Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025 | 2 a.m.
Editor’s note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
When Gina Usufzy’s son started playing hockey in Southern Nevada 13 years ago, families faced a stark reality: the sport was virtually inaccessible. The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t exist yet, and hockey in the desert remained a mostly unfulfilled dream.
As a single mother navigating the steep costs of equipment and travel associated with youth hockey clubs, Usufzy experienced these barriers firsthand. Her response was to create Jake Kielb’s Hockey Foundation — a nonprofit named after her son that breaks down barriers to the sport through free gear programs, clinics and scholarships.
Nearly a decade later, Usufzy is ready to expand her vision.
She’s working to establish Las Vegas Community Sports Complex, the region’s first nonprofit community ice rink and multiuse indoor turf field.
Turning that vision into reality will require the community’s support. The proposal calls for a facility in the northwest valley and carries a $15 million price tag — and unlike many athletic complexes, it would be built without public funding.
“Youth hockey itself has exploded — we see it in our USA Hockey numbers each year — and it’s a great thing to have, but when you don’t have enough facilities to support that growth, then you’ll start seeing a decline when there’s a ton of kids who want to play but there’s nowhere for them to play,” said Usufzy, CEO of the foundation. “They’re going to find another sport, so we’re really hoping that we can get this launched so that kids will continue to fall in love with the game, and we’re hoping that we can provide ice rinks for them.”
Since the Golden Knights took the ice in 2017, hockey has surged in popularity across Southern Nevada.
The numbers tell the story: Youth hockey participation jumped 268% after the team’s arrival, according to the National Hockey League.
Recognizing this momentum, the NHL has committed $3.6 million through its NHLPA Industry Growth Fund to support the Golden Knights’ youth hockey initiatives. That investment funds partnerships with organizations like the Clark County School District, along with learn-to-skate programs and the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play program.
When the Golden Knights were granted their franchise in 2016, Southern Nevada had just three community ice rinks. That number has grown to seven, including City National Arena, built and paid for by Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and his investment group, and the America First Center, developed in a public-private partnership between the city of Henderson and Foley Entertainment Group.
Still, Usufzy and Beau Young — the foundation’s marketing and sponsorship lead — say the region remains underserved. Young knows the challenge intimately.
Young, the father of multisport athletes, is familiar with the scramble to secure ice time or turf fields for practice. The problem intensifies during Southern Nevada’s brutal summers, when triple-digit temperatures push outdoor sports indoors — and the competition for limited facilities becomes even fiercer.
About 18 months ago, Usufzy began working to transform her vision into reality. She’s since analyzed feasibility studies, developed architectural designs and pursued sponsors to help finance the project. They still need to acquire the land.
Young joined the effort after hearing about Usufzy’s plans from one of his sons’ coaches in the Las Vegas Ice Warriors youth hockey organization, which Usufzy also leads. Drawing on his marketing background, Young signed on to help raise the funds needed to bring the complex to life — driven by the same frustrations he faces when he tries to book practice space for his kids.
“The growth of (hockey) is going crazy within our city,” Young said. He too believes a lack of infrastructure is preventing an even bigger growth of the sport in Southern Nevada.
“When you have to practice at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. and they’re closing a rink at 11 or 12 at night, and there’s still not enough ice time for everybody to play, there’s a need,” Young said.
The proposed 130,000-square-foot multiuse complex will feature two NHL-sized sheets of ice for hockey, figure skating, public skating, curling and other ice sports, along with a 200-by-85-foot indoor turf field for sports like soccer, lacrosse and football. The plan envisions seating for 1,500 spectators.
Additionally, plans call for a premium training and workout room; retail space available for lease; concessions; a full-service restaurant and bar with rooftop patio seating, Usufzy said.
The rinks and fields will be for sports practices, along with community events, watch parties, summer programs, year-round cross training and more, she added. The Las Vegas Ice Warriors would also make the Las Vegas Community Sports Complex their home facility.
The duo think the complex could be a boon for other sports too, including ice skating, cheer and futsal, a five-on-five game of indoor soccer with rolling substitutes and a smaller ball than what’s used in traditional soccer.
In countries like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Spain, futsal is where younger players develop skills such as ball control, which Young stressed could work for budding soccer players in Southern Nevada as well.
