The Prospect podcast featuring author youth coach for soccer, Erica Mulholland

The Prospect podcast featuring author youth coach for soccer, Erica Mulholland

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[Music] All right, welcome back on another great Week uh for the Prospect Podcast. We Have a great guest on here today. As Always, I have uh Derek, Coach D, Coach Derek Postel here with us as always to Talk the best of the best out there in In coaching and sports. Our guest today, Erica Mohalland, Uh all-American soccer player at John's Hopkins University. She's performance Coach. She's a youth soccer coach and She wrote uh a a fantastic book that We're going to talk more about called Female athlete high performance. Um I'm Sorry uh not female athlete high not Female athlete high sport. that was one Of your guests uh just uh about the Strong female athlete and she wrote a Book about um uh talking about athletics And coaching uh and playing and uh she Went to John's Hopkins University so She's a lot smarter than uh than myself And uh uh so that's good um and we're Excited to have her. So, welcome Erica. If you could kind of just go into your Background of um you know what you're Doing now coaching wise, what you're Doing working with young athletes and Then your playing background as well um With soccer. Sure. I've been a part of athletics Pretty much since age six when I started Playing soccer, but at that time I was

Also dabbling in other sports and just Doing a lot of movement uh in the Neighborhood with my siblings and Friends. So, I've always been a really Active kid. And it wasn't until high School where I got really serious about Soccer and went onto a travel team and Started to think about playing in College. And nowadays, that would seem Crazy to wait until high school to Consider college as you see so many kids Now doing travel sports as young as age Eight. Uh that wasn't my journey. I was A little bit later, but I'm glad I was Because I really developed a passion for Soccer and for strength and conditioning As well. I was doing strength training Uh since middle and high school. And it Really helped my soccer game physically, But also mentally with my confidence. And I um started going through the Recruiting process and ended up turning Down uh division one schools in the Big 10 in the ACC because I wanted to go to A smaller school and play division Three. I wanted to go to a good academic School. So, I ended up choosing John's Hopkins University and for all four Years that I was there, I earned a Starting position and I was captain my Senior year and uh had a great Experience in college and then after That I got into coaching full-time. I Was doing more soccer skills lessons,

But I soon realized after a few months Of that that I was contributing to the Early specialization and overuse Problem. So then I decided to go full Into only strength and conditioning for Girls soccer players because I was Seeing a lot of overuse injuries at the Time. Uh ACL injuries were getting worse As well. So I started focusing more on The performance and injury reduction Side of things and I've been doing it For 13 years now and it it gets more fun Each year. But it definitely gets harder As well because we're living in a world Where more girls are being pushed to Play year round and specialize young. So As I continue to do this longer, it gets Harder to have those conversations with Parents and really tell them what is Right. But I think that's what makes my Job more fun as it goes on because I I Like the challenge and I I think um There's so much impact to be had for the The younger ages. Absolutely. And so so the the book you Wrote is is the female athlete high Performance, right? Was that you're You're married now? I'm assuming is That's that's your uh Erica Sudter is Your Uh I'm confused here by by that part of It. Um so so uh explain that to me Because tell me about the female athlete High performance book. What made you go

Into it? Um, and you what made you write A book there? Because I've seen a lot of Like stuff that you're talking like on Your podcasts about, you know, a lot of Different things, especially Specifically ACL injuries, which I think Is an important topic with uh, girl Athletes and and and being able to, you Know, help develop them so those things Are not as big as a an issue. It's a Huge issue with female athletes ACL Injuries, especially non non impact uh ACL injuries, but talk more about the Book. Talk more about, you know, um kind Of the within your your your strength Program. Yeah. Well, I've always loved writing. And since I started coaching, I was Blogging for many years and and writing About youth training topics, female Athletes specific topics, and just Really trying to get the word out. And Then I realized that I basically could Just put all this in a book in one Place. And um I didn't see any sort of Guide out there for youth female Athletes specifically. I was really Shocked there weren't that many books For parents and for coaches and for Young girls. So, that was really the Inspiration behind it. I just wanted to Give a a really good accessible resource For everyone. And my my approach to Female athlete training is more uh

Through empowerment. And early on in my Career, I kind of fell into this, oh Well, female anatomy and and girls are More likely to get ACL's. And yes, there There is some truth to that, but at the End of the day, what our female athletes Really need is to not be under strength Trained and overtrained in their sport. So th those things are controllable Things. And when and when we're talking About female anatomy, I mean, girls Can't control if they're born with wide Hips or they have a knee vgus more more Than boys. So I I wrote female athlete High performance to really get the Message across that female athletes Should focus on performance and then Health follows. So they should focus on Being strong for their sport. They Should do speed training. They should Make sure they're well recovered and yes Their performance in their sport will go Up, but as a nice byproduct they're Going to reduce chance of injury. So, I Think I wanted to just get a different Message out there because I I talked to Young girls and parents on a daily basis And they're scared that they're females. They're scared that they're getting this Other messaging that they're doomed, That they're more likely to get ACL. and I'm here to tell them that you can Control many factors in injury and That's the good news

That um so injuries is like as far Especially with youth sports and and uh Overuse uh especially playing one sport In soccer you know your your sport Happens to be one obviously that a lot Of athletes play you know year round From the time they're very very little a Lot of times and uh the way that Especially and you and you probably Notice better than me. Uh I noticed as a A naive parent who at one point put my Kid in soccer in travel soccer. But um Uh soccer's in the fall they have in the Winter they have um uh different Programs that they're playing in all Winter long indoors and then outdoors The club is playing again obviously in The spring season through through the Early through the summer. talk about how You're working especially with soccer to Try and help them understand Uh the importance of of of balancing That all out. Um are you an advocate for Multiple sports? What what kind of your Thought process there? Well, it's really interesting in the Soccer community because it's probably The sport that suffers the most ACL Injuries and they're the sport that does The least about it. A lot that's usually How it works. Yeah. A lot of soccer Players aren't getting in the gym as Much as other sports. Uh especially on The girls side. Of course, it it's

Better than it was even just five years Ago, but I think we're still trying to Get more girls soccer players into the Gym and also not being afraid of loading Heavy uh and not being afraid of moving Away from those 10 pound dumbbells that You've been lifting for a year straight. So, um I'm just really trying my best to Educate uh the athletes, but also the Parents. But I think in the youth space, It's really important to include the Parents in the conversation and explain To them why we do strength training, how It's going to help them handle the Demands of year round soccer, but also Letting them know sometimes you have to Make a hard decision and say no to year Round at times. and to make sure there's One to two full off days a week on the Micro level and then an off season on The macro level, whether that's one to Two months. Um, so I think educating the Parents is is so key and um I've had a Lot of good response just with the Athletes I've worked with here. I've Gotten a lot of girls to continue to Strength train in season and they're not As scared about it. Um because again I Just have to educate the parents that my Workouts in season aren't ever going to Cause an athlete to be sore for Practice. They should never take away From their soccer training. It should Make them feel good and empowered uh and

Healthy. So I've gotten more girls to Continue in season and I think that's Really half the battle because I used to See a lot of girls just do training in The summer. they get super strong and Then they fall off during the season and Then their their muscles just atrophy at That point for the nine months that you Don't see them. So, um yeah, it's still A fight and you know there there's still Some people that it goes in one ear and Out the other, but if I can continue to Educate and even just get a couple People on board and and help those People, then that's a win. Erica, do you think that the uh lack of Female soccer players utilizing the Weight room or working out on a regular Basis, do you think that's a direct Correlation with the push to constantly Play and, you know, season after season After season? Do you think that Contributes to that factor of them not Utilizing room or do you think it's more Just overall kind of almost out of the Box thinking when it came to females Soccer in terms of not many people Pushed that? So, you know what I mean? Is that kind of your the thought process There? I think so. I think a lot of it has to Do with girls being overscheduled. So, a Lot of them do practice three to four Times a week if they're on a pretty high

Level travel team nowadays. And I think Parents are overwhelmed with all the Driving they have to do. And some girls Are commuting 45 minutes to an hour each Way to practice. Um, so to ask them to Do inseason strength training can be a Bit of a challenge, but I've had to Really adapt over the years and kind of Change my offerings. And now I do um I Do in-person, I do hybrid, which is a Combination between inerson and remote. And then I do remote. So for girls and Parents who don't want to commute to me Or who only have time to do a quick 30 Minute home workout, then great, do Remote or check in with me in person a Couple times a month. So, I've tried to Be more flexible with people because, Right, I don't want my strength sessions To take away or compete with the soccer Schedule. Um, I'm just trying to set Athletes up for success based on what Their schedule is and how busy they are. But, I've also seen some some families Just overschedu like tons of activities Within a single season. So, I'm all for Early sampling in multiple sports, but If there's a girl doing soccer and then Cross country in the same season, then At that point, she's just breaking down Her muscles and she's never having that Time to repair. Um, and then she doesn't Have time to strength train. So, that's Also a recipe for disaster. So, that's

