Work ethic isn’t an assumed trait. It’s learned. Engrain that shit in their bones.

Fall in line. Tolerate the bullshit. Accept “it’s just the way it is these days” because the goon next to you who can’t think for himself assumes so, too. Then, cosplay that following the herd, chasing convenience & groupthink affirmation is “what’s best” for your kids. 🇺🇸

Do you have any idea how rare it is to find adults who (actually) give a shit about your kids? I’m talking unselfish adults with patience & empathy who understand youth psychology & what long-term development looks like. If you find them for your children, they’re good as gold.

The goal is to raise physically capable, confident kids who can think critically, exercise discernment, & make sound decisions. The goal is to prepare them for the real world. Not raise kids who used to be good at <insert sport> when they were younger. Don’t get it twisted.

You don’t get the “life lessons” of youth sports just because it feels good to say it. You get them by letting kids experience adversity, failure, & enduring when things aren’t going their way. Bailing kids out and sheltering them from hardship creates losers in the real world.

Beginner. Developmental. Process-oriented. Advanced. Specialized. Instant gratification-seeking. Over 99% of youth athletes belong in the first camp, despite what they or their parents believe. What if we treated and coached kids like the kids they actually are?

Here’s a pro tip for parents: If a sports or training program markets itself as “elite” in its name or branding… You can be damn sure it’s NOT elite. If the product were actually elite, they wouldn’t need to act like the charlatans they are and tell you. You’d already know.

Most “performance” training you see today is performative. It’s not about improving performance. It’s about trying to impress Instagram. It’s not sexy, but those dudes carrying heavy sandbags in dark garages have far more GO than the phonies with iPad analytics on your FYP.

Most “performance” training you see today is performative. It’s not about improving performance. It’s about trying to impress Instagram. It’s not sexy, but those dudes carrying heavy sandbags in dark garages have far more GO than the phonies with iPads analytics on your FYP.

Majoring in the minors. It’s what we do in America. We glamorize nuance, junk volume, regional world series, & force plate metrics. With kids who are weak as puppy piss and can’t perform somersaults. We love the idea of “advanced”. Just not what it takes to get there.

Most “Performance Coaches” will say they’re training for performance. The have all the gadgets and “data”. However, if you were to place a 50 pound stump at the base of a ridge & ask them to hike it up to the top.. They’d find they’re as fragile as their nuanced programming.

Making decisions based on the behavior of the masses who are blindly following others incapable of thinking for themselves isn’t “wanting what’s best.” It’s as careless as it is ignorant. If you want your kids to be like everybody else, raise them like everybody else.

Parents are responsible for the decisions they make regarding their children’s participation in sports. But coaches & organizations have an ethical obligation to encourage practices that prioritize the long-term development of children over the financial interests of adults.

There are adults who will lead you to believe it matters where & at what level your kid plays 8U. “Coaches” who will encourage technical/sport specific lessons. For kids… Who can’t climb f*cking trees or perform push ups. Pro Tip: Avoid these scum bags at all costs.

If you.. Encourage single sport specialization.. Inflate schedules so kids don’t have time for general training.. Make families feel they’ll be left behind if they don’t follow your year-round income model.. You’re not “part” of the problem. You are the problem.

If you.. Encourage single sport specialization.. Inflate schedules so kids don’t have time for general training.. Make families feel they’ll be left behind if they don’t follow your year-round income model.. There’s no question whether you’re an asshole. You definitley are.

You can make a living, or you can design a life. The former is easy. The latter demands pressure, risk, & an extraordinary tolerance for the unknown. But those willing to endure uncertainty earn something most never will: The freedom to live by design rather than by default.

Time is the most effective strategy. While complacency will get you killed, sound action, every day, for egregiously long periods of time will always win. Outlasting undisciplined people is the most under appreciated strategy in the world. Time & discipline create distance.

Everybody wants to win. But most people are trying to win today instead of trying to win the decade. You can leverage motivation for a few days. But you will always get your ass kicked by those acting strategically today, to set themselves up to win thousands of days from now.

Put good into the world. Cheer for others. Choose to not to be offended when it doesn’t go your way. Continue to give, even if you feel under appreciated. Do it all with a smile on your face. The world has a funny way of rewarding those who understand the game.

If you care about “what’s best” for your kids, physical preparation isn’t an option. It’s an obligation. Quality of life in the absence of physical capacity doesn’t exist. You must bust your ass so that you have legs to stand on when you hold them accountable to bust theirs.