He also believes an increase in sports infrastructure could attract more families to the area and become an economic driver by raising the number of youth tournaments in Southern Nevada. Think: more soccer, hockey and even lacrosse tournaments with families from across the nation bringing in hundreds of dollars each in hotel stays, flights or gas, food and other means.
Jake Kielb’s Hockey Foundation launched its $15 million capital campaign for the sports complex earlier this month and expects to spend the next 12 to 18 months collecting monetary and in-kind donations from community members.
In-kind donations can be everything from bleachers or cabinets for offices to sports equipment that children will eventually use once the complex is open.
“My old rink director used to tell me all the time, ‘Gina, Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ and that’s always stuck with me. If it was easy, somebody would’ve already done it,” Usufzy said. “The community needs this, and we need help giving the community what they need. Help us help our youth.”
Contact Young for details at [email protected], or donate online: https://helpvegasplay.com/donations/
University Heights, OH — The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women’s basketball team had a tough challenge on Monday evening as they headed to John Carroll to face the 10th-ranked Blue Streaks. The Panthers struggled to keep up with John Carroll and fell 112-41.
The Panthers started fast, matching John Carroll’s five early points with a three-pointer by Amber Murak and a jumper from Ella Gettings. Unfortunately, they were unable to keep pace after the Gettings bucket, and the Blue Streaks rolled off 10 straight points. Murak ended the run with a layup, but it was followed by another Pitt-Bradford scoring draught that saw John Carroll push their lead to 16. Murak and Zennette Zigler combined for three free throws in the last few minutes, while their effort was matched by the hosts, who finished the period with a 31-10 lead.
John Carroll opened the second with a 9-0 run before Murak got the Panthers on the board with a pair of free throws. Gettings made a short jumper with 4:15 left in the half, ending an 11-minute drought from the field. It was in the midst of an 18-4 run that also included two free throws by Raquel Sewell. Dalayla Alexander added a late jumper, but the hosts hit two more three-pointers in the final minute to send the game to the break with Pitt-Bradford trailing 64-18.
The hosts continued their run as the 2nd half began, scoring the first 10 points of the 3rd quarter. Murak stopped another run with a driving layup. It started the Panthers’ best offensive stretch of the game, as a minute later, they scored on three straight possessions. A Murak layup was followed by an Alexander three and a tip-in from Sewell. Alexander added another layup in the quarter, but the Blue Streaks closed with a 7-0 run to end the quarter.
The Panthers were able to score first in the fourth as Alexander made a jumper in the lane on Pitt-Bradford’s second possession. Murak added two more layups and a three-pointer in the quarter. Abigail Goss closed the game with two free throws, putting the final score at 112-41.
Amber Murak led all scorers in the game with 19 points. Dalayla Alexander added 9 points, while also tallying 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Raquel Sewell and Zennette Zigler each grabbed 7 rebounds in the loss.
Pitt-Bradford falls to 0-12 on the season with the loss. The Panthers will be back in action on Thursday, when they return to AMCC play with a home matchup against Alfred State. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m., and the game will include a halftime game played by teams from the Bradford Youth Girls Basketball League.
The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
A live TV broadcast of races for children under 16, complete with professional graphics, a studio setup, and expert commentary — just like a World Cup event. Four disciplines across four venues in Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, and Austria, completely free of charge for all young racers. The competition culminates with an unforgettable main prize: an inside-the-ropes World Cup experience in Alta Badia, Italy. Add to that special guests from the world ski scene, valuable prizes, and a rich side program for visitors of all ages. Can you imagine a stronger spark for young athletes dreaming of a future in ski racing?
Behind the idea of motivating young athletes for more than a decade stands a trio of brothers from Slovakia, well known within the ski community. Adam, Andreas, and Teo Žampa made history as the first brother trio to compete in the same discipline at the World Championships — lining up together in the giant slalom at Saalbach 2025. Their careers include notable achievements, such as a silver medal from the World Championships in the team parallel event and several top-10 finishes at major competitions.
In Slovakia, they rank among the country’s most popular athletes, not only because of their racing success but also because of the initiatives they actively support in alpine skiing development, along with the expert insights they regularly share on TV studios.
