Ep. 169: Call-In Show #2: “My Son’s Coach Publicly Humiliated Him—and Now He Wants to Quit. What Should I Do?”
Welcome to The Pure Athlete Call-In Show—REAL CONVERSATIONS with REAL PARENTS & COACHES about REAL SITUATIONS and CHALLENGES. Jeff Francoeur, Britt Lee, and Brad Williams tackle coaching an unfamiliar sport, celebrating one daughter’s success while supporting another who got cut, helping a 9-year-old stop overthinking, and dealing with frustrating parents in the stands. They also hear from a dad whose son wants to quit after being publicly berated by his coach. Drawing on their experiences as parents, coaches, and former athletes, the guys offer honest perspectives and practical advice.
Want to join a future episode? Visit pureathlete.com/call or send us a DM on social media—your story could help someone facing a similar situation.
Ep. 168: Dr. Ben Freakley: The Mental Game of Youth Sports... What Parents & Coaches Need to Know
Britt, Brad, and former U.S. Soccer captain Carlos Bocanegra sit down with Dr. Ben Freakley to discuss the mental side of youth sports. Drawing on his work with Army Rangers, the Toronto Blue Jays, and Atlanta United, Freakley explains how sideline instructions, parental feedback, and negative self-talk create “noise” that makes it harder to play. He shares practical advice on simplifying feedback, building confidence, and prioritizing process over results. Freakley and Bocanegra also discuss what matters beyond talent: consistency, competitiveness, and working through challenges. His closing message to parents: love your kid without tying their worth to points, playing time, or wins. “You’re enough.”
Ep. 167: Call-In Show #1: "My Husband Is Too Hard On My Son In Sports”
Welcome to The Pure Athlete Call-In Show—REAL CONVERSATIONS with REAL PARENTS & COACHES about REAL SITUATIONS and CHALLENGES. In this episode, three moms, one dad, and a middle school soccer coach share their youth sports challenges. Jeff, Britt, and Brad offer perspectives and advice drawn from their own experiences. Want to join a future episode? Visit pureathlete.com/call or send us a DM on social media. Your story could help other parents and coaches facing similar situations!
Ep. 166: Notah Begay: His Unlikely Journey to the PGA Tour & Payne Stewart Award
Notah Begay III joins Jeff, Britt, and Brad during Tour Championship week for a conversation about his unlikely journey from growing up in Albuquerque to Stanford and the PGA Tour, and what he’s learned along the way. Begay discusses winning the Payne Stewart Award, the mentors who helped open doors for him, the realities of making it on Tour, and why he believes confidence comes from preparation. He also shares lessons from his 40-year friendship with Tiger Woods, his perspective on early specialization, and what parents can do to help young athletes develop grit, character, and a lasting love for the game.
Ep. 165: Dr. Katie Friedman: The Keys To Helping Your Young Athlete Physically Thrive
Brad and Britt sit down with Dr. Katie Friedman—pediatrician, pediatric ER physician, mom of young athletes, co-founder of Forever Freckled, and creator of Big Time youth athlete vitamins (livebigtime.com)—to discuss how parents can help young athletes thrive. Dr. Friedman shares practical advice on concussion safety, sleep, nutrition, injury prevention, and fueling growing athletes, while explaining why youth sports can be such a powerful environment for building grit, resilience, healthy habits, and life skills. She also offers an important reminder for sports parents: all the time and effort is worth it, even if your child never plays at the next level.
Ep. 164: Alex Rodriguez: Lessons and Insights From a Storied MLB Career
14-time All-Star, three-time AL MVP, and 2009 World Series champion Alex Rodriguez joins Jeff, Britt, and Brad for a wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond the numbers. A-Rod traces his path from a tough Washington Heights childhood (father leaving at 10, mother’s work ethic, food stamps) to Miami, where multi-sport play became his purpose, explains why playing up as a late-July birthday helped him, and how quarterback/point-guard vision translated to shortstop. He argues today’s early specialization hurts kids, makes a passionate case for fundamentals (bunt, hit-and-run, elite defense) over launch angle and exit velo, credits the two coaches who shaped him for a decade, and stresses curiosity, listening, and the mental approach that helped an 18-year-old phenom handle the spotlight. Parents and coaches get practical advice on the ride home, process over results, keeping kids off electronics and radar guns before 17, and why the best players he’s seen were “black-belt fundamentalists,” plus the behind-the-scenes Yankees trade story and his reflections on early success, self-awareness, and becoming a more present father.
Ep. 163: The Youth Soccer System is Broken...How Do We Fix It? Former USMNT Captain Carolos Bocanegra
In the season finale of The Pure Athlete Podcast, Jeff and the guys sit down with U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer, former USMNT captain, and two-time FIFA World Cup veteran Carlos Bocanegra. Fresh off the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Carlos reflects on his journey from youth soccer to UCLA, MLS Rookie of the Year, and professional stops in MLS, the Premier League, and Europe, sharing the lessons that shaped him as a player and leader. The conversation turns to the future of American soccer—what it will take to develop more world-class talent, why technical fundamentals matter more than early success, how parents and coaches can create environments where young athletes thrive, and why strengthening the pathway from youth soccer to the pro game is critical if the U.S. is going to consistently compete on the world’s biggest stage.
