$40 Billion Youth Sports Industry: Are We Helping Kids Thrive or Burning Them Out?

Youth sports are a $40 billion industry in the U.S.—but is all that investment actually helping kids, or adding unnecessary pressure, costs, and burnout? Jason, Gabe, and MDV break down the pros and cons of growing up in today’s youth sports culture, the role of parents and coaches, and how to keep sports fun and meaningful. Plus, Jason’s prep for BJJ Master Worlds, and the wild world of bodysurfing competitions. Timestamps: 0:00 Baseball player charges a catcher—dirty play or just the game? 5:30 Do you back up your kid or turn it into a teachable moment? 8:00 Unsportsmanlike celebrations—where’s the line? 11:00 The pros and cons of youth sports 13:30 How to avoid the costs, politics, and pressure of youth sports 15:59 Specializing at a young age—helpful or harmful? 16:40 Why California is prime for youth sports 17:49 What we’d do differently navigating youth sports as parents 19:27 The joy of watching your kids compete 23:18 Why Ava wanted to start a school sport (and how impressionable young girls are) 25:00 What makes a good coach? 26:35 MDV competes at the World Championships of body surfing 29:29 How bodysurfing is judged (and why conditions matter) 31:45 Lessons learned—you can’t control the conditions or the judges 34:20 How competition feels different now 36:50 Jason prepares for BJJ Master Worlds 39:00 One wrong step can change everything 41:27 “This is what it takes to win”—Jason’s mindset shift 45:09 Why BJJ is not CrossFit and how Jason approaches it differently 49:30 Fighters are some of the most gracious people you’ll ever meet 54:40 There are levels to every game 57:00 Wrapping it up Thanks for tuning in to the Jason Khalipa Podcast! 🎥 The Home Team goes live on YouTube every Tuesday and Friday at 9AM PST. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠JK Podcast⁠ ⁠Jason⁠ ⁠Gabe⁠ ⁠MDV⁠ ⁠Dennis⁠ ⁠Train with us on the TRAIN HARD App⁠ ⁠Find your program⁠ ⁠Subscribe to our newsletter⁠