Healthy Sports Parents

Congressman Chris Deluzio and Senator Cory Booker join Healthy Sports Parents creator Jonathan Carone for a conversation about the newly introduced Let Kids Play Act and why they believe youth sports in America are becoming inaccessible for too many families.

Instead of focusing only on the details of the legislation, this conversation explores the bigger questions underneath it all: Why do youth sports matter so much? What happens when sports become a luxury item instead of a community experience? And what role, if any, should the federal government play when families are being priced out?

Jonathan talks with Congressman Deluzio and Senator Booker about private equity in youth sports, stay-to-play requirements, rising costs for families, youth sports data privacy, and the growing concern that community-based leagues and facilities are disappearing as larger companies consolidate control over more parts of the sports ecosystem.

The conversation also goes beyond policy. Senator Booker shares how sports shaped his life and taught him lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and unity, while Congressman Deluzio reflects on growing up in community baseball and why he believes every kid deserves the chance to play regardless of their family’s income.

Whether you agree with the bill or not, this episode is ultimately about something much bigger than politics: preserving the role youth sports can play in helping kids grow into healthy adults and keeping those opportunities accessible for future generations.

Episode recorded May 13, 2026.

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hour-a-thon
http://www.hour-a-thon.com

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Youth sports can feel like they’re all about the next game, the next season, or the next level. But what if the bigger opportunity has nothing to do with any of that?
In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan Carone sits down with Lisa Willis to talk about what sports are really meant to give our kids. From her journey through UCLA and the WNBA to her work as a coach today with Texas Sports Academy, Lisa shares how the lessons that mattered most had nothing to do with stats or accolades, and everything to do with mindset, resilience, and identity.

Together, they unpack why so many young athletes are more skilled than ever but often struggle with confidence, pressure, and failure, and what parents can do to help shift that. Lisa explains why habits matter more than highlight moments, how to help kids handle tough emotions after games, and why separating identity from performance is one of the most important things we can teach them.

This conversation keeps coming back to one simple idea: sports should be bigger than sports. Not because of what kids achieve, but because of who they’re becoming in the process.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between wanting your kid to succeed and wanting them to enjoy the experience, this episode will help you approach it in a more grounded, intentional way.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t simply to raise a great athlete. It’s to raise a great human.

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More from Lisa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawillis40/
Website: https://lisacwillis.com/
Texas Sports Academy: https://sportsacademy.school/

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Eleven11
https://eleven11teamsports.com/

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

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Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

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Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
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https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
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Youth sports are not about winning. They’re about helping our kids become the best version of themselves possible.

In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Jeremy Alland, team doctor for the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, for a practical and honest conversation about injuries, overuse, and what parents need to understand about their child’s long-term health.

They discuss why kids are getting hurt at younger ages, how fatigue and year-round play are driving many of these injuries, and what that means not just for this season, but for the next 30 to 60 years of a child’s life. The conversation also covers how to think about training volume, the role of free play, when to introduce strength training, and why most families should focus on nutrition before supplements.

The goal isn’t short-term success this season.

It’s raising a kid who leaves sports healthy, confident, and equipped for life.

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More from Dr. Alland:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyallandmd/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyallandmd

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Eleven11
https://eleven11teamsports.com/

Hey Coach
https://heycoach.team/

--------
New episodes every Wednesday.

---------

Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

---------

Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

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Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot of families hit a point where rec league doesn’t feel like enough anymore, and the next step seems obvious: move to club (travel) sports where kids will get more games, more training, and more opportunity.

But before making that jump, it’s worth slowing down and understanding what actually changes when you leave rec behind.

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by author Karen Scholl – a mom who navigated the club sports journey with both her sons and wrote a book about it called Surving Soccer.

In the conversation, they walk through what club sports really are, why so many families feel pulled in that direction, and what parents should be thinking about before committing. They talk about the time, the cost, the pressure, and the tradeoffs that don’t always get talked about upfront.

This isn’t about saying club sports are good or bad. For some kids and families, they can be a great fit.

But club sports are not the only path, and it’s not always the right next step just because it feels like the natural one.

If your family is starting to wrestle with the rec vs. club decision, this conversation will help you take a step back, think it through, and make a choice that actually fits your kid and your life.

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More from Karen:

Buy Surviving Soccer
Substack: https://karenscholl.substack.com/

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hour-a-thon
http://www.hour-a-thon.com

--------
New episodes every Wednesday.

---------

Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

---------

Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

-----------

Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot of families start the youth sports journey with the same goal in mind: play at the highest level possible and see where it goes.

But what happens when you actually get there… and realize it wasn’t what you thought it would be?

In this conversation, Jonathan sat down with Britt Lee, co-founder of Pure Athlete and a dad who’s walked the full path. His son reached Division I tennis. He also had another son burn out. And somewhere along the way, he learned what actually matters and what doesn’t.

They talk about the pressure parents feel to specialize early, why so many well-meaning families get pulled into decisions they never intended to make, and how easy it is for sports to slowly take over more of our lives than we realize. Britt shares what he wishes he knew at the beginning, what he’d do differently, and how parents can take a step back and lead their kids through sports in a healthier way.

They also get into identity, both for kids and for parents, and why it can be so hard to let go when a sport ends even if we’ve kept the right perspective the whole time. And maybe most importantly, we talk about how to keep sports in the right place so they add to your family instead of taking it over.

If you’re in the middle of it right now, trying to figure out what’s best for your kid while managing all the noise and pressure around you, this one will hit close to home.

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More from Britt + Pure Athlete:

https://www.pureathlete.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pureathleteinc/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086392548798
https://www.tiktok.com/@pureathleteinc

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FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Hour-a-thon
http://www.hour-a-thon.com

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READ MY ARTICLE IN MOCKINGBIRD:

https://mbird.com/sports/the-gospel-according-to-youth-sports/

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New episodes every Wednesday.

---------

Get your Healthy Sports Parents gear:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/shop

---------

Get your Weekend Playbook:
https://www.healthysportsparents.com/playbook

-----------

Follow us on social:

https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthysportsparents
https://www.facebook.com/healthysportsparents
https://www.threads.net/healthysportsparents
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.