TeamSnap

The TeamSnap Youth Sports podcast is your source for today’s most relevant youth sports topics around the world. In her best NPR voice, host and youth sports parent, Emily Cohen interviews former professional athletes, world renowned doctors and other experts to deliver you the inside scoop on everything from Concussions to PED’s to Volunteering and beyond.

Latest Episodes:

The Value of Mentors for Young Athletes Jan 07, 2016

Show notes

Let's face it. Being a young athlete isn't always easy. Whether it's pressure from your parents, from coaches, or even from yourself, there's a lot to deal with. And at such a young age, it can be hard to deal with all that pressure without folding. Luckily, athletes who've been there and done that can help. That's where Peter Cipollone and Tommy O’Hare come in.

Peter and Tommy join the show to talk about InstaViser, the company they founded to connect athletes with mentors. As former high-level athletes, Peter (a gold medalist in crew) and Tommy (an Olympic speed skater and U.S. record-holder) both know the value of mentors. Topics covered include: how mentors help young athletes overcome stress, some common issues young athletes are facing these days, and what age athletes need mentorship the most.

Whatever your involvement in youth sports, we think you'll get a lot out of this episode. Take a listen!

What It's Like to Be an Olympian with Gary Hall Jr. Dec 09, 2015

Show notes

Whether for his accomplishments in the pool or his personality outside of it, Gary Hall Jr. is simply unforgettable. You probably remember him as a U.S. swimmer for the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics, where he won a total of 10 medals, five of them gold. And if you don't remember him for that, then you probably remember his pregame warmups, which included shadow boxing and flexing.

Gary joins the show to give us an inside look at the Olympics. What's it like to be born into a family of hugely successful swimmers? What's the deal with athletes using nutritional supplements all the time nowadays? Do they actually work? Does early specialization really help kids achieve greatness at higher levels?

It's a fun, informative, and fast-paced interview you won't want to miss. Listen in to see why Gary says, "It's the athlete who has fun that wins, not the athlete that wins who has fun."

Coaching Football: Tips from a Pro Dec 08, 2015

Show notes

They say defense wins championships. Few coaches know that better than Joe Daniel.

As the defensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Prince George High School, Joe knows a thing or two about keeping offenses out of the end zone. He's also been writing about the game for years on joedaniel.com and writing about it on The Football Coaching Podcast. So yeah. He's a busy guy.

In this episode, Joe answers some of the toughest questions about coaching youth football. How can you get players to think of themselves as a team rather than an individual? What's it like trying to deal with parents? How can coaches become more proactive about concussion prevention?

If you've been waiting for a podcast with a football coach, you've found it!

The Challenges of Refereeing Soccer Nov 12, 2015

Show notes

Let's face it. Being a referee is a tough job. No matter what the level, no matter what the sport, refs are challenged, screamed at, and booed by players and spectators alike. In fact, according to the California North Referee Administration more than 5,500 refs from 2014 haven't registered for 2015, probably because of the treatment they receive on the field.

Clearly, something's not right here.

Randy Vogt, referee of over 9,000 soccer games and author of Preventative Officiating, joins us to discuss this growing trend of disrespect. How much does arguing with refs at the pro level influence similar behavior in the youth game? Why is it that the people who seem to know the least about the sport heckle the most? What role can coaches play in preventing this kind of treatment?

For a look into the life of a soccer referee, it doesn't get any better than this podcast.

Are We Leaving Behind Kids Who Can't Afford Sports? Nov 02, 2015

Show notes

Have sports become not a game of skill and athleticism, but a game of money?

Sometimes it might look that way. More parents than ever are encouraging their kids to puruse D1 scholarships, and that means travel teams, new equipment, personal trainers, and more. Where does that leave the kids whose parents might not be able to afford all those resources?

