Issues & Advice

17 of the year’s best pieces from our Do It Better columnist Brad Stulberg. Over the past year, the global wellness industry reached a valuation of 4.2 trillion dollars. For perspective, that’s equal to nearly a third of China’s entire GDP. Though there are no reliable statistics for the size of the performance industry, just listen to the […]

Tough conversations are in the parenting job description. Your teen gets caught cheating. You and your spouse are separating and it’s time to tell the kids. Your child gets in trouble for bullying. You learn that your middle schooler is investigating porn sites. What makes tough conversations tough? They are hard because you either feel uncomfortable […]

Chris Branscome is adamant. The biggest reason kids have stopped playing youth soccer in our region is that it just isn’t fun. Imagine that, the chance to go outside and run around, hang with friends, kick a ball in the fresh air and perhaps develop a lifelong desire to remain fit doesn’t bring enjoyment anymore. […]

Parental worry and anxiety are normal however, being a sports parent can increase those feelings The worry list for sports parents is long: playing time, bullying, conflicts with coaches or teammates, game-time performance, and injuries.  It’s a parental instinct to want to protect our children. One way we make ourselves feel better is to think about those things […]

Mark Greenburg, youth sports coach and former physical education teacher, says that emotional intelligence is one of the most important gifts sports parents can give their kids. In a recent interview with Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, Greenburg, the author of “Elevated Leadership, a Pitch-by-Pitch Guide to Business, Life, and Baseball” said, “The biggest mistake parents make: They […]

Youth sports refs really haven’t changed much in the 25 years since I watched my oldest daughter’s first game. Over the years, I’ve seen refs who called way too much or way too little and many many many “bad” calls. When my kids were playing youth sports, I often found myself yelling at the officials […]

High school coach’s legacy and impact on the St. Louis hockey community lives on with his team

When it comes to coaching Generation Z, technology is the key to communication.  The players of today, from Generation Z, have never known life without Siri, Alexa, Smartphones and Wi-Fi.  According to the American Psychological Association, Generation Z consists of anyone born after 2005, so essentially every athlete on the field in the 14U bracket. […]

It takes a Zamboni driver a minimum of 15 passes down the ice to resurface a rink. What do they need to know to do their job?

Often the very best tips are the ones that come through word of mouth. The following four-sport parent hacks are a few I’ve observed or know about through friends and family and are so helpful I thought it was worth spreading the word. FACETIME With jobs that require frequent travel, it can be tough to […]