Together with his brothers, Andreas Žampa explained that they have been organizing the BILLA Žampa Cup for ten years and that he was genuinely happy to welcome last season’s winning club to Alta Badia. The overall points winner — the Czech club TJ Slovan Pec — earned a unique opportunity to experience the World Cup from the inside. The kids stood at the start, watched the top racers train, took part in the bib draw, and met the fastest men on the World Cup circuit. Žampa emphasized that experiencing life at the highest level firsthand can inspire young athletes to one day stand there as racers themselves.
The selection of the six children who participated in the trip was about more than results. The club considered discipline, regular training attendance, school performance, fair play, effort and overall attitude.
Žampa said the project’s goal is to give back to the next generation. He emphasized the importance of helping children feel motivated to improve a little every day and noted how meaningful it was to create something special in collaboration with World Cup organizers.
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“We watched the giant slalom training and saw all those world-class skiers up close. We were at the bib draw, collected autographs, and even met Jan Zabystřan — our successful compatriot who recently celebrated his first World Cup victory,” said Emilija Ivanovska from the winning Czech club TJ Slovan Pec. “It’s an incredible experience for our entire team.”
When asked who they would be cheering for, the answer was unanimous — the Žampa brothers — a fact clearly visible from the banners they proudly held. You can see how the winners enjoyed their time in Alta Badia here.
“For the kids, this is an huge motivation, and I’m really happy the guys are organizing this event. It truly inspires young athletes,” says Lukáš Wondráček, coach of TJ Slovan Pec.
And he’s not wrong. Slovakia was represented in Monday’s slalom by young skier Adam Nováček, a 20-year-old athlete who once competed at the Žampa Cup himself. In Alta Badia, he made his second World Cup start — and celebrated his first successful World Cup finish.
One of the special guests at the Žampa Cup finals in Štrbské Pleso (SVK) in March 2025 was Zrinka Ljutić, the freshly crowned slalom globe winner, who arrived straight from the World Cup Finals in the United States. She visited the race start, spent time with thousands of fans during the autograph session, and brought not only her trophy but also an incredible dose of energy and motivation to the event.
Slovak and Croatian skiing have shared warm relations for years, and Croatian success is genuinely celebrated by Slovak fans. Zrinka’s fan club is even led by a young Slovak woman, Nina, who attended the event with Billa Žampa Cup banners in hand.
Winning the small globe was a dream come true for Ljutić, who said she was deeply happy to share the moment with everyone at the Billa Žampa Cup.
Ljutić also appeared in the live finish-area studio of JOJ Šport TV, which broadcast the entire race with full graphics and expert commentary. That level of professionalism matters, accordingly to organizers and parents.
One attending parent shared that both of their children raced and truly felt part of something big — just like what they see on TV. Even without podium results, the experience itself made the day special, capped off with hot chocolate and autograph sessions.
In addition to Ljutić, visitors and young racers also met Zabystřan, Martina Dubovská, and Finnish star Erika Pykäläinen.
The Billa Žampa Cup 2026 will introduce several new developments. For the first time, the series will expand to Austria, partnering with Ski Club Arlberg, the world’s oldest ski club. In Lech/Zürs, young racers will take part in a unique ski challenge designed to test overall skills while prioritizing fun with competition.
Each event has its own distinct character. In Pec pod Sněžkou, young skiers will compete in a combi race blending alpine skiing and ski cross. In Białka Tatrzańska, the program includes a children’s downhill — a discipline many young racers aspire to try. The season finale at Štrbské Pleso will feature a parallel slalom broadcast live on television, along with side events such as a speed challenge, skills run, and the Winter Youth Olympics of the High Tatras. Children will also have the opportunity to try snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and ski mountaineering at Teo Žampa.
Organizers promise a special atmosphere, a record number of World Cup guests, and a professional environment for all participants. The goal remains clear: to help young racers feel like stars, build friendships, and embrace the challenges of alpine skiing.
Registration for all Billa Žampa Cup events is free of charge. The initiative is not limited to future professionals. It also welcomes recreational skiers who want to try racing or simply enjoy the atmosphere.
“One of our missions is to bring skiing closer to everyday people. This is not just about professionals, but about the entire community that shares winter, a love for snow sports, mountains, slopes, and nature. We simply want to strengthen that mountain spirit,” adds Andreas Žampa.
You can also find an interesting interview with the three Slovak brothers in the Skiing is Believing podcast, where they were guests a year ago. On behalf of Ski Racing Media, we wish them the best of luck in continuing to inspire future generations of skiers.