Another way I'm trying to educate Parents is yes, sampling's good, but you Don't want to do it in the same season Because there's that lack of recovery And when there's a lack of recovery, There's fatigue and fatigue increases Injury. So, um yeah, just trying to Educate on that as well, right? And go Ahead, Dave. No, no. Part of the issue Too in soccer is um and I don't know if It's I I'm assuming it's somewhat Similar um because I'm pretty familiar With some of the club stuff is that uh The the parents probably get into a Little issue in the sense that if They're booked for this this uh fall, They're booked for the spring um and Their kid wants to play another sport, There's a ton of pressure from the Soccer club side, from the guys that Coach them to, you know, you gota you Gotta be here, you know, and then They're pay they're paying a good Amount, too, right? Soccer clubs are a Lot of them are not not cheap. So, um, It they they feel that pull and that Pressure. So, I I do think that's some Of the issue is that you feel the Squeeze. Okay, my kid would like to Play, let's say cross country and soccer Is a tough one to do at the same time Because there's so much running, but Let's say they were like a soccer Basketball player or soccer softball

Player or something like that, right? Um Uh uh like how do you advise them to to Manage their their soccer coach, their Their their club on that aspect of it? Right. Because there is a lot of the really Good soccer players I've seen it they Get especially as they're moving up like Like you know they're constantly told That they're going to be you know you're Not going to be as good as you are and a Lot of parents don't know what's going On so they don't really they just think Oh I you know I just got to keep them in This so they try to double down and do All these different things and uh that's Where they get into the problem. I mean, I see it a lot with kids in my uh my my Son, you know, he doesn't play soccer Anymore, but like, you know, things that He does, but I see a lot of it with his Friends. I'm amazed. I've seen kids go From lacrosse, soccer, and baseball like In the same in this in the same in the Spring, in the same week. Like, they're Literally I've seen them sometimes do it In the same days, some kids. And um uh Now some of the kids that are doing it Are they happen to be very good athletes And they're somehow surviving it because They're so so athletically gifted. But Um but how how do you advise them on That? Because that's a difficult Conversation with soccer coaches,

Especially since a lot of the soccer Coaches, at least where I am, are act Like they're all in on soccer. They're Usually a sock like they they hire a Separate soccer club. It's not dad's Running it. It's like a soccer training Group that runs it and a lot of these Guys are paid to to make them the best That they can. That's kind of the deal There. Yeah. Well, my thing is and and this is For all youth sports and you mentioned Baseball and lacrosse and we're Wondering why the these young boys are Getting Tommy John surgeries at age 12. And then with with girls soccer and Cross country at the same time, we're Wondering why 12-year-old girls are Getting ACL tears. And my thing is, Guys, the definition of insanity is Doing the same thing over and over Again, right? Expecting different Results. And again, as I was saying, a Lot of people will listen, but then Others it'll go in one ear and out the Other. But what I've seen is some people Something bad will happen whether their Kid suffers a catastrophic injury or They burn out. They will come back to me And this has happened many times. They Will come back and be like, "We should Have listened to you." And I I honestly Hate when that happens because I I had Wished they had listened at first, but

Sometimes it takes a rock bottom event For people to finally be like, "Oh, we We messed this up. we shouldn't have Been early specializing, playing year Round, having no off seasons. And I've Seen it anecdotally and then the Evidence is strong on the early Specialization studies. And I think the Biggest lie parents are told, especially With young ones, so I'm talking under 13 Uh before those high school years, the Biggest lie all these parents are told Is if you are not on the best travel Team at these younger ages, you will Fall behind or you won't play in college Or worse yet, you won't make the travel Team when you turn 13. Right? And I can Tell you, I I host a podcast. I have Interviewed many division one and Professional women's athletes. They all Early sampled. A lot of them played Wreck until age 12, 13 and then they got Serious about soccer in high school. Alex Morgan was the same. Abby Wombach Was the same as well. And and you have All these great case studies. And I Think if kids can just become Well-rounded athletes and we let the Clock do its job and we get out of the Way and they have fun with it, they will Make that travel team when they're 13 or 14. But I think a lot of these clubs are Lying to them to get them on that team Before the team because the biggest

Money maker in clubs is the younger Ages. Of course. Of course. And Absolutely. I mean, I've recently seen Like a a U8 elite team, a U8 travel Team, and at that age, I mean, it should Just be rash. It should be fun. And Honestly, I tell moms and dads, you're Probably a better coach just playing and Messing around in the backyard with a Soccer ball than, right, paying fees the Whole year for your eight-year-old. And Like when I was growing up, I I was on a A wreck soccer team, but then I was Playing tackle football. I was playing Capture the flag and that was probably The best agility and speed training and Aggressiveness training I could have Gotten for soccer. So, and it was all Free. And I just I just get so sad when I see parents of young ones being prayed On. And um yeah, I I think parents just Need to be really aware and um just kind Of go against the crowd. A lot of it is Keeping up with the Joneses is is Yeah, Exactly. is even I I would Almost at least in the suburban areas That this like I could tell you that it Seems to be as more as much keeping up With the Joneses. Uh Johnny, you know, Was on this team and I, you know, I Should be on some team and um uh and and Willingly going in and doing it. And It's it's funny because if I hadn't been Like I my son plays football and like

That's always a sport he loved but we we Were like you know he was playing Recreation soccer when he was you know They all were doing it like at four five Six and then uh he showed aptitude there And they convinced me to go into a Soccer club you know uh and I did it and I I could tell you that it was 10 times The fees of anything else that I had Done before. Okay. And I knew my kid was Probably armed. I'm a football coach, You know. He he he probably would end up Playing football at some point, you Know. Uh uh but at the time, you know, He wasn't doing that. He was just doing Like I don't know. Maybe he was doing Flag. I don't know. But um but it was Funny because like right after I did it Like I I realized oh my god like like I Literally three months into it I was Like oh my goodness this comm this Commitment level he was like seven you Know the commit or the commitment level Was crazy and if we missed if we missed The practice like uh but by the end like The guy and I'm friends with the Director of the club I know him really Well and uh I was like, man, I can't I Can't like like he he's he's he misses a Practice for some reason and he's Outcasted and he's over there running And like it was it was it was nonsense. I'm like, what are we doing, you know? So, um uh it was it was crazy to me. And

Um uh and and they already like had set Positions like at seven. They're like, "Oh, he's fast, so he's going to play Forward." I'm like, "Well, how do how do We know he's like how do we know he's Not good at this position or he's that, You know?" So, it it's it's it's wild. But, um, I think what you what you're Talking about is is is definitely true, But the Cuban Jones is is a big big a Huge part of it. you know, some a dad or Mom talking to another dad or mom and Saying, "Hey, my cub plays this and he Really likes it and you know, are you Interested in doing it or if you really Want to be good at this, you know, you You should come over here." And then Once you're in it, you realize like, Dude, these kids are not good. Like my My reckley where like, you know, like if You happen to play like I don't know, Let's say they combine second and third Together or fourth and fifth together. Well, if your kid happens to be younger And he's fourth grade, he's pretty good. Well, just the fact that he's playing Against fifth graders who are a year Older, they're way better than the Travel kids are playing against just Athletically and physically. So, like in Rick, you're almost getting like when You're kind of combining the same age Groups, it's literally like playing Travel soccer or in other sports the

Same way. I mean, baseball, I I say this In baseball because my son is on a Travel baseball team and this is what we Chuckle about, okay? Um, I see people Pay paying 10 times the amount in Baseball. We pay we pay a very low Amount in the place that we play it, Right? And but in Wreck, he's in fourth Grade. We put we're on a Wreck is fourth And fifth. So the fifth graders are Pitching 10 times faster than the fourth Graders. So when you're in Wreck, you're Getting a travel experience. You know What I mean? Right. So, like it that's The crazy part and that's the part that I think parents um especially suburban Parents have a have a hard time with That like they're trying to they're Overcheduling their kids and I think They get into that that aspect of it. My Big question is on strength and Conditioning Because this is speed development, Right? How do you We We've interviewed a Lot of guys. Um I don't know if you're Familiar with Tony Holler, but uh one of The things that I love that Tony does And and it resonates with me with Athletes who are probably over scheduled To a certain extent is this micro dosing Of strength and conditioning or speed Development. Can you talk about like how You kind of introduce that and and and And help parents understand how

Important that is? Oh yeah. I I'm a huge fan of speed and Doing it year round. And yeah, the issue With soccer players is especially at the Youth youth level, they're they're Practicing on a field with three other Teams. So the the the space that they Have is maybe at most a 20 by 20 yard, Maybe 20 by 30 yard. So they don't Really have the space to get a full top Speed sprint of over 30 to 40 yards. So My job is to fill in that bucket and we We've had really great success just Doing 10 to 15 minute speed workouts Even just once a week during the season And and doing that throughout the whole Year. And then in the summer we up that To two to three times a week. So, uh, It's been really great for not just, uh, Improving speed, but helping with injury Reduction because we're really building The hamstrings and and getting athletes Used to those higher velocity movements That they will experience on a full Soccer field in 11 v1 games. So, um, I'm A huge fan and I I love Tony Holler. I Think his atomic workout is easy for Anyone to implement. And um the issue is Though in soccer too is people think That speed training is the the tap Dancing through the ladders. It's huge In the soccer community. I mean you see These videos on Instagram where they Like these toe taps on the ball then run

