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This Week’s Playbook. The holiday season is always a great time to take inventory, even for sport parents: what are some of my favorite youth sports memories from the year, how did I make youth sports fun for my athlete, what am I looking forward to in 2026? We share some of our own reflections in this week’s edition. Wishing you a bit of downtime from your sports season to prioritize family and friends this holiday week.
This Week's Features
Real Talk Play of the Week
“Burnout doesn’t start on the field. It starts when joy is replaced by pressure. Leaders who build space for rest and play protect kids from losing a love of the game.”
—Ian Goldberg, CEO of Signature Media | Read More →
PARENTS’ CORNER
I Once Charged the Field at My Kid's Game. Here's Why It Could Happen To You Too.
If you’ve ever felt the sudden urge to charge the field during your child’s game, that’s the “sport parent psyche” (notice I “psyche”, not “psycho”). If you've felt that white-hot surge to attack when your child gets knocked down or fouled (a surge that makes your legs move before your brain catches up) you're not broken. You're in “fight-or-flight mode”, and science says it's basically involuntary. We're digging into the psychology of why even the most mild-mannered sports parents lose their cool on the sidelines and what you can do to stay in control. Start by taking some deep breaths and read on.
Or find other tips for sideline parents here:
TOOLS FOR YOUR ATHLETE
How a Spotify Playlist Turns a Group of Kids Into a Team
You've heard the team playlist approximately 400 times this season. You can recite Eminem’s "Lose Yourself" in your sleep. But here's the thing: those pre-game bangers are doing more than just hyping up your kid. When a team builds and blasts a shared playlist, something magical happens. Brains sync up. Walls come down. A group of kids starts feeling like a unit. We're breaking down why the team playlist is one of the most underrated culture-builders in youth sports (and why you should stop complaining about it). Turn it up and read on.
Or add some other tools to your athlete’s toolbox:
TRENDING REELS
For Motivation and Fun
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Thought Leaders
Follow our sport parents and athletes building the future of youth sports.
Follow Maddie Soviero, 10,000+ hours as a youth sports coach, program director, league director, and camp director
Follow Ian Goldberg, 10,000+ hours as a seasoned sport parent (#girldad), volunteer coach, and youth sports Editor-in-chief
Follow Kim Pope, 10,000+ hours building youth sports — a former D1 athlete and a new sports mom navigating the journey with fresh eyes
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