let Kids Play Act and why they believe youth sports in America are becoming inaccessible for too many families.

Instead of focusing only on the details of the legislation, this conversation explores the bigger questions underneath it all: Why do youth sports matter so much? What happens when sports become a luxury item instead of a community experience? And what role, if any, should the federal government play when families are being priced out?

Jonathan talks with Congressman Deluzio and Senator Booker about private equity in youth sports, stay-to-play requirements, rising costs for families, youth sports data privacy, and the growing concern that community-based leagues and facilities are disappearing as larger companies consolidate control over more parts of the sports ecosystem.

The conversation also goes beyond policy. Senator Booker shares how sports shaped his life and taught him lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and unity, while Congressman Deluzio reflects on growing up in community baseball and why he believes every kid deserves the chance to play regardless of their family’s income.

Whether you agree with the bill or not, this episode is ultimately about something much bigger than politics: preserving the role youth sports can play in helping kids grow into healthy adults and keeping those opportunities accessible for future generations.

Episode recorded May 13, 2026.

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hour-a-thon
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Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

---------

Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Youth sports can feel like they’re all about the next game, the next season, or the next level. But what if the bigger opportunity has nothing to do with any of that?
In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with Lisa Willis to talk about what sports are really meant to give our kids. From her journey through UCLA and the WNBA to her work as a coach today with Texas Sports Academy, Lisa shares how the lessons that mattered most had nothing to do with stats or accolades, and everything to do with mindset, resilience, and identity.

Together, they unpack why so many young athletes are more skilled than ever but often struggle with confidence, pressure, and failure, and what parents can do to help shift that. Lisa explains why habits matter more than highlight moments, how to help kids handle tough emotions after games, and why separating identity from performance is one of the most important things we can teach them.

This conversation keeps coming back to one simple idea: sports should be bigger than sports. Not because of what kids achieve, but because of who they’re becoming in the process.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between wanting your kid to succeed and wanting them to enjoy the experience, this episode will help you approach it in a more grounded, intentional way.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t simply to raise a great athlete. It’s to raise a great human.

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More from Lisa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawillis40/
Website: https://lisacwillis.com/
Texas Sports Academy: https://sportsacademy.school/

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Eleven11
https://eleven11teamsports.com/

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

---------

Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

---------

Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

-----------

Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.