Dr. Travis Dorsch says parents should ask one question first: what are we judging success on? The former Purdue punter, Ray Guy Award winner and NFL draft pick is now a leading youth sport researcher, and he explains what the data says about parents, money, specialization and what kids actually need.
Travis is a professor and founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University, with more than 80 articles, book chapters and technical reports. He has conducted research for the NCAA and Olympic organizations. He’s also a husband and a father of two young ski racers who play other sports year-round, so he lives what he studies.
In this episode, host Scott Rintoul talks with Travis about when to hand kids the keys, why talent isn’t the same as love, the real odds of playing college or pro sports, and why kids feel the pressure when families spend more money. He shares findings from his study of mic'd-up sideline parents, explains why emotional regulation is a parent’s first job, and discusses where hard coaching crosses into abuse. He also covers the dramatic rise in cost for youth sports, what Norway gets right, and the first thing he’d fix if he had the opportunity.