Ep. 162: i9 Sports' Madison Gates: How to Give Kids a Positive Early Sports Experience
In this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, Britt and Brad sit down with Madison Gates, VP of Marketing at i9 Sports and former University of Michigan soccer standout, to discuss how parents can create a positive, healthy introduction to youth sports. Madison shares her journey as a multi-sport athlete and explores the growing challenges facing families today, including early specialization, burnout, overuse injuries, and the pressure to keep up. She explains i9 Sports’ fun-first approach to youth athletics and highlights the organization's Games for Girls initiative, which aims to get 500,000 girls playing sports annually by 2030. From the importance of positive coaching to keeping kids engaged through the critical middle school years, this conversation is packed with practical advice for parents who want sports to build confidence, character, and a lifelong love of the game.
Ep. 161: David Pollack: The Hardest Part of Sports Parenting Is Learning to Let Go
In this powerful return episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, we welcome back College Football Hall of Famer and host of See Ball Get Ball, David Pollack, three and a half years after his first appearance. Now raising a 17-year-old son committed to Clemson football and a 16-year-old standout basketball daughter, David shares raw, honest insights on how sports parenting evolves in high school—from shifting roles as “commander” to “coach” to “friend,” to giving kids true ownership of their journey. He discusses the challenges of the modern, transactional NIL recruiting world, balancing support without taking over, and why surrounding your children with the right people and culture matters most. David also opens up about his wife Lindsay’s major brain surgery and ongoing battle with cancer, and how their family has grown stronger through adversity, gaining powerful lessons in resilience, faith, and perspective. With his signature intensity, humor, and vulnerability, he covers why parenting gets harder yet more meaningful with independence, building family values that outlast sports, praying through hard things, and what coaches and parents must prioritize for long-term success and character. A must-listen for parents, coaches, and athletes. Tune in now—also check out David’s new book, Every Day Counts: Start Where You Are. Use What You Have. Do What You Can.
Ep. 160: Reclassifying: The Controversial Extra Year in Youth Sports
In this candid episode, Jeff, Britt, and Brad tackle one of the most controversial topics in youth sports: reclassification — holding kids back a grade primarily for athletic advantages. They break down what reclassification really means and how it’s evolved from a rare academic choice into a common sports strategy, the potential benefits for late bloomers, and the serious downsides including social, emotional, and academic impacts. The hosts also examine why some high school programs quietly encourage it, how club teams have adapted with grad-year rules, and whether the extra year truly leads to D1 scholarships or simply creates unfair advantages. With honesty and personal stories, they question if athletics are being placed above kids’ holistic development in the growing trend of older athletes in high school and college sports. This nuanced, thought-provoking conversation is a must-listen for parents and coaches. Have you reclassified your child? Share your experiences — the good, the bad, and the ugly — in the comments.
Ep. 159: Aspen Institute’s Tom Farrey: The State of Youth Sports
In this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, we sit down with Tom Farrey, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and a leading voice in youth sports. With decades of experience and groundbreaking research, Tom shares the latest data on participation trends, the effects of commercialization, the risks of early specialization, and the growing influence of NIL at younger ages. He also explores powerful lessons from Norway’s highly successful youth sports model, explains why joy and love of the game matter more than wins in the early years, highlights the importance of multi-sport play, and offers practical ways communities can drive real change through the “power of the permit.” Whether you’re a parent, coach, or youth sports leader, this conversation delivers honest insights, renewed hope, and actionable ideas for building healthier, more inclusive youth sports environments. Tune in for a big-picture look at where youth sports stands today — and where it’s headed.
Ep: 158: Catie Francoeur: Behind the Scenes With a Sports Mom
This week on The Pure Athlete Podcast, we celebrate moms with special guest Catie Francoeur — sports mom, wife, and chaos coordinator extraordinaire. Catie joins Jeff, Britt, and Brad for an honest, funny, and heartfelt conversation about raising four kids in the middle of the youth sports whirlwind. From travel ball chaos and emotional car rides to balancing competition, faith, marriage, and family life, this episode dives into the pressures families face in today’s sports culture and why effort, character, and identity matter more than stats and trophies. Packed with relatable stories, laughs, and real perspective, this is an episode every sports parent will connect with.
Ep. 157: University of Georgia AD Josh Brooks
What does the future of college sports really look like—and how will it impact youth and high school athletes? In Part 2 of this series, What’s Going On in College Sports?, we sit down with Josh Brooks, Athletic Director at University of Georgia, to discuss the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics—from NIL and the transfer portal to recruiting, roster building, and long-term athlete development. Josh reflects on his journey from college equipment manager under Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher to leading one of the top athletic programs in the country, while also sharing honest insight into parenting in youth sports, the pressure surrounding young athletes today, and why development, fit, and identity matter far more than wins, rankings, or short-term success.