Through the ladder. And I'm like all You're doing is really just making your Feet more sore and and wasting an hour Of your time. So, so soccer players just Aren't getting enough of those fat Twitch movements and they're not working In that less than six seconds of max Effort of work. Um, they're doing more Of the the long duration aerobic work. So, they're they're ticking that box a Lot. Um, but they're not twitchy enough. And I've seen with a lot of the kids That early specialize or do so many Soccer skill sessions, they're slow as Heck. like they they they are not Someone I would recruit for my college Team. And I mean that's that but you Mentioned it. It's like they're playing So much of their sport. They're not even Getting better at the thing they're Trying to get better at. Like they're Just so onedimensional. They're not Well-rounded. They don't have the Coordination and explosiveness to even Play the game. and and beyond that, they They don't have the the spatial Awareness or the the reactive ability Because everything they're doing is so Robotic and they're doing the same thing Over and over again. Whereas, if they're Doing other sports, they're learning new Ways to react and how to respond to new Environments and stimuli. If you're just Playing one sport, then your decision-

Making for your one sport is actually Suffering because it's too One-dimensional. And with soccer, a lot Of these young kids, they're looking Down a lot at practice, but maybe if They played lacrosse or basketball, They'd be forced to look up and have Their head on a swivel. So, it's like, Yep. I don't know. I just feel like I'm Selling common sense back to people. But Are Yeah. But at least it uh Yeah. No, It's something, you know, the Specialization model, it's something, You know, neither Dave or I grew up With, right? It was we played and we've Talked about this a lot. You were even Though we were both guys and that was Like our thing. We were excited when the Season ended to go to something else, Right? Like just to switch it up and go To, hey, now it's basketball season. Hey, now it's track season. And not for Anything else other than it wasn't the Same thing over and over and over and Over again, right? those stagnant Practices, you know what's going on. Now You go to a new sport. Hey, you know, Maybe I like you weren't the best Player. Uh maybe you were the best Player in football, but now in Basketball, you're not the best player. Maybe now you're the sixth man, and you Have to kind of figure out how to know That role or play that role. I think

Some of that stuff correlates across the Board when you play sports. It only Proves you when you get back to your Quote main sport, right? And then the Burnout level that we see from doing the Same sport over and over and over again Just continues to increase because of That stagnation of we're just doing this Over and over and over again. And I Think like you said, parents get caught In that. Oh, well, you know, Jimmy's best friend plays on this team And now we need to do this or oh, did You see that post and look at that? Like, oh, now they're like, oh, they're Getting this they're traveling over here And like Dave said, like to to keep up With the Joneses. There's a lot of that Conversation that goes on, you know, Outside the field that has nothing to do With anything where parents just chirp Chirp chirp and they all want to be on That certain level. We have to do this Because we need our child to be the same As that child and they're not going to Get there if they don't do this. Like to Break that mold, like you said, is Really, really difficult. And it takes Like, you know, a strong parent and a Strong like, no, we're going to do it This way to kind of do that. Um, and That's hard to find, right? I mean, That's really hard, especially because I Don't blame P for certain things because

Look, that's their prized possession and They think they're doing what's right. I Think what's missing is that educational Piece or the real part of it where like You need to have those really hard Conversations at a younger age now, Right? Like that didn't happen happen to H that used to not have to happen until High school when the high school coach Said, "Look, I think you're this level. Let's track that." Now, by the time I Get them in high school, they've been Told they are the greatest thing since Sliced bread and they've played on a Thousand teams and hey, you got to come Work out. Well, what do you mean? I have A travel game. It's like, well, this is A pivotal piece that you need to do. It's really hard to kind of get that Across. I think that's the struggle Right now that's going on in youth Sports. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I I think The mental piece you mentioned is the One I'm more concerned about because I've I've seen that too. I've seen girls Who are just done. I I had a Conversation with two two 12y olds last Night and they were telling me that Their soccer season was finally over and I was like, "So you guys are happy for a Month off?" And they're like, "Oh my Gosh, yes." And they're like, "We get to Have sleepovers. We get to do kissing. We get to have a life I'm like,

"Exactly." And um even I'm like they They do my training and we do a lot of Variety for 12-year-olds. We do rock Climbing. We dodgeball. So, we're not Doing the same thing over and over. And I told them and I was like, "You guys, We're not even training together this Month. I'm giving you guys a month off As well. Like, don't come to my Trainings." And they're like, "Oh, Darn." Like, we actually like your Training. No. Look, it's a real it's a real real Thing in terms of the burnout. And look, Obviously we've all seen like even on a Professional level, the mental health Side of of sports become such a big Thing in the news or, you know, social Media based where, yeah, that's a big Piece. And if you're not like if you're A 12year-old and you're already unhappy Doing the thing that's supposed to be Bringing you joy, like what are we Really talking about here? Do you know What I'm saying? It's it's it's a hard Conversation I have with my freshman When they come in the door. You know, It's like, hey, this is a commitment on A different level. You're now taking a Step up, right? So, if you don't love This sport, and I mean like love it, Like then you got to understand where You're going to go with it because the Time commitment to it, right? All of the

Other things that we're going to ask you To do, if you tell me you want to play In college, we're going to track you a Certain way, right? like ultimately We're going to like track you to to take Different classes in school just because You're going to if you want to trend That way. It needs to start at that Level. So if you're not into this like It's okay like it is okay to not want to Play football or not want to play your Sport, right? Uh now that might be Different conversation when you get in The car and you're sitting at the dinner Table, but ultimately like this is how We look at it and how we approach it. Yeah. And I think um one of the Interesting things is like and I haven't Worked this out yet, but I'm uh Completely but I'm coming up with like a Like a a a theory of like when there are Hot times, but it goes back to the Original sport original how sports were Like you played in your season. And my Thing is like let's say you play soccer Like let's say soccer is mainly in the Fall fall. Okay, let's say it's in the Fall and say basketball's in the winter And I don't know, uh, ba baseball or Softball's in the spring. If you're if You're outside of like your main part of The season, you're probably either Should be doing Training. If you're going to play your

Sport, you're either you're either doing Training or games. But I don't think you Can do both in out of your season Because otherwise you start to get like A you know when people are doing if You're doing two or three practices a Week all year round in your season and Playing tournaments and games I think That completely contributes to burnout. But if someone wants to like play uh uh Let's say they want to play they're a Football player use that for example and You want to play flag football in the Spring. Okay, save that as for as a good Example. Why practice? It's not it's it You're going to get from competition Like you're going to get going competing A lot of the the important skill base. Now you could say okay as they get older You re now you're refocusing them. It's Kind of like a funnel, right? Like so as You get their their level gets higher And their seriousness gets higher as They get older. Now, you can add in if They want to do it all year round as They get to 13 and 14 or 15 or whatever, You know, or they want to be a two sport Athlete. I think you could do it that Way. But I think what happens is like When you're doing everything all the Time, it just kind of never you you like You said, you never not only do you Never get a rest, but like you you start To look at your sport like a job. You

Know what I mean? Like so one of the Things I like and I'm using football as An example because that's probably what I know best. But you play tackle Football in the fall, right? And let's Say you practicing in youth you're Practicing like three days a week. Obviously high school you're practicing Every day, but in youth you're Practicing three days a week. If you Were to go do that again, even even if You're playing flag football, three days Of practice a week and then you're Playing flag football games, you're just Gonna be like, I'm done with football. Like you're not even want to play in Your main season when it's most Important. So, I'm like, well, you know What? I don't know. Maybe maybe you Could have a couple practices before the Flag football season starts, but for the Most part, just go play games if you're Going to do it that way, right? Or do it The opposite way. You don't play any Flag football. And if you're, let's say, Uh, a receiver and you want to run Routes and catch, you know what I mean? And you're going to run track in the Spring, you do that. You get your routes In, you get your catching in. But if You're doing both practicing and an Excessive amount of games, I all the Time I think it really starts to and I Haven't worked out this theory

Completely. But I but I I after Listening to a lot of stuff that Tony Holler talks about like a kid says to You, hey, you know, I'm not feeling Great today. You know what? Like I'm Like their body. Dude, don't do anything Today. Like you're good. Don't do Anything today. just don't because one Of the things I thought that he said Which I think is really really true. He Said that you know most of the time if They take that one day off that they Need that the next day they're they're Perfectly good because they're kids and They recover for the most part pretty Quickly. But if you keep grinding them Instead of giving them that day off, Then it starts it starts to build, you Know, and and then and injuries start to Happen and you don't know why they're h You don't even know what the injury is Sometimes, you know. So, right, but you Just when they when they push back, if They push back and they like really are Like, I'm not feeling great. You know What? I I hate to say this because I'm a Parent because video games drive me not Uh like these games on uh iPad and stuff Drive me nuts. But go ahead, you know, Just like go play with your friends if You if you want to go on, you know, your IPad for an hour or so, what whatever Calms calms it down for you a little Bit. I think that's I think that's

