Issue 28

Good afternoon and Happy Early Thanksgiving! We hope your week is filled with family time, some thrilling football, whether on TV or in the backyard, delicious food, and special moments with your loved ones. Here are this week’s top stories in youth sports:

🎙️Featured Episode: Jeff and the guys discuss A Parents’ Guide: How to Balance Parenting and Coaching Your Kids on the Pure Athlete Podcast.

⚽️ U.S. Soccer Federation to launch ‘Pathway Strategy’ with MLS and pro leagues on board.

🏈 Overtime & Omaha Productions debut first national high school football championship.

💰 Private Equity’s Streaming Paywalls Create Opening for Brand-Funded Youth Sports Content

🚑 Former NFL & MLS athletic trainer identifies three critical gaps in youth sports programming.

😱 Have you ever lost your cool coaching your kids?

We hope you find this reading enjoyable and consider sharing it with others, as it offers a wealth of knowledge, humor, and inspiration.

- The Pure Athlete Team

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PODCAST
Balancing Parenting and Coaching Your Child

A Parents’ Guide - How to Balance Parenting and Coaching Your Kids (EP. 151)
Jeff and the guys sit down to talk about what it really means to wear both the parent hat and the coach hat, a dynamic that can be incredibly rewarding and surprisingly challenging. In this episode, Britt and Brad share their real-life experiences coaching their own kids, while Jeff breaks down his current approach in youth sports. Together, they explore why parents should consider coaching, especially at younger ages, and what “daddy-ball” truly looks like, including how it impacts other players and families. As kids get older, balancing the roles of parent and coach becomes more complex, and the guys offer practical tips for navigating those challenges with purpose, fairness, and wisdom. Whether you are thinking about coaching your child or already on the sidelines, this conversation provides meaningful insights into creating a positive youth sports experience.

“If you’re going to coach, you have to know what you’re talking about. You’ve got to understand the ins and outs of the sport” - Jeff Francoeur

👉 WATCH THE FULL EPISODE

NEWS
U.S. Soccer Federation To Launch ‘Pathway Strategy’ With MLS, Pro Leagues On Board ⚽️

A Unified Vision Takes Shape - A Comprehensive Plan to Reshape American Soccer
The U.S. Soccer Federation is moving forward with a comprehensive plan to reshape the American soccer landscape, CEO JT Batson told The Athletic. The “Pathway Strategy” has secured buy-in from critical stakeholders across the sport’s fragmented ecosystem.

“Early-stage memorandums of understanding have been signed, with timelines and deadlines for actions to come into effect,” Batson said. The federation has brought together MLS, NWSL, USL, youth soccer organizations, key sponsors, and community groups around shared goals.

The strategy focuses on three core objectives: reducing the financial barriers that limit youth participation, establishing soccer as America’s most-played sport, and developing men’s and women’s national teams capable of winning World Cups.

👉 READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Overtime and Omaha Productions Launch First National High School Football Championship 🏈

Overtime x Omaha Productions - Filling a Gap in High School Football Competition
Overtime and Omaha Productions are partnering to create what they describe as the first national championship game for high school football. The Overtime Nationals High School Football Championship will take place December 10 at 7:00 PM ET at Under Armour Stadium in Baltimore, bringing together Corner Canyon Chargers from Utah (12-1) and St. Frances Academy Panthers from Maryland (8-1).

While individual states like Michigan and Texas currently host high school football showcase events, no competition has previously attempted to identify a national champion across all 50 states. The December matchup represents the first effort to create a nationwide title game for the high school level. Overtime will handle event organization, Omaha Productions will manage production, and ESPN will serve as the media and broadcast partner. Tickets went on sale November 21 starting at $10 for the 1,400-seat venue.

👉 READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Private Equity’s Streaming Paywalls Create Opening for Brand-Funded Youth Sports Content

The Streaming Access Problem - Implementation Considerations for Operators
Black Bear Sports Group, the country’s largest hockey rink operator, prohibits parents from recording their children’s games at its facilities. The company’s exclusive streaming service, Black Bear TV, charges $14.99 per individual game or $26-$50 monthly for package subscriptions, with premier league access pushing costs to $50 per month.

The policy extends beyond Black Bear’s own venues. Through its control of the United States Premier Hockey League, Tier-1 Hockey Federation, and Atlantic Hockey Federation, the company mandates Black Bear TV as the exclusive provider for all league games, regardless of venue location. Parents who attempt to record games face potential penalties. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut reported being told his child’s team would lose standing points if he livestreamed a game. Some Black Bear rink staff have indicated they will confiscate recording devices from attendees who violate the policy.

A company spokesperson says the recording prohibition addresses “significant safety risks to players” related to filming without consent, though many youth sports organizations allow parental recording without similar concerns.

👉 READ THE FULL ARTICLE

HEALTH
Former NFL and MLS Athletic Trainer Identifies Three Critical Gaps in Youth Sports Programming

Athlete Health - Strength Training Remains Underutilized Despite Clear Safety Data
Experts like pediatric strength-training researcher Avery Faigenbaum note that the long-held myth that resistance training is unsafe for children has been disproved for decades. When properly supervised, the injury risk is comparable to common youth sports, and research shows no negative effects on growth, bones, or the cardiovascular system. In fact, today’s children are generally weaker and slower than previous generations, making age-appropriate strength training not just safe but necessary for healthy development.

Children can begin resistance training as early as ages 5 to 7, provided they can follow instructions. Early starters before age 12 tend to see greater gains in strength and coordination. Effective programs emphasize developmentally appropriate movements, such as frog jumps or bear crawls for younger kids, and avoid the misuse that leads to most injuries. Training should start with 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps at low resistance and grow gradually, with 20 to 30 minute sessions performed 2 to 3 times per week.

👉 READ THE FULL ARTICLE

ENTERTAINMENT
How to Survive a Youth Coach Losing Their Cool 🤯

Assistant Coach to the Rescue: Surviving the Fury of Youth Sports Coaches 🤬
Have you ever seen a head coach go from calm to furious in about two seconds? We've all likely encountered that one coach in youth sports who's so competitive, they make Gordon Ramsay look like a teddy bear. If you're not bringing home the gold, they'll make sure you know you're the weakest link, while the assistant coach tries to soften the blow by saying it's not your fault. But let's be real, the head coach is only in it for the glory of winning that 8U tournament and securing their own coaching legacy.

👉 WATCH THE FULL VIDEO

INSPIRATION
Quote of The Week