There’s an unmet need for after-school programs across Omaha. The city and an area nonprofit look to fill the gaps.
A recently released survey commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and Collective for Youth gathered input from 444 Omaha households with 670 children to measure the successes and shortcomings of the metro’s after-school programs. The organization found that roughly 75% of Omaha children don’t have an available program, despite their parents’ or guardians’ desire to enroll.
“Families want more spots, more access and more support, especially as national resources, particularly for middle school programs, continue to decline,” said Megan Addison, executive director of local nonprofit Collective for Youth.
Addison shared the results of the survey alongside Mayor John Ewing and Omaha City Council members during a press conference Monday afternoon.
The unmet demand for after-school programs represents 38,409 children whose parents want them to be in an after-school program but are not, according to the survey. Filling that gap will take investments, and knowing the state of things is an important place to start.
“I’ve been running Collective for Youth now for 18 years, and we’ve never had a survey done to really just get the lay of the land across Omaha,” Addison said. “We’re very familiar with what’s happening in Omaha Public Schools and with our partners and what their needs are, but we just didn’t have a good pulse on what’s going on beyond that scope.”
Ewing’s support for after-school programming is shaped by his previous career in law enforcement. He said safe alternatives for young people are especially important from 3-6 p.m. when they are “left to their own devices.”
“By doing that, we help keep our community safe, because it’s really about prevention and keeping young people engaged in positive activities versus them getting involved in criminal activity,” Ewing said.
In the new study, 88% of parents with children in after-school programs report enrollment allows them to work more hours and 79% say it boosts their productivity at work. It also found that about nine in 10 Omaha parents agree that all young people deserve access to quality after-school and summer programs and 92% are in favor of public funding for after-school opportunities.
“We want to keep them stay connected to their community, so that they give back. And that’s one thing that after school provides,” Addison said. “It helps that connection with them in the places where they live.”
MAHANOY CITY — Mahanoy Area didn’t let Nativity blink for one moment when they willed their way to a 56-16 Division II home win Monday.
Mahanoy Area’s (10-3; 7-1) defense forced 21 turnovers as Naomi Kowalick and Felicia Bro each converted steals in the first half and never slowed down for the home win over the Green Wave (1-13; 0-8).
“That got us into our running game and that’s what we do best,” said Mahanoy Area head coach Tom Scheeler. “The win qualifies us for districts and we have a tough road ahead.”
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Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro (21) approaches the basket as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Mahanoy Area’s Naomi Kowalick (33) shoots the ball as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Nativity’s Finley McNamara (33) looks to shoot as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Nativity’s Emmalee Pinkey (15) dribbles near the sideline as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Mahanoy Area’s Felicia Bro (21) approaches the basket as Mahanoy Area hosts Nativity BVM, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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SEE FULL PHOTO GALLERY: Mahanoy Area girls basketball defeats Nativity
Ella Connolly led the Golden Bears offense early when she rolled in 12 points and led Mahanoy Area to a 19-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Bro hit Connolly with an underneath pass for an easy layup and the 21-5 lead two minutes into the second quarter and Mahanoy Area never let up.
“They find each other and Felicia (Bro) has turned into a great point guard and having Ella (Connolly) up front, she gets down the floor well so we look for her a lot.”
Connolly led Mahanoy Area’s offense with 23 points and Brooklyn Christian scored 10 points. Kowalick had eight points and Bro added seven points.
Connolly went underneath for a pair of layups and the 8-3 lead midway through the first quarter. Kowalick then scooped up a steal and flushed it at the other end for the 12-5 lead.
“I’m comfortable in my role but I can also play point guard because I can give my teammates opportunities,” said Bro. “We work on our press every day and it’s a good way to get steals.”
Connolly added another pair of layups and the Golden Bears took a 19-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Bro fed Connolly with a pass underneath the basket for the 21-5 lead before another Kowalick steal and full court layup gave the Golden Bears a 27-9 lead.
“Our girls were trying to run before we have the ball,” said Scheeler. “Our defense has to be as good as it’s been and that’s one thing we pride ourselves on.”
Kowalick turned up for another steal and passed it to Connolly who finished it for the 33-11 lead. Kowalick then hit a three for the 35-11 halftime lead.