Important because I think when they get To Derek in high school, right? And the Last thing you want is a kid who's a Really good let's say Derek coaches Football, really good football player to Go and come out for freshman football And just be like, you know what, I just Don't want to do this Yeah. I'm Done. I'm done. And and you see it Whether it's Grinding them, coaches grinding on them Right now. they have a certain Interpretation like I'm going to now be That type of guy or that type of coach Towards them and then when I tell them Hey man you're good like take it take Time it's like wait coach what do you Mean like I don't have to it's like well If you're telling me buddy that like you Don't feel right I'm going to put the Trust in you that you know your body and Tell me okay I need hey coach give me a Couple reps here and I'll be good right And we can now track that you know and Tony does a great job about tracking the Amount of of you know and all that type Of stuff with it and coaches and it's Ultimately at the end of the day it Shows us that when we pull back a little Bit on them they're health they're Healthier especially with a sport like Football that physically and you know That stuff is grinding and it is you're You're not healthy majority of the time

And you need to know you know when You're hurt or when you're injured and Those types of things. that Self-awareness might not be There pushed from the time they were so Young that like, hey, you got to be out There, you got to do this, like all Those kind of things. They don't even Know that. And it's like, all right, now We're just what's the risk for reward? I'm going to push this kid to practice On Wednesday so I don't he's not full go On Friday. Like, you know, it's Yeah. Mindboggling, right? But it's um that's That's so real. And for you, Erica, to Kind of take that next level and kind of Understand that having been at such a High level, right? Because I am sure You're that you had teammates that Grinded and pushed and did all of those Things from a young age and by the time They were at a high level of soccer, They were done. And you were still, hey, I didn't start this till whatever and Now I'm still good to go, right? and I Haven't had, you know, an ACL already, Right? And now you're playing, you've Already you're already post one surgery, Right? What happens when the next one Comes, right? It's just it's it's wild. Yeah. The the recovery and the taking Off days is so key because I it if Athletes don't do those, then they're Not going to have the output they want

For an intense training session to Really reap the benefits of it. So, Look, I'm I'm all for grinding, but as Long as it's intentional and focused on Grinding, I think a lot of people think That grinding is uh quantity over Quality, but It's that that quality. Um, so yeah, Like when I was playing at a high level And uh working to get recruited, I was Grinding in a way that was focused and Then I took the weekends off during my Summer off season. I didn't do ski extra Skill sessions. I didn't run extra Sprints at the field. I let those work Days be full work days and focused in on Those and then I recovered and I enjoyed My summer. So, I think everyone needs to Really think about what is my definition Of grind, right? And is it allowing me To have optimal outputs in my training Sessions to actually even get benefit From what I'm doing? Because I think Some people think that, you know, it's Just going through the motions and Getting in lots of sessions and lots of Touches, but if you're going at half Speed or the tech isn't there, then it's It's just not really worth it, right? Like if that ladder session that you had To get in because it's, you know, Everybody's doing like is the juice Worth the squeeze? Like what are you Really getting out of that? And do you

Even Know why you're doing it? Like, you Know, this is the why generation. I know That every drill, every practice Session, I'm going to have kids that are Going to question, coach, why the hell Are we doing this? Like, this doesn't You need to have even lift even when We're in the weight room, right? Like, Coach, I'm doing these mindless Exercises like, well, don't mindless. Explain to them you're doing this Because it directly correlates to when You do this on the field. that's why This is going to help you or make you Better. And I've found that that now Allows those kids with that level of Understanding why they're actually doing What they're doing or the movement that They're doing, all of those things, it Now allows them to be more accepting of It and you're not pushing them and now You're not the bad guy. At the end of The day, sometimes, yeah, am I do I have To be that guy that pushes them through That wall? That's more for them just Understanding who they are and what they What level of of push or where their you Know where their wall is that they kind Of have to move a little bit. I think The understanding level is is different Once that maturity comes right and I Think all of that and allowing them to Understand that well now they themselves

Will push harder and go further for you To a healthy level. You know, one of the things that uh you Know, having run track um uh and coached It for a long time, one of the things That I think, and this is where Obviously Tony's experience and things He learned, and I learned this when I Was coaching track, um I learned it from One of my athletes, and um I had a kid That Was mega explosive athlete. He went ran Track in college, but he was a great Football player. But he ran ran track in College and people used to be like, "Oh, He's lazy and he doesn't like to work." And I think this is po Andy Pomo. So, Uh, they used to say it was now Meanwhile meanwhile in a track meet, he Would do the 100 meter dash, the high Hurdles, the long jump, and the triple Jump, right? So, but everyone would call Him lazy. Meanwhile, they were running One event. But but but he was he was Super explosive And because he was so explosive like a Cheetah if you worked him too much like I'm telling you he would get hurt like He was like he was five 5'8 Uh 150 pounds but literally like a 23 Foot long jumper in high school you know State champion 100 uh ran 139 the high Hurdles in high school triple jump He's a

But it was funny because in in and Derek Will appreciate because he because he Know I think you might be you guys are Around the same age maybe, right? Same Age. Same age, same graduating class. He The kid should have played football in College. Uh but he was a quarterback in High school and he really wasn't going To play quarterback in college, but he Should have played football in college Somewhere. But he went and ran track Because I I felt like uh he got grinded On a lot in high school in football and And and was and I was an assistant coach On the staff at the time, but he was I Felt like they would be all over him Because he wasn't a guy that was going To lead every sprint. Okay. He was not Like he he didn't see the purpose and he Was a he was very much among the first People of the Y generation meaning like He'd be like why are we doing this? like Because in his head and he was right by The way in his head he was faster than Everybody. He was the most explosive Athlete and here we are running uh 300 Million sprints at the end of practice Where he's last in almost every single One of them. Okay. And then he's lazy And they were say he's lazy. Well, uh Who you giving the ball to in the four In the fourth quarter? Like obviously he Was gonna he was going to be the guy. So What what people didn't understand back

Then was that like he was such an Explosive athlete. He was a cat, man. Like just get him doing what he needed To do. And I think Tony really Identified that really really well. And When I coached him in track and I was His long jump coach and his sprints Coach, I I could tell you our our long Jump practice, they used to laugh when We would do long jump practice. We would Get in there at 3:00, our warm-ups, cuz My father was the head coach. We would Warm up like with like jumping jacks and Stretches and all this stuff for like 20 Minutes, okay? We would literally go in, We get our steps, we do some popups, Land in the pit, and we were out of There. We were gone at like 350. Like I'd be walking out the door and my Father would be like, "You're done." I'm Like, "They're done." And we had at one Time five long jumpers over 20 feet. My School was a group one school, tiny School, uh 300 kids school, five kids Over 20 feet. We had three 20 plus 21 Plus footers and it was really I learned It from Anthony like he could not handle Like bounding all the kind of bounding All the time. Meanwhile, his vertical Jump was probably like 38 inches. It was Crazy for like we we do a broad jump Test at the beginning. I I remember the First time I had him as a sophomore. He Came out for track and he broad jumped

And we tested everybody in a broad jump And he went like 96 like it was crazy and he was like a Sophomore. He went 96 and he went Farther than everybody else. Didn't know Yeah. because he was a baseball player Originally. Didn't didn't know anything. And and we would do the work that he Needed to do and he got better. And back Then I didn't think about it that way. I Just didn't I just thought you know what Like whatever gets Anthony. Nobody Thought about it that way. You know what I mean? Nobody thought it that way. We Were all for the most part right you Coached the way you were coached and we Were from that militant disciplined. We Do what I say. This is why we like you Know there was no explanation to why you Do it. You just did it. You didn't know The long-term effects of what was Ultimately like man I just don't feel Right today. Like I'm tired. Like why? Like my legs are sore or and then you Didn't look back and realize, well, we Ran, you know, 10 gassers, right? Like The day before a game because coach was Pissed somebody wore the wrong socks. Like what are we talking about, right? Like in the grand scheme of trying to Get the most out of your Athletes, like there needs to be a level Of understanding the, you know, the Physicality that you're putting into

Certain things and all of those and and You know, to follow suit, right? Also, The communication now of now so many Youth athletes are doing more than ever Now other things, right? There's more Opportunities, right? like only the best Of the best played on club teams back in The day. Now everyone plays on a club Team or you know it's that keeping up With the Joneses and the communication Between a club coach and a high school Coach the the school coach where is that Right? Like we make sure we tell our Guys that, hey, if you're going to go And do your extra one-on-one training or Whatever, you better tell that trainer Tonight when you go that you just Squatted today in the weight room and You went heavy, right? Here's the Workout. Tell them your workout. So now You're not crushing the same thing over And over. And I'm sure you deal with That a lot as well, Erica, because you Know what did you do today at practice Or you know what I mean? You don't want To you're the one that's aware of it Whereas the other coach per se or even That's where like it's a parent's job to Be like hey they did this today at Practice or they whatever but they Sometimes don't understand that they're Just driving. They're they're the Uber, Right? Like it's the communication I Think needs to be, you know, so that

Everybody's on the same page. We all say We want for our our kids and our Athletes, but like do you really or are You just trying to get them to book Another 30 sessions or to play on that Team? Like I it's really hard like and I'm Eric, I'm sure you see it all the Time. Yeah. I I mean it's just it's something I I continue to fight, but I think you Can only educate so much and some people Do listen, some people don't or they Come back around. And um I think the More I can just be vocal about it, Whether that's online or with my own Clients, that's the best I can do. So, No, you're doing a great job. And look, We need more advocates like you that are Willing to go out on a limb and you Know, maybe you're looked at in a Certain way. You know what? That's okay, Too. I have one final question, which is The is kind of the the opposite thought Of the kid I brought up and I I I just Thought about this now, right? We're Talking great athlete and like he's like A cat, that kind of thing. The kid who's Has a ways to Go and those a lot of times are the Parents that are pushing them to do more And more and more. They're pretty good Athlete, but they're not like the the Most gifted kid, right? Who can Go How do you convince them that it's