Tom Farrey, Execuitve Director of the Aspen Institute's Sports and Society Program, joins the show to answer these questions and more. You might know him better as a reporter on ESPN's Outside the Lines and E60, or as the author of Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children. Tom tells us all about what we can do to make youth sports better for kids who don't have the economic resources other kids have. Why is our definition of an athlete so narrow? Why are only 40% of kids today regularly active in team sports? Why won't parents let their kids have ownership over their own games?

Check it out!

College Recruiting Tips for Parents Oct 13, 2015

Show notes

If the college recruiting process seems a little confusing to you, you're not alone. Not only are there are differences in recruiting among different sports, but there are even more differences depending on Division I and Division III sports. And what's the deal with verbal commitments versus actually signing? And how does a player get noticed in the first place?

Whew. There sure is a lot to this stuff...

The best way to understand college recruiting is to learn as much about it as you can. Mary Beth Haggerty, founder of college recruiting consulting company Mother on the Sidelines, joins the show to shed a little light on the whole subject. If you're a parent in need of some assistance with your young athlete's recruiting process, this is the podcast for you.

How to Select the Right Coach for Your Young Athlete Sep 30, 2015

Show notes

Let's face it: no matter how great a coach might be, some just aren't good matches for their players. Your young athlete's coach might yell, might be impossible to reach, might have an agenda off the field––whatever the case may be, sometimes it's tough to find the right fit. And just as coaches choose which players get to play, shouldn't players choose their coaches?

Craig Haworth of Winning Youth Coaching joins the podcast for a lively discussion on what it means to be a youth sports coach. If you're a parent, what's the best way to find out if a coach is right for your child? If you're a young athlete, how do you decide when to work with a coach and when to find a better fit? And if you're a coach, how can you improve your skills? Spoiler: podcasts might help...

Bad Sports Parent Behavior: How Can We Turn the Tide? Sep 16, 2015

Show notes

Unruly. Ugly. And it seems to be getting worse. What is "it"? It's sports fan behavior. Some days you just can't believe what you're seeing in the stands at professional sporting events. But, as Justine Gubar explains in her new book, Fanaticus, sports fans have been misbehaving for centuries. So what's new? This bad behavior has trickled down into youth sports as well, with parents mimicking what they saw on TV last Sunday at their children's sports events this Saturday.

In this episode, Justine, a seasoned ESPN producer and Emmy award-winning investigative journalist, joins host Emily Cohen for a lively discussion of jaw-droppingly bad fan behavior past and present--and what messages these outbursts send to our kids. It's a must-listen for parents of young athetes who are concerned about the state of youth sports parent behavior and want to do something about it.

If you like what you hear, go out and grab a copy of her book at fanaticusthebook.com (where it's currently on sale), Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, or Powell's Books. If you're a sports fan, you won't be able to put it down!

Youth Sports Equipment: How Can Parents Be Assured Kids are Safe? Sep 10, 2015

Show notes

No matter what sport your young athlete plays, safety is a concern at every level of competition. Young athletes wear helmets, pads, and braces, but who makes certain all that equipment is safe?

Thomas Healy, founder of HeadSmart Labs and current college football player, joins the show to give parents the lowdown on youth sports equipment. Exactly how do companies determine how safe helmets are? What role do pro leagues play in adhering to these safety standards? What tests haven’t been done but should be done to improve safety? For any parents of young athletes out there, this is a must-listen.

The Facts on Olympic and U.S. Rugby Aug 18, 2015

Show notes

Did you know that professional rugby leagues are emerging all over the U.S.? Did you know that rugby is actually safer than American football in many ways, despite the lack of pads? Did you know that rugby will be in the Olympics next year for the first time since 1924?

All these facts indicate one thing: rugby is a sport on the rise.

Dominic Wareing, Youth Development Director at Play Rugby USA, joins our podcast to discuss what makes rugby such a great sport. Dominic and host Emily Cohen discuss the basics of the game, the upcoming reintroduction of rugby to the Olympics, and why he calls rugby “a hooligan’s sport played by gentlemen.” Whether you’re an avid fan or a novice, we guarantee you’ll learn something new!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

TeamSnap

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected