In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Coach Kristin Tullo to talk about the mental side of youth sports and how coaches and parents can help athletes build real confidence. While Kristin’s work often focuses on hockey coaches, her insights apply across almost every sport as we dig into anxiety, pressure, mistakes, performance expectations, and simple ways adults can help young athletes stay competitive without making sports feel overwhelming.

Questions we cover in this episode:

1. A lot of youth athletes today seem to struggle with confidence. From your perspective, what’s creating that confidence problem in sports right now?
2. Do you think parents and coaches sometimes accidentally make athletes more anxious or fearful without realizing it?
3. What’s the biggest difference between athletes who recover quickly from mistakes and the ones who spiral after something goes wrong?
4. In youth sports today, there’s so much pressure around performance, rankings, travel teams, and social media. How do we help kids stay competitive without making sports feel overwhelming?
5. What are some simple things volunteer coaches and sports parents can do that genuinely help build confidence in young athletes?

Bonus Question:
Do you remember something a coach said or did when you were a youth athlete that affected you, either positively or negatively?

In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Mandy Holmes, a sports mom and the creator behind Carpool Contracts, to talk about the rising cost of youth sports and how teams can think differently about fundraising and sponsorships. Mandy shares practical advice for parents, coaches, and teams looking to bring in support, approach local businesses the right way, and create real value for sponsors without making the process feel awkward or overwhelming.

Questions we cover in this episode:

1. Youth sports are getting expensive fast. What are you seeing parents and teams struggle with the most right now?
2. When a team needs money, most people think “fundraiser.” But sponsorships are a little different. How should parents and coaches think about sponsorships in a more practical way?
3. A lot of parents and coaches probably feel awkward asking businesses for money. What’s the right way to approach that conversation without making it uncomfortable?
4. What are some creative ways teams can provide value back to sponsors beyond just putting a logo on a shirt or banner?
5. For the parent or coach listening who says, “Our team could really use help, but I have no idea where to start,” what are the first three steps they should take?

Bonus Question:
What’s one mistake teams make when trying to raise money or get sponsors that can actually hurt their chances of getting support?

In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Jordan Rifkin, better known as Broke Dad Jordan, to talk about the hilarious and painfully relatable side of being a sports parent. Jordan brings humor to the chaos of youth sports, from tournament weekends and packed schedules to rising costs, wild expenses, and the everyday reality of trying to keep up without losing your money, time, or sanity.

Questions we cover in this episode:

1. At what point did you realize youth sports had quietly turned into a full-time job with a payment plan?
2. What’s the most ridiculous youth sports expense where you just had to stop and laugh?
3. As a sports dad, what’s more exhausting: the money being spent or the amount of time youth sports consumes every week?
4. What’s something in youth sports culture that parents have accepted as “normal” that is actually insane when you really think about it?
5. If someone completely outside the youth sports world followed your family around for one tournament weekend, what do you think would shock them the most?

Bonus Question:
What’s the best sports parent survival hack you’ve learned to help save money, time, or sanity while navigating youth sports?