All a stage process? Like they can get There, but they may not It's not that They're they're not talented, it's just That they their process is going to be Different than his process or her Process, right? H how do you convince Them that it's a longterm thing? like if You want to get there, these are the Stages, but it doesn't have to be Rushed, you know, because you'll never Get there if you do that. Yeah, I'll try To answer this quickly because I have to Go to a meeting few minutes here, but No, you're good. Um, yeah, I I think uh With anything in life, I mean, it's it's A process, whether that's uh school, you Go from grade to grade to grade. That's Usually the analogy I make with parents. Um like you don't get results overnight, Especially if you're an athlete who Maybe is isn't as genetically gifted as The kid next to them. Maybe you aren't Naturally fast. So, some kids have to Work a little bit harder than others. And even then, even when they put in all Of the right training, they might not Still be faster than that genetically Gifted kid. So then the conversation is, Well, did they learn good healthy habits With training and nutrition? uh can we Make this more than just about sport Performance? Can we remember that They're only going to play their sport For a finite amount of time, but what

Are the lessons we really teaching them With this type of training? And I I Think too often parents get sucked into, Well, what's the outcome? Is my kid Getting faster? Are they going to, you Know, get a starting position on their Team? It's like, yeah, all those things Are great, but we al have to also Remember what's the bigger picture of The lessons we learned through sport and Through training. Excellent. No doubt. Well, very well Said. We'll let you go. Go enjoy your Day. Uh, it's a busy day, Erica. Thank You so much. I'm glad we kind of we Finally got this going. If we can uh Yeah, listen. And if we could do Anything moving forward, you know, we'd Be more than happy to help in any way, Shape, or form. Um, and we really Appreciate you coming on and and and you Know, kind of letting our viewers know, You know, maybe a different viewpoint on A lot of things. So, continue to fight The fight, girl. Appreciate you. All Right. Thank you so much, guys. All Right. Take care. Bye. All right. Very good. Good stuff. Very Good stuff. Uh, interesting. And I'm Developing uh, dude, my own theories on How how to make this a little better for A lot of people. the more the more we Talk to it's everybody is kind of not Just myself I'm trying to make it myself

Better for my own life but in my own Course but I see other kids right And you know and you know she's dealing With it dude like you know she has kids Playing club playing team doing this Sport multiple sports within outside of Their main sport on top of training and Doing this and doing that and it's it's So hard because like you said Dave, Everybody wants to be constantly keeping Up with Joneses or you know like there Are parents just hear what they hear and They feel like they have to do these Things like it's like you don't you Really don't you know what I mean? Like I think she said it best when she was Like, "Dude, you'd probably get more Going in the backyard and kicking the Ball around with your kid themselves Than, you know, individualizing a Tournament or this or that or team you Feel like you have to play on and then Ultimately you could do all those things And still not get where you want to go." So, it's a it's a tough fight. It's a Hard road, man. It's crazy. Yeah. No, There's no doubt. Um, uh, when I I I Brought, uh, Troy today, one of the guys That he trains with, uh, in basketball, I finally brought, you know, he's been Gone for, I don't know, eight weeks or Whatever. And I I finally brought him Back to him. And, and I said, you know, He'll tell you if he if he's if he's if

Everything, right, he'll let you know. He'll let you know. And I said I said, Uh, you know, I just kind of said I Said, ah, the only thing, you know, he Didn't get to play in the AU. He goes, This is a guy that played college Basketball division two. And he goes Like this. He goes, "Who cares?" Right? Like like like you know when you like Guys get it like he's like who cares? Like I mean it it's like and I'm sure he Played endless amounts of AA you know What I mean right when he was but he was Like you know and and so it's it's good That he's just get he can get back and He can work and you know listen I know 101 stuff is very expensive so it's not For everybody but one of the things I do Like about it is that you're just with The coach and and he could really scale Down or up depending on what how you're How you're feeling which allows him to Really focus on just you. Yes. And and I Honestly think it's a lot more fun for The kids because of course he knows them Better, you know. Now I understand You're probably better off most people If you're going to do some sort of group Training like two or three people with One because he can still focus on you. It's a little bit le less expensive and You're getting just about the same Thing. But um but it but there to me There's nothing like obviously

Competition is important and all that Kind of stuff and that's where the Little small group stuff really helps But um but like if you want uh One-on-one really really allows Uh and obviously it's crazy expensive to Do it but one-on-one does allow your kid To like and the coach to build a Relationship with each other which is Which is um hard very very hard to get When you're worried about all these Other kids, dude. Like you got to worry About the masses and you know, hey, I Might have to play him at a different Position because it helps the team, Right? And that's but now when I'm One-on-one, all right, now we can work On what you need, whatever you need to Do. Absolutely. Yep. And and so anyway, That was she was great. Uh uh really Good stuff. I tell you, the one thing I Didn't I I get out of it is that soccer Is a tough nut. like you could see her Brain churning because she's a soccer Player and it's like she doesn't want to Step up because obviously probably most Of her clients are soccer players. She Doesn't want to step on step on Anybody's toes which I completely Understand. Um but it's soccer is a Tough one because yeast bro the club It's so big clubwise and and the and the That's the ultimate of club club stuff, Right? Like different level basketball

Even, you know, not even close. It's It's it's totally because outside of This country, right, your club is the Main thing. It's not your high school Team. It's your club team. And that adds A when now when you you start mixing High school teams with club team. Yeah. That's the hard thing about So that's The American model. It's just so Different, dude. The American model, the original American model in the schools and all That stuff is really the right model. Okay. Recreation in young, a little bit Of travel, like I'm talking about like The 90s, 2000s, like Yeah. Yeah. That Was probably the sweet spot. Like a Little bit of this, a little bit of That. You go to your whatever school You're going to go to, you play for that School, you do most of the stuff within Those programs. That model gave more of A break and development, right? Absolutely. The club model in Europe Works. But here's why it works in Europe. There is no scholastic. Okay. Correct. So what's the problem in America is we're doing both. We're doing Scholastic and club. Yep. We're trying To like smash it all together. It doesn't work. like it just doesn't Work because the school too much the kid In the school they want him doing this Right and and and and if you're in the

You know especially most coaches are are From the original American model Important right well the club guys apply Like the European everywhere else in the world And they're like why do you care about The school like this is right like that Doesn't mean anything that doesn't so It's really really a uh and and and you Could argue That's why we have such a Crazy college model because the college Model is still the original American Model that we're trying to make it to a Club model. We're trying to make the College into a club, you know, like like To a pro club, right? Like so it's it's Really it's strange and it's it's it's Hard to and the European model works Because they don't care like if you go To a school if you go to Oxford and You're playing like I don't know like You're playing soccer at Oxford that's Just quote unquote like it's they call It club in college but it's like Recreation right it's just wreck it's You playing with your friends as like Intramurals that's the word intramurals It's intramurals right which is totally Different because if you're really good, Totally different. If you're really good And you're at un uh university at say Oxford, you're play you're still playing With your club team, the the the the the Pro feeder system, right? And so those

Models don't like cross-pollinate. And what we've done is we've tried to Take both models and mesh together. Yep. It it it doesn't work like and Football's probably the last one that For the most part hangs on to Uh the the school model that still work. The school model still works because Football's so expensive to run a Football program anywhere else other Than high school and and in college, Right? So, it's a little bit protected At least for now. It's protected, right? So there there's there's you're still Kind of when you go to high school like Pretty much you play for the most you Might play seven on seven in the spring Or something like or go to camps but You're still not really in a club the Model is not as as big a deal as it is Playing for your school is still a big Deal like you not yet not yet right like Still you you know you live in Fris Texas and you play in that monster Stadium like that's more important right So I don't know you know if that gets Infiltrated or not you're also seeing Like, and look, and I've seen it where Families that come from outside the US Don't get it. They're like, "What do you Mean school matters more than like they Look at it the other way, right? Where This is my kids club team?" Like, that's What we're talking about, right? And

It's like not here. It's a little Different. Like, you know, like it's not It's it's really not. So, it's Definitely like that battle of Educating. And I think Eric has the Right idea. like look, you can only Educate as much as you can and Ultimately they're going to make the Decision on their own, you know, anyway. So, it just kind of is what it is. You Got to do your best and hope that it Works out and and you know, prevent Injuries. That's that's really what I Think the foundation you have to do is Like we're doing this so your kid does Not get hurt, right? And and those types Of things where I don't think that's Like even a thought process for some People. Yeah. It's very it's very very Uh it's it's an interesting thing in Youth sports and it's an interesting Thing in like the the high school level And you like in basketball you do like I Don't know like uh where did u the kid Who was going to St. Rose transferred to Mount Verie right so uh the the star From St. Right. So, a lot of these like Mount Verie is a school, but it's really a Club, right? Like if you were to say Like what is it? IMG IMG. It's a school, But it's really a club team that they Put into the school model. And that's What they're trying to do in the

Colleges is kind of like the Mount Verie IMG. Like these are uh becoming For-profit organizations. um they're Trying to do both within because they Feel like look and look you even look at Like like IMG doesn't compete in the Florida State playoffs because they just They can't they're by rule like so it's You know what I mean like yeah like uh Um uh I don't know it might be easier it Might be yeah they're Florida yeah but I Think I know I believe and don't be Honest because majority of IMGs roster Doesn't come from the state of Florida Itself is why they cannot participate in The Florida State playoffs. I don't know How it is with basketball. Probably I Doubt that 50% of their roster comes From Florida, right? But I don't know How that works with, you know, hoops and Whatnot, but that's definitely how I'm Almost I'm 90% positive that's the Reason IMG can't participate in it, Right? And why ultimately the you know The national championship or the National champion in high school Football. It's like a mythical type of Thing. It's a freaking, you know, a Bunch of rankings thrown together. It's Not like you're actually playing these Other teams that are in the top 10, Although would be kind of cool, but Different when it comes to football Because it's just a different beast

Physicality-wise and ages and all that Kind of stuff. Well, I think that the um Like in college this year, uh Cooper Flag was from Mount Birdie all like There was a bunch of kids that were in The final four that were all on Cooper Flags team. It was crazy. Like I was Like, "Wait a minute. So if Mount all The Mount Verie if there was Mount Verie University and those kids just be went To Mount Verie University that would Probably be the best in college. That Would be the best college. Not yet Wouldn't even be close. Right. So that's An example of of really like a if they Did that like a professionalization of Like that's what the European model is Like if that's what it is. You know what I mean? Like it's just yeah, you just Jump to the next level and you're just Playing at a higher higher level against But they also like look like you might Be this level but we're A B C D you know What I mean in terms of competitiveness Like so it's they have actually right The levels change things It's better so it doesn't look like you Know oh wow that person's really good And this team's right like because It's they they balance it so that Everybody's, you know what I mean? Because if you're constantly getting Your ass kicked, I don't want to do This. You know what I mean? Like, so

They they track it or they, you know What I mean? It's differentiated. Do That because no idea. They must have They must have I mean, obviously it's Hundreds of years of a system. So they Know what they're doing and it works. You know what I mean? like it's they do It in basketball too in in Europe and And and they do it like they have like I I really just don't know enough about it Because I just you know I'm in America And I don't watch enough of it. So, but Like it's amazing like how soccer like Has like in Europe like the Premier League and then they're the league below It. They're all getting paid. I guess It's just different levels depending on How you know you're getting paid Different amounts. The closest thing Here is baseball because you have AAA, Double A, single A, right? Like there's Levels that you go with it. But how many Times do you see guys just leave high School and go right to those clubs and Skip college and don't play college Baseball because, you know, I mean, That's I don't know, probably Financially in certain cert situations That's the reasoning for it. Yeah. I Don't know if it has anything to do with The prestige of it. like, hey, I'm a AAA Baseball player or hey, I'm a starting College baseball player. Might have some Maybe depends on, you know, school you

Go to or whatnot. But with NIL now, Like, do baseball players now continue To play college baseball? I mean, I just saw that Quinn Evers could have Signed a better deal in terms of NIL, Quarterback from Texas, right? Drafted By Miami Dolphins. He could have gotten More money to transfer for his senior Year and go to another school than he Did his signing bonus and signing with The Dolphins being drafted where he was Drafted. That's going to be a Huge and he was drafted in the seventh Round and more than likely unless he's Brock Curie um is going to be out of League in a few years as a seventh round There. So it's it's Do you now stay in College and suck as much of that as you Can? Because let's think about it like Would you rather graduate college and go Deliver pizzas so you get a real job or Would you rather play football and make Hundreds of thousands of dollars To not really it's not even that's not Even a question like what are we doing Like like yeah well basketball has the Lowest number of guys that have entered The draft in a very long time and and The NBA draft was never a freaking like A big wazoo because you had International guys coming in right and They're like you There's just so much That goes into every other draft other Than the NFL. Well, the big reason is

They're getting NIL money. So, they're Not co Who wants to come out and be a a Round two? That's what I'm saying. No. And get the bench. You're going to G-League. You're going to G- League, Which is absolutely I mean, but team or And or you can make 100red grand 200 Grand, right at St. John's. Or what do You you're a seventh round draft pick. You get cut in in in rookie mini camp And what are you going to you go to the AFL? Yeah. Sorry guys. Like same. We keep Want to say, "Oh, it's the kids. It's The Kids." No, it's the model. It It's what They're working with, right? Like unless unless you're getting the Worst advice in the world, everybody is Going to say stay in college, take this Money, do what you can do, continue to Get better. All those kinds of things. Like we're setting them up for whatever. Yeah, dude. And I'm not even talking About like the other stuff that goes Along with college. Like it's amazing. Like come on, man. Like best time of Your life. Hands down. Sorry to hate to Ruin everybody thinking of the future, But like enjoy it, guys. Enjoy it. It's A great great thing. Really good. Good Good pod. She did a great job. I By the Way, I was confused. What does she use Like a an author name on the book? You

Know what I mean? By the way, she didn't Answer my question, so I felt bad like So, it's okay. Well, she did just move. So, I wasn't sure if that was a a That's What I was trying to figure out. Like, If it was I'm uh I'm Definitely I believe she's like Tampa Area, Florida, too. So, damn. I think It's a writer. It's either her writer Name or she's got married. You know what I'm saying? And that was what do they Call that? like a pen name or some nons Or some whatever. I I I couldn't figure Out I know Dave Schuman published his Own book Dave Schuman like you know and You know whatever come up with something Else dude like I didn't I don't know or Maybe maybe maybe I I didn't know if it Was a sense of I just went away from it Because I was like oh you know I don't I Don't really know we're good at that Dude I think that's one of our skills. I Was like, "Okay, we can we can read a we Can read a room really well." Because at First I was like I was like, "Well, Listen, I'll be honest. That meeting Right there, you're looking at the wrong Book." I'm like, I'm telling you that Podcast and this is what's happening a Lot. Not not a lot, but like more than It ever has before is like that me that Podcast has been booked for like five Weeks, dude. Like that's been on the Schedule for this date for like five

Weeks out. Oh, yes. Because of like, Hey, I got this going on, but I want to Whatever. and and I still I don't like You know what I mean like no I mean and That's been like locked in and yesterday Was the first like hey I'm moving you Know like all this stuff I'm like as Long as you come on the pod like I just That differentiation of you know hearing Her view of what it was and especially Where she came from because I love Talking to there's something about me Personally that when somebody has played The sport itself and has gone through What the stuff we're talking about Mainly maybe not directly I and and She's also look she's graduated from Johns Hopkins dude like she's got some Degree she ain't no dummy like she gets The whole like you know whatever comes Down to it but just more advocates in Terms of like we're talking about a Youth sports epidemic right now and I Don't know what changes it or what Tweaks it or any of those other kind of Things but like as a high school coach Man it is extremely difficult dealing With the youth sports coming in because They've been like fed said all of these Things and everything she talked about 100% spot on with injuries, burnout, all Of those things. Dude, is real. Do you Feel like since we coached together, Which is now going to be f it'll be

Fifth year? No, no, four years I guess. Um, do you think in that short time Period it has changed? 100%. Like not Even close. Like I think I don't Remember dealing with too much at that Time. Absolutely not. And we were at a Program where there was a solid feeder And a and an established youth sports in Everything right like It is it's on a whole different level I Understand that it's b for here it's you Know town specific in terms of some Feeders are different than other what I Am seeing is a switch in if you're an Established like if you've if you're a High school coach that's been out of School for a long time and you have a Really good relationship with your Feeder. I don't think much has really Changed. The thing that's changed is the Approach by parents and their outlook on Things, whether it be the intensity that They have, the the expectations have now Changed. Um, and I think the view of More of an individual outlook in terms Of look, you sports were always quote Daddy ball and those types of things, But now you're seeing it. It doesn't Matter if daddy's whatever. It is my kid This, my kid that. And always look, and I obviously always go back to football Because that's my that's what I do. But That's the ultimate team game. And You're seeing now to to now add the me

Factor in on such a different level of Everybody wants to be the star and and The social and now throw social media. And the only things that parents are Seeing in terms of like this guy's Getting money and this guy's going to This school And parents never saw that unless you Know they kind of went out of their way To see that or the whole the high school Coach being that bridge or that gap with Recruiting or getting your son to the Next level, right? Because getting Recruited is individual. That doesn't Have much to do with team stuff other Than, you know, if your team wins, they Probably get more eyes on them because They play more games, right? So, they Have more opportunities to be visible. But I think now social media has almost, You know, cut that out of it. Yeah. Like, and now it's why do you think Everybody wants to be the quarterback? Because they're the ones that are in the Limelight or, you know, the receiver or, You know, whatever that prime time Position is. And then when it comes, do You know that we're the only and and not All of our teams and club, but We're the only club that carries two Quarterbacks at a time. Do you know That? Because why? What's always But What is always the issue? No. Right. It's because we we lay it out and our

Our kids and our parents for the most Part understand this is how it works. They both play and then when we get to Games that quote you know matter Playoffs we it's what it is now it's Best play and they get that I think That's because we hammer that from the Jump right but I can totally understand Remember the model right you also have People that are now paying a lot more Than we charge and now there's an Expectation that I pay I play right and We lay that out like look you pay and You play, but like you might not Play as much. Right. Right. And then we Also stress, Dave, we also stress too Like, hey, man, you might have to go Play another position some tournaments Or maybe if you want, you can go and do That, right? And that's where I think The kid and the parent sometimes are on Opposite ends of the spectrum. that kid Might want to go play another position, But mom or dad is no, you're the Quarterback and that's all you're going To do. That's another thing that's like That's a good point. So that that's Right. Right. That's probably why um uh We have so many kids that play for other Clubs, too. Um so it's it's interesting Because and we also don't make a big Deal. We don't make a big deal out of It. Yeah. Like if we wanted to be salty Sour

About play for whoever you want to play For. It doesn't matter. It's also why These guys like hammer home. We have Practice, we have practice, we have Practice and we're like well that's why I started coming up with this and part Of it is like I I it's a little bit of Tony, right? It's a little bit of Tony Holler philosophy in terms of like Lesson Tony open up my eyes on it. We push Other sports so we want kids doing other Sports when we're doing this. I think When when Um uh my son was beat up from that and Had to go into boot, it also opened my Eyes up as like there these kids are Growing, right? And like especially at The ages we focus on, man. Like you have To like if They're it if they're sure, you have to You have to recognize that. Yeah. And It's not it's not um there's something Some of them are coached or told not to Things. Well, they're growing so fast Like so puberty is a real deal thing. We Talk about it all the time. Is your kid Actually skilled in this or did he just Hit puberty before everybody else? Well, The other thing is this. When they're Like four, your daughter's two. Uh two in July. Two in July. Okay. So When they get to like three and four Like and and five and they're and like

You're playing in the yard or whatever, They can go all day and it doesn't Matter what they do, they're not going To get like like I mean unless you know Unless they jump off some Billy crazy But like this is what used to happen and Now when's the last time you saw a kid With a cast walking around? Dude, I Heard a great reel the other day. It was Like, "Dude, you used to walk into my Fifth grade classroom and it was like, You know, a freaking uh you know, like Uh er, right? Like, who's here?" Because Nobody does that Nobody. And they Don't play rough. No, because you know what happens? As Soon as they get rough, there's always a Parent there. Yeah. There's always a Parent there. So, they're like, "Hey, Stop pushing each other." So, they don't They don't work it out. It's why I I I've told like when I see them Disagreeing, I'm like unless they get Like nasty nasty like you know like but A little bit of like a little bit that's Okay. I think that's a healthy level of And That's also a healthy level of conflict Resolution resolution. Conflict Resolution, right? You need to allow Them and I heard it and I'm going to Screw it up, but it's like you need to Allow them to do like I don't want to Say dangerous, but you need them to do

Things like that, but in a safe way. Like you can monitor it. Like look if my Little dog if my look obviously she's Almost two right so she is like Everything right I do I this I that Right like dude if she's climbing on Something like I have to allow her climb On it right and then you know look I'm There if she's going to like slip fall And like hurt herself seriously but a Little bit of that of like she needs to Know like how to test the waters a Little bit or experience something to be Like right there, right? And then it's Like, do you see? You could get hurt Right now. Whether she takes that and Understands it because five minutes Later she's going to be doing the same But like the parents in my eyes, And this is my opinion, and this is how I'm going to parent. Like the ones that Are like, "Oh, be careful." Or, "Oh, you Can't do that." Or, "Oh, this or that." And you never allow them to experience That. I think you're setting them up for Failure in some way, shape, or form Because they just don't know. You know What I mean? that world or anything like That or you know it's why it's why when We get as a freshman a big lineman right Biggest dude right but he's never played Ball and everybody's like oh he's going To be a monster he's going to be able to Be physical and push kids around and do

All well no dude he's going to be the Softest one there because he's always Been bigger than everybody and he's been Told his whole life go easy on the kids Go easy go easy go easy bully him. Don't Bully him. Don't Don't Don't do that. He's smaller than you. He's the And now We're asking him to switch a flip a Switch and be like, "Drive that dude Into the ground." Like, sorry, guys. No, that's going to take time. That's Going to take time for them to to do. It's okay that you do that, right? I Think that's they won't let them play Football anyway. Like, they don't let Them. That's what I'm saying. I think That's why football is not the game We're used to, like not the game we grew Up in terms of physicality because, you Know, we can't get hurt, go easy, right? Like that's not right. You shouldn't Push people around or, you know, don't Hit somebody when like, you know, our Coaches were playing sprint football Eventually, dude. You got to run through His throat and anybody that comes across The middle goes down and that's it. Like There wasn't you imagine it's why listen Can you Imagine basically everything's gonna be Sprint Football you got people should start Looking at what sprint football does Like you know what I'm saying like what

The sprint college football what's the Place that has it that you're friends With the guy uh Cwello coach Makis Cwello yes so like you you got to go Look at what sprint football does Because basically that's what you got in The line well here's what else this is The other thing and people hate me for This one, right? You ever notice now Like when did everybody start taking a Knee when somebody got hurt? Oh, it's everywhere all the time. Dave, When when when did that become a thing? Look, I get it. We took a knee. I Remember when I was coaching, I remember People did it. It took I remember like We took a knee when somebody was injured When like somebody was down for longer Than like seven minutes. Serious. Now Someone goes down and you're like like Everybody taking a we're like we're out There praying. I'm like he's getting up In two seconds. He's got a cramp. What? Okay guys, I get I was in college. You know what happened when you you blow Out your knee? Did I did this when you Were in college? Move the drill. Every Time. And people when I say that People are like, "What's wrong with You?" I'm like, look, I know I'm not the Most empathetic person in the world, but Look, I was like, my old man was like, Look, if it's not a lower extremity Injury, get your ass off the field.

Like, if you can breathe and like Get off the field. You don't lay there Right now. Look, that's one way of Parenting. I get it. But now I'm like, We're taking a knee every time. We're Guys, take a knee. I'm like, he's Cramping. He's going to be off the field Before we even take a knee. Like guys, Bro, they try and the kids look at me Like, "Oh coach is crazy." I'm Like, "Dude, what are we doing?" So, This is funny. So, I I can't remember. It was earlier in the baseball season And the kid that goes to school goes to School with Troy. I He was rounding Second base. Okay. I've actually never Seen this happen before. He's rounding Second base. The kid throwing the ball In to like um the cuddle. Yeah. Yeah. From the outfield. Yeah. actually hits Him as he's rounding second base like With the ball. He went down like him Like like I was the kid threw around. He Didn't obviously expect it because he's Rounding second base. He got smacked. He Went down. My assistant co not I'm the Assistant. The head coach comes running Over and and uh and I come walking over And uh he's like he said to him and the Guy's guy played college sports is a Great coach by the way, great guy. And He goes, he goes, "Oh," he's like, "We We need a pin, we need a pinch runner." I'm like, "He doesn't need a pinch

Runner." I was like, "Get up." And I'm Like, "Get up." And he he went back the Second. I'm like, "Do you want a pinch Runner? Do you do you want someone else To score for you or do you want to Score?" He goes, "You just hit the Double." Yeah. Yeah. He had a great Shot. He goes, "Uh, he goes I'm like Second base." I'm like, "He's fine." I Think he was horrified though. And look, I get all the other kids, you know, Because like look, now you have mom Running out from the bleachers. Like, is Jimmy okay? I'm like, he's fine, dude. Meanwhile, my old man would have been Like, get your ass up and run the bases. Like, what do we like, I'm sorry. I get It. It's just there still needs to be a Level of like, come on, man. like you Got to push through some things here to Know like you know and I literally I Just had this conversation if he said no If he said no that's okay that's fine I'm not in the business of making I Honestly now think the hardest job which I always thought was a hard job I mean Hard and easy at the same time right a High school athletic trainer right Because at the end of the day look okay You have an injury go to the Right. But Also like The things these kids go to the trainer For are unbelievable. Like one and it Has to do with society because one I

Would have never first off majority of The injuries or being hurt I had I hid Because my buddies would have busted my Ass like busted me on like dude you're Going to go to the trainer for that or Dude you're not hurt get back on the Field there's none of that anymore Because everything is bullying right so That's the first part of it then you go To the trainer and it's like oh well This it's like dude you have a freaking Like tape your fingers together like I Can't believe you're actually in here For this right like but now you have to Air on the side of caution and god Forbid that like you know is a broken Finger and now you whatever mom is all Up in your like I I just think it's Probably the hardest gig dude not Because of like it's just volume volume Right They used to have I mean they might Still I don't know you would you I'm not Coach in high school anymore. So, I Don't know. They used to have besides the trainer, They used to have the doctor on the Sideline. Always. Yes. Cuz you can't Play a game without a doc. But I can't Tell you how many times. Did they still Do that or no? Did it? But I can't tell You how many times they don't assert They feel like they don't assert Themselves. If there's a situation

That's an injury, meaning like let's say A kid comes off with a sprained ankle. Okay, they don't want it. They're just There, dude. In the old days, they used To be like, "He's good to go. He's okay. Wrap him up. Not on them anymore. No, They let the trainer do it because they Don't get involved. Did you notice that? This is their And this is their Argument. Okay, you're the trainer. You Know these athletes better than I do. But like, doesn't he That's the thing I'm always confused by. Like, if you're A medical doctor and your job is to Assess injuries, right? You're an Orthopedic. That's why you're there. You're how many like oh are they are They just surgeons now or is that all They are now? Are they just surgeons? And so now they don't even have the Knowledge on that cuz maybe that is the Case. Maybe they're orthopedic surgeons. They put on the obviously like this is a Slippery slope, but when dealing with The concussion world, right? Like, oh, You know him better than I do. So like, You know, I know if the train if if if Jimmy's over there and the doctor's Asking him like, "Hey, you know what's Like, you know, I don't know." NFL has All of the doctors out there. They have Them all. They have the ortho, they have The the head guy, they have So they have Multiple guys there. It is different.

Everybody's so concerned with I don't Want to be sued. Whether it's the school itself, whether It's the doctor, the trainer, of course. Hey, when in doubt, send them to the Doctor. But I and look, I make my Athletes very aware of it. Look, you go To the trainer, you're missing at least Three days of practice. That's just I Just tell them that because it's ground Base work. I said, you go to the doctor, You go to the trainer and say your head Hurts, you're missing two weeks Automatic. Like regardless, dude. So, And I never I'm never I'm not that guy That's like, don't go to the trainer Because I get it. Like, it is what it Is. But you need to know the difference Between an injury and hurt. And Football, you're never healthy. Something's always going to be nagging Or banged up or this or that. But, you Know, look, if you roll your ankle, Dude, you don't need to be walking Around in a boot. Like, if you're a Person that you know, like you guys all Want to play college football, but I the First little injury you have, you're out And you don't you need to go see a Trainer for whatever. And I know I was Different personally because like I said Like hey there's level of toughness and You know being raised a certain way it's Like look you don't go to the trainer

Unless you know like so like I broke my Collar bone like dude this hurts I Need help like you know what I'm saying Or I did have a concussion in college Where it was like I have to go I have to Go see the trainer because I I don't Remember 25 plays in team like what are We doing like I don't remember it I have To go right like I tore an ACL I'm like, "Look, I'm walking around on this thing For 4 days. It's pretty swollen and it Still hurts. I better go see the like, You know what I mean? I better go see a Doctor." Like, you got to know yourself, Your body, but some guys just aren't Raised like that. You know, Jimmy, if You get hurt, make sure you go see your Trainer. And, you know, or I just don't Like the guys that or the people that Like go what is it like like the Hierarchy, right? Like you better go, if You get hurt at practice, you better go See the trainer before you go to the Ortho. Don't just go home and tell mom Like, "Hey, I hurt my finger." If you Really have something trainer, like Coach first, trainer, and then the Trainer will determine, hey, you need to Go to the specialist, you need to go get X-rays, you need to do this, right? I Just think that that hierarchy needs to Always stay in place. And uh but I think They don't know that because they go to These, you know what I mean? Like like

Do you have trainers at your youth Games? No, you have what? Ambulance, EMS. Like sitting there in the end zone In case something happens. Do they do Anything unless the coach says, "Hey, we Need you." They sit in an end zone, bro. Right. If You have that. That's true. If you have Yeah, I think we do have them at games. I Well, and just like what we do like But like Well, that's that's a good Thing though. Yeah. Listen and and look, obviously now Everybody specializes it like coaches Back in the day used to have to be the Trainer, too. You know what I'm saying? Like I remember up until my sophomore Year of high school, we only had a Trainer come to the game on game day. So, guess who taped my rolled ankle Tuesday through Thursday, right? It was An assistant coach. So, I feel like Coaches had to wear a lot of other hats Back in the day. I mean, look, I can do It. I can tape ankles. Like, no doubt. Like, but now anybody can do it. They Could YouTube it and figure out how to Tape an ankle if you really wanted to. Everybody's just so worried about that Liability aspect because, you know, we Have seen people get screwed for that Stuff before. So, it it's it's crazy, Dude. It's very it's it's interesting. It's interesting how like just in a

Short time period, very short, Dave, it Is so like different. It is so Different. I I try and tell you all the Time, you know what I mean? Like it's Just it's hard when you're not in it. I Mean, look, and I'm not in I don't I Mean, I'm already in another But even Like even like like the recruiting stuff Is on a such a different level of Like it's just it all of that all of Those things. But like the athlete Themselves, I don't think that's changed Much. I think they still want to be Coached. I think they want to be coached Hard. I think they want structure, you Know, because everybody's so quick to be Like, "Oh, it's the athlete. It's the Athlete. It's the athlete." It's really Not, dude. It's what they the difference Is like when they get in the car like Mom and dad the first thing they tell Him is you should get the ball more. Your coach doesn't know like da da da Like it should be like hey where are we Going to eat? Like what what do you Want? Like you know hey like put the Phone down. Let's have a conversation, Right? They dive right into that. Oh did They post a picture of me from the game Or you know make is our score there? Like how many likes did we get? Nobody Gives a Like what do come on man Like focus on the smaller things. It It's it's hard though because

Dave that's the world you're living in. I mean If I could in my business we all are. I Think we all are. We all are. You know Like I want notoriety on my program. I Know that the the better social media Stuff that we have the more enticing it Is to you know check out. But yeah, 100%. I mean, and that's or just, hey, How come we don't do this because they Do that? Like, right, right, right, Right, right, right. That's that that is Hard. I'm like I'm like because I don't Have a photography guy that can come run A drone every day and we can't like or Because hey, like we're not allowed to Do some of these things in terms of like Whatever. It's a policy. Oh, well, you Know, like, well, they do a media shoot Or they these kids go visit this place Or they work out at that place. I said, "All right, well, would you like to pay For that stuff?" Like, because it all Comes back to money, right? Like, how Come they have this type of field and we Don't? All right. Well, you know, we Have to do five other schools if we do That. They need the same things we do. Uh, well, I'm sorry. You should have Picked a better town to move to. I don't Know what to tell you. You should have Done more of your homework, dude. you Should have done more of your homework. Oh my god, it's it's it's it's very it

It's uh What do you mean they can't Transfer to another school? They have to Sit out. I said, well, there's rules, Right? Like it's not just, you know, Okay, like and what you see on social Media isn't exactly the truth. Like, you Know, it's just so interesting, man. So Interesting. It it is. It's it's it's Mind-blowing, actually. It's it's it's It's very difficult. And uh it and I'm Sure it's very difficult in in in high School and you're managing you're Managing multip everybody has their own Priority which Definitely Like I'm I'm sure that's contributed to The turnover in coaching Because and and this is my theory co Opened the eyes to a lot of people. Yeah, I agree. Especially coaches and Teachers. It slowed everything down and Allowed that time when everything was Stopped to be like, "Wow." Like one, we Can do things in a way more efficient Way, right? We don't have to grind and Be present to get things that we need to Get things done. Right. Right. And then It just ultimately I think it was like, Holy hell, Like off doing whatever I'm doing. Like This is all still going on. like we get So wrapped up in like this. We don't Look at this. And I think that was Extremely eyeopening for a lot of

People, especially coaches, to be like, Man, do I really have to be doing all This Like, you know what I mean? It's a great great point. I mean, it's It's that part is uh Like it's, you know, without seeing it Anymore. Um, it's I I I' I'd like I'd I'd love to like bounce around at like Be a fly. Yeah. Well, go Yeah, dude. You Should go from like camp to camp to camp To camp to camp and just see how Everybody does things and be like, "Wow, That guy still does like that." Or, "Oh my goodness, like I would have never Even thought to that." Like that's why I Try to go to a lot of that's why I love Like the people we talk to to see like What do they do in their program or how Is it in that state or you know that's Division three compared to FCS and That's FBS compared to this compared to That like those things and like talking To those guys and you know even like Within the network like from this career And doing all those kind of things just Having those random conversations of Just like oh that's interesting that's a Good way to do it or huh I never thought About it like that. You know what I'm Saying? Like I mean, I walked into A weight room the other day and was Like, "Wow, how come they have their Bars like that with with with the Weights? Oh, they use the weights to for

As the rack for the hex bar. Okay, that Works. Like, let's do that rather than Just have them stacked up looking Stupid." I'm like, idiot. Why didn't I Think of that sooner? Like, let's do the Weights as the rack. Oh, yeah. Yeah. the Rubber weights that you would use for Like Cleans. I didn't have a rack for the hex Bars. They were just stacked like up in A corner looking like disheveled and Terrible. So, they took the rubber Weights, the 45 lb rubber weights, Stacked three of them, and you put the Freaking hexar in it. It's a rack. It Ain't falling over. And you're only Using the rubber weights if you use the Hex bar. So, what are we doing? Like, I'm like, Like, now I don't have To go spend 250 on a rack. That's a good Point. I didn't think about that. Oh, Yeah. Yeah. I was like, "Wait a minute." My coach's like, "Why'd you do that?" And then I'm like, he's like, "Oh, we're Idiots." I'm like, "Yeah, I know, dude." Okay. Well, all right. Let's wrap it up. Then I'm good. Good one. See you Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Okay. All Right. Cool.

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Dave Schuman

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