Former CFL centre and Grey Cup champion Angus Reid discusses the troubling state of youth sports, the business model destroying accessibility, and what it really means to develop champions. Reid, now a high school football coach and author of "⁠Teenager: A Story About Finding Your Way⁠," shares why he refuses to charge kids for coaching, how parents unknowingly harm their children's development, and the critical difference between being demanding and demeaning.In this conversation, Reid reveals his approach to building resilience in teenagers, why he quit football in grade 8, and the coaching philosophy that keeps kids coming back. He challenges the year-round specialization model, advocates for multi-sport participation, and explains why the real goal isn't winning championships -- it's creating high-agency people who can handle life's challenges.KEY TOPICS:The privatization crisis in youth sports and its impact on accessibilityWhy Reid coaches for free and refuses to monetize youth developmentThe difference between coaching to win vs. coaching to developHow to build real confidence (not false bravado) in teenagersThe danger of waiting for external validationWhy football shouldn't be played until high schoolCreating environments where bringing your best is normalizedThe power of asking kids what they want from sports🔔 Subscribe to Better Sports Parents for more conversations about youth sports, parenting, and coaching#YouthSports #Coaching #Parenting #Football #AthleteDevelopment #teenagers #SportsParenting #HighSchoolSports #CFLChapters00:00 Introduction04:18 The Current Youth Sports Landscape04:42 The Business Model Problem in Youth Sports06:20 Defining Success and Winning in Youth Sports10:50 Why Angus Wrote "Teenager"12:10 Becoming Somebody vs. Wanting Things15:46 The Difficulty of Being a Teenager16:15 Why Angus Advocates for Difficult Challenges19:42 Finding the Courage to Join Football in Grade 1123:41 Balancing Firm Coaching with Positive Support25:10 Asking Kids What They Want from Sports29:52 The Duty to Give Back - Why Angus Coaches for Free31:28 Parental Investment and Healthy Sports Participation35:35 Multi-Sport Benefits Beyond Physical Development37:46 Learning from Angus's Parents45:30 Post-Game Conversations with Kids49:08 Was Football Ever Not Fun?54:20 The Mission: Raising Better Youth01:00:33 Why Football Despite Safety Concerns?01:02:11 The Evolution from Contact to Collision Sport01:06:33 How Parents Can Identify Good Coaches01:09:46 The Unlimited Impact of Coaches01:11:02 Making Kids Want to Be CoachedResources: https://angusreid.ca/book-teenager/

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