Most parents enroll their children in youth sports because they’re widely thought of as fun. But did you know that nearly three-quarters of kids drop out of organized athletics by the age of 13? Or that youth sports participation, as a whole, is at a generational low? In this episode, you'll hear best-selling author, international speaker, long-time coach, and youth sports expert John O’Sullivan explain how and why the “fun” has disappeared from our youth sports culture - and what actionable steps parents can take now to fix it and give sports back to our kids.

Tune in to learn:

- What to say to your child after a game
- Why early specialization or seasons that are too long could do your child more harm than good
- How to work effectively with sports organizations and coaches to foster a positive mindset and promote healthy, whole-child development

About Our Guest:

John O’Sullivan is the founder and CEO of the Changing the Game Project, which he started in 2012 in order to help parents, coaches and youth sports organizations put the “play” back into playing sports. John is a former collegiate and professional soccer player, and coached for 20 years on the youth, high school and college level, most recently as the Central Oregon Training Center Director for the Portland Timbers of MLS. John is the author of two #1 bestselling books, and his blog gets nearly 5 million visits a year. John has been a keynote presenter throughout the US, Canada and Europe, including TEDx, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Hockey Canada, USA Football, IMG Academy, and more, and his goal is to start discussions about changing the environment in youth sports so we can keep more kids active, happy and healthy.

You can learn more about John, his speaking, and the Changing the Game Project at https://changingthegameproject.com.