Steve D'Agostino

So there's all this like fear of missing out and trying to keep up with the Joneses and it really takes away with like the best thing about youth sports is that It teaches kids how to be accountable, how to handle adversity, how to be part of a team, how to sacrifice.

So there's all this like fear of missing out and trying to keep up with the Joneses and it really takes away with like the best thing about youth sports is that It teaches kids how to be accountable, how to handle adversity, how to be part of a team, how to sacrifice.

And like you were saying, we've lost a lot of that for like this manipulation of like trying to win games or having to be on the best team. And and it leads to a ton of stress and that stress.

And like you were saying, we've lost a lot of that for like this manipulation of like trying to win games or having to be on the best team. And and it leads to a ton of stress and that stress.

is mostly there because of the adults, and then it gets taken out on, whether it's a coach taking it out on the players, whether it's a parent taking it out on a coach, whether it's the parent or the coach taking it out on the refs. It's just, it manifests in all this chaos, and it's like, yo, just let the kids play.

is mostly there because of the adults, and then it gets taken out on, whether it's a coach taking it out on the players, whether it's a parent taking it out on a coach, whether it's the parent or the coach taking it out on the refs. It's just, it manifests in all this chaos, and it's like, yo, just let the kids play.

Yeah, so I think when they're younger, so I would say like, just take basketball, for instance, like typically these kids will be on teams starting in like third grade, right? And then like from third grade to seventh grade, I think it's very much like the parent kind of like leading the way a little bit.

Yeah, so I think when they're younger, so I would say like, just take basketball, for instance, like typically these kids will be on teams starting in like third grade, right? And then like from third grade to seventh grade, I think it's very much like the parent kind of like leading the way a little bit.

Like, hey, you're gonna be on this team and you're gonna go to this and this might help, this camp might help you and you're leading the way. But when they get into like eighth, ninth, 10th grade, dude, the kids are gonna tell you by their action. I can't tell you the amount of kids that come into our gym locally And you could tell they don't want to be there.

Like, hey, you're gonna be on this team and you're gonna go to this and this might help, this camp might help you and you're leading the way. But when they get into like eighth, ninth, 10th grade, dude, the kids are gonna tell you by their action. I can't tell you the amount of kids that come into our gym locally And you could tell they don't want to be there.

And so, you know, like, and it's extra work. So, so I get it, but, but, you know, at some point the kid is going to lead the way and you're going to be spending all this time and money and the kid's not even going to want to be there.

And so, you know, like, and it's extra work. So, so I get it, but, but, you know, at some point the kid is going to lead the way and you're going to be spending all this time and money and the kid's not even going to want to be there.

My thought is, and there was actually a study, I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell podcast and there was a study, they studied like elite runners in the UK when they were, I think like 15 and they, what they did by the time they got up to 22 and like the smallest, smallest percentage of those elite runners at 15 ended up being elite at 22.

My thought is, and there was actually a study, I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell podcast and there was a study, they studied like elite runners in the UK when they were, I think like 15 and they, what they did by the time they got up to 22 and like the smallest, smallest percentage of those elite runners at 15 ended up being elite at 22.

And we sit here and there's all these like elite middle school teams and they're traveling all over the country. And it's like, dude, you can, you can literally pick out the one or two kids like Andre Jackson's in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was in fifth grade. You're like, whoa, that guy moves different. You know what I mean?

And we sit here and there's all these like elite middle school teams and they're traveling all over the country. And it's like, dude, you can, you can literally pick out the one or two kids like Andre Jackson's in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was in fifth grade. You're like, whoa, that guy moves different. You know what I mean?

Kevin Herter when he was in seventh grade, like, yo, that kid's got a chance, you know? And, and so, What we do is, it's the intention behind it. It's, okay, I'm going to invest all this because I want my kid to be great and they want to play college sports and they're going to go play college basketball or college baseball.

Kevin Herter when he was in seventh grade, like, yo, that kid's got a chance, you know? And, and so, What we do is, it's the intention behind it. It's, okay, I'm going to invest all this because I want my kid to be great and they want to play college sports and they're going to go play college basketball or college baseball.

That shouldn't be the intention because all of that is just a byproduct of how productive the kid is when they're on varsity.

That shouldn't be the intention because all of that is just a byproduct of how productive the kid is when they're on varsity.