Bro hit a three and scored five points in the third quarter before Christian rolled in a layup for the 48-16 lead at the end of the third quarter.
“We’re playing well offensively, moving the ball and getting open looks,” said Bro. “It’s a good win and we can’t get too confident.”
Kieran Haughney hit a two-point jumper for the 50-16 lead shortly into the fourth quarter and Christian posted a pair of layups for the 56-16 win.
Nativity’s offense was led by Emmalee Pinkey’s 10 points and Finley McNamara’s three points.
Mahanoy Area travels to Lincoln Leadership at 5:30 p.m. and Nativity hits the road to take on Marian Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Nativity 16 — Revilla 0 0-0 0, Ulloa 0 0-0 0, Lorence 1 0-0 2, Richard 0 0-0 0, Pinkey 3 3-4 10, Vizcaino 0 0-0 0, Hylka 0 0-0 0, Zulick 0 0-0 0, Rushannon 0 0-0 0, Pascual 0 0-0 0, McNamara 1 1-4 3, Purcell 0 1-2 1, Stenmt 0 0-0 0, Evans 0 0-0 0.
Mahanoy Area 56 — Haughney 1 0-0 1, Monley 0 0-0 0, Wonsock 0 0-0 0, Zubris 0 0-0 0, Christian 5 0-0 10, Bro 3 0-0 7, Carl 2 0-0 4, Kowalick 4 0-0 8, Collado 1 0-0 2, Connolly 11 1-2 23.
© 2026 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.). Visit republicanherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Every year, on the first day of school, we take pictures of our kids with those little chalkboards so we can have the memories to look back on of their first and/or last day of school. But there’s something that often appears on those chalkboards that we need to be aware of.
Right next to grade, age, and the teacher’s name, there’s often a box that says, “When I grow up, I want to be…” There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that question—it’s fun to get a peek into our kids’ dreams—but if we’re not careful, those childhood dreams can cause us to feel and do some things that, while having the best of intentions, can add unnecessary pressure to our kids’ childhood.
Especially when they say they want to be a college or professional athlete.
Two recent studies are shedding new light on parental expectations when it comes to youth sports. One was from Talker Research and BSN Sports, and the other from a collaboration between the University of Florida and The Ohio State University. Both studies analyze what parents expect out of their kids’ youth sports journey. The Florida/Ohio State survey took it one step further to determine what the driving factors of those expectations are. What they found was that parents of kids who filled out that box on the chalkboard with “pro athlete” were the ones who were more likely to believe their kid would grow up to be a pro athlete.
While I’m all for supporting your kid’s dreams—seriously, hype them up, be their biggest fan, help them go after whatever big, gigantic thing they can dream up! But it’s also important for us as the adults in the room to understand what chasing those dreams actually looks like.
When our kids are young, and they’re all in on a sport, it’s easy to watch their passion and think they’re going to always have that same love for their game, especially if they have some advanced abilities early on. But we all change. I’m willing to bet many of the hobbies and interests you had five years ago are not the same ones you have today.
Kids often go through the same shift. For all the things that have changed in our culture over the last 20 years, one consistent thing has been that 70% of kids stop playing sports by the time they’re 13. Of the ten kids on your kid’s tee ball team, seven of them won’t be playing by middle school, and there are a myriad of reasons behind that.
But your kid with pro athlete dreams is likely not part of the 70%. They’re probably the ones that will push through and continue playing. Even if they make it to the varsity level in high school, only 6% of varsity athletes play college sports at any level. That includes NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, and NCCAA (junior college/community college). Only 2.5% of high school athletes will go on to play at the NCAA Division I level, which is the highest.
To put it into perspective, if you lined up 100 elementary-aged kids on a field, at most two of them (1.8% really) will go on to play in college.
Dan Meske, the head coach of the University of Louisville Women’s Volleyball team, tells me this about college recruiting. “There was a legendary coach in the volleyball landscape, Russ Rose. He coached at Penn State. And I’ve always remembered what he said about recruiting. He said, ‘If it’s not the best kid you’ve ever seen, she probably can’t play for me.’ That kind of sets the water level because the level (of play) is so high.”
But let’s say your kid makes it! Let’s assume they’re the best of the best and end up playing in college somewhere. Even then, less than 2% of NCAA athletes go pro. The percentages vary by sport, but if we look at that field we just lined up 100 elementary-aged kids on, we would have to put 6,667 kids on that field for there to statistically be one professional athlete on it.
