Steve Kerr says every kid needs free play, multiple sports and coaches who build joy into the work. The five-time NBA champion as a player, four-time champion as Warriors head coach and 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning coach of Team USA shares what he’d tell every sports parent.
Steve played for the Bulls and Spurs, worked as a broadcaster and NBA general manager, but calls himself a son, brother, husband, father and grandfather first. In this episode, Steve talks to host Scott Rintoul about the wear and tear of early specialization, why late specializers catch up fast, and what Steph Curry and Steve Nash show about multi-sport athletes. Steve also shares sports parenting stories like why his parents never said a word during his games, why he and his wife told their kids to fight their own battles, and how one club volleyball coach handled playing-time talks.
He also covers building team culture with joy, lessons from Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Pete Carroll, making the 12th player feel valued, coaching alongside his son Nick, why the cost of youth sports leaves kids behind, and his one piece of advice for parents.
It's a must listen episode with one of the most respected people in all of sport.