The game isn't just happening on the field, court or rink. Uncoached is a podcast for parents and coaches trying to figure youth sports out. Through honest conversations with experts, coaches, parents, and athletes, we explore things that shape the youth sports experience. Every episode delivers practical insights and actionable ideas you can immediately use to create a better experience for the athletes you coach, support, and love
Winning, Team Culture, and Becoming the Coach Kids Remember
In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Josh Butler, youth soccer coach, sports dad, and author of The Youth Coach's Playbook: 21 Ways to BE the Coach Every Kid Remembers. We talk about finding the right balance between winning and having fun, the challenges of coaching your own children, and what it takes to build a team culture where every player feels valued. Josh also shares his perspective on how volunteer coaches can encourage competition without losing sight of what makes youth sports meaningful in the first place.
Questions we cover in this episode:
How can coaches celebrate winning and championships without making trophies the main goal?
How do you keep practices fun for competitive young athletes without lowering expectations?
How do you know when it's time to stop coaching your own child?
How can coaches reward effort and positive attitudes without creating favoritism?
What are two or three ways volunteer coaches can quickly build a strong, player-driven team culture?
Bonus Question:
If you could give yourself one piece of advice before coaching your first youth team, what would it be?
8 Oct 2026
Flag Football, Fatherhood, and Raising Good Kids
In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Jesse Carstairs, a men's relationship coach and competitive youth flag football coach, to talk about how the lessons kids learn through sports can shape who they become off the field. We explore the growing popularity of flag football, the challenges of coaching your own children, and why developing character should be just as important as developing athletic skills. Jesse also shares his perspective on fatherhood, teaching accountability, and how parents and volunteer coaches can use everyday moments in youth sports to help raise confident, responsible young people.
Questions we cover in this episode:
Flag football is growing quickly. What makes the sport so appealing to kids, and what valuable lessons are young athletes learning that people might underestimate?
Your work focuses on helping men become better husbands, fathers, and leaders. How does that influence what you're trying to develop in young athletes beyond their football skills?
Coaching your own kids can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also blur the lines between being Dad and being Coach. How do you balance those two roles?
If we're ultimately trying to raise good people, what character traits should youth coaches intentionally develop, and how can we teach those qualities through sports?
Youth athletes have plenty of opportunities to blame referees, coaches, teammates, or circumstances when things go wrong. How can we teach kids to take ownership and develop real accountability?
Bonus Question:
If one of the kids you coach runs into you 20 years from now, what would make you feel like you succeeded as their coach?
1 Oct 2026
What Youth Sports Can Learn from Rugby
In this episode of Uncoached, I sit down with Nate Dalena, Executive Director of Rugby NorCal, to explore a youth sport that many parents and coaches may not know much about. We talk about how kids are safely introduced to rugby, why the game puts so much decision-making in the hands of the athletes, and how its culture teaches respect alongside physical competition. Nate also shares what rugby can teach the broader youth sports world about developing independent athletes, creating appropriate competition, and giving kids another way to fall in love with sports.
Questions we cover in this episode:
What makes rugby different from other major youth sports, and what can kids get from playing it that they might not experience elsewhere?
What does a first rugby practice look like for a 9- or 10-year-old, and how are contact and tackling introduced in an age-appropriate way?
Rugby requires athletes to make a lot of decisions without a coach directing every play. How does that influence the way young players are trained, and does it help develop more independent athletes?
How does Rugby NorCal create meaningful competition across different ages and ability levels without making everything about finding the "best" team or highest level?
Rugby is incredibly physical, but it's also known for its culture of respect and sportsmanship. Where does that culture come from, and how do you intentionally teach it to young athletes?
Bonus Question:
If a kid already loves football, soccer, hockey, basketball, or another sport, what's your pitch to their parents for giving rugby a try for one season?
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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