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Injuries in young athletes have soared. Costs to compete have skyrocketed. Kids are quitting in record numbers. But we believe strongly in youth sports, and the many ways it improves our childrens’ lives.
We are here to help parents regain balance and sanity, and to help restore the joy, accomplishment, and core values derived from sports.
Begin your journey today.
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According to a survey conducted over 30 years by two coaches and athletic administrators about what young athletes want to hear most from their parents after a sporting event, it turns out it is: “I love to watch you play.”
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the latest news, articles, inspiration, stats, funny videos, tips and everything you need if you are a parent or coach in youth sports, delivered right to your inbox!
This Is My Coach, Pete Carroll. What He Said Changed My Life.
By Brandon Hance – Quarterback USC 2024-
My coach at USC. My greatest mentor.
And the man who taught me more about leadership, rhythm, and belief than any business book ever could.
Here are 6 lessons from Coach Carroll I still carry with me today:
1. Joyful Competition > Fear-Based Grinding
At Purdue, we’d roll around in the cold for three hours, literally just banging into each other.
At USC, our training was shorter & tighter.
Just one hour of music, with 101% intensity on every rep.
Carroll built “Always Compete” into everything.
It was healthy, not fear-based.
What Cam Ward’s Journey Can Teach All Youth Sports Families
2. Authenticity = Competitive Advantage
USC was full of freak athletes.
But what made us great was Carroll’s “Be Yourself” philosophy.
He was one of the first coaches to let players fully express themselves—
• Speak openly
• Dress freely
• Bring their identity to the field
We thrived through individuality.
3. Pressure Reveals What’s Already There
Carroll focused on developing us as whole people, not just athletes:
• Life preparation
• Personal growth
• Mental health resources
Business is no different.
You don’t magically rise to the occasion.
You fall to your baseline.
4. Everyone Wants the Trophy, Not the Transformation
People saw the rings.
They didn’t see the real work—
The daily choice to “do things better than they’ve ever been done before,” even in basic drills.
Carroll treated every rep with uncommon intention—
No detail was too small if it served the bigger vision.
5. Psychological Safety > Demanding Performance
My first college coach was cutthroat. Fear-based.
Carroll was the opposite.
He prioritized relationships over rigid hierarchy.
He genuinely cared about our lives beyond football—
And that made us want to run through walls for him.
His vision became ours because he made us feel part of it.
That changed how I lead forever.
6. The Inner Work IS the Hard Work
Carroll was fired from the NFL twice before his breakthrough.
But instead of folding, he took a year to radically reflect.
He wrote out his personal philosophy in detail—
And resolved to never compromise on those values again, no matter the pressure.
As he said:
If you’re still using hustle to outrun your insecurity—
You’re not strong.
You’re scared.
I’ll leave you with a lesson from my grandpa…
He played football in an era where water breaks made you weak.
They’d stick towels in players’ mouths and send them back out.
Now, it’s all about electrolytes, yoga, massages & sleep coaches.
The pros evolved. So should we.