Now, it’s easy to read that and think I’m telling you that it’s not going to happen, so you shouldn’t support your kid’s dreams. That’s not what I’m saying at all.
As parents, I want you to fully support your kid’s dreams, but I want you to do it with eyes wide open and realistic expectations so that you don’t put extra pressure on your kid. After all, the number one reason those kids stop playing by 13 is because their sport stops being fun.
The Talker Research survey found that 17% of parents surveyed believed their child “is meant to be a pro at their sport someday.” That’s simply not the reality of the sports environment our kids are walking into.
When we believe our kid is “meant to be” something, we attach their identity to that activity. It could be sports, a vocation, the arts, or any other label. When their identity is in that label, we don’t give them space or the ability to explore other things as they grow up, and their interests inevitably change.
A long-term high school athletic director once told me we should treat elementary school like a buffet and let our kids try everything to see what they like. That exploration doesn’t happen when we have an unrealistic expectation that our kid is part of the less than 2% and will eventually get to the levels 98% of kids will never reach.
The good news is that most parents change their expectations over time. The University of Florida/ Ohio State study found, “parents typically decrease their expectations for their children’s sport achievement as their children age. Apparently, parents are continually adjusting their expectations as they encounter new information about their children’s chances of success, so that parents with initially high expectations tend to develop more refined and accurate expectations later as they process new information about the difficulty of becoming an elite athlete.”
Our role as parents is to help facilitate our kids’ passions in whatever ways possible. So, whether your kid dreams of being a professional athlete or has another big, giant dream, you should support that dream, but in healthy, age-appropriate ways.
Here are three quick tips to keep in the back of your mind as you support your kid’s journey.
The problem with the 17% of parents who believe their kid is “meant to be a pro” is not that the parents believe their kid could become a pro. It’s that they felt the kid was meant to be one. We can validate our kids’ dreams and support their efforts toward the dream without predicting the ending. The certainty of that prediction removes flexibility and adds pressure.
You can try supportive language to encourage your child’s dream.
That subtle shift in wording continues encouraging them to pursue the dream while also creating emotional safety and not creating additional pressure.
We live in a culture that celebrates prodigies. But did you know that early success is actually a poor predictor of long-term success?
A recent study looked at more than 30,000 people who ended up becoming elite adults. We’re talking about Olympic athletes, world-class musicians, etc. The study found that only 10% of these adults who reached the highest levels in their fields were standout performers as kids. At the same time, most of the kids who were elite at a young age didn’t end up staying at that level as they grew up.
The thing that separates those who made it to high levels wasn’t early dominance or specializing as young as possible; it was time.
“If you have an athlete living in your house who is destined for that level, they will get there. We do not need to manufacture it in elementary school,” legendary USA Softball player and San Diego State Coach Stacey Nuveman-Deniz told me on my podcast, Healthy Sports Parents.
If your kid is meant to get there, they will, but it will be because it was their dream and they took ownership of it, not because you pushed them hard and fast as kids.
It is really easy—like ridiculously easy—for our kids’ dream to become our dream. We see them excited about something and start imagining what it might look like for them to reach it.
But we have to remember this is their dream to be a professional athlete, not ours. Our role is to facilitate their dream. Show them what it’ll take to reach the level they want to get to. Offer opportunities for growth. Ask probing questions. Ultimately, though, let them be the decision maker.
And I know, there’s fear that comes with that idea. What if they get left behind? What if they make the wrong choice? What if…?
As Coach Nuveman-Deniz says, if your child is destined for that level, they’ll get there. They’ll catch up. They’ll learn. But while it might sound scary, failure in safe environments is often the best teacher our kids will ever have. Give them room to make the wrong decisions and then provide a safe place for them to learn from that failure and bounce back. If their dream is really their dream, they’ll find their way.
Kids can have big dreams, but they still need space to be kids. The reality is, whether your kid makes it to the pros or is part of the 70% who quit before 13, every kid eventually plays their last game at some point.
The value in youth sports is not how far a kid goes or how much money they make. The true value is found in the type of human they grow into through the lessons they learn in sports.
Let’s walk in the tension of supporting our kids’ wildest dreams while also giving them the freedom to explore growing up in healthy ways.
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