Linda Flanagan is a freelance journalist, researcher, and former cross-country and track coach. She is the author of numerous articles on youth sports and the book Take Back The Game - How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports—And Why It Matters. She is a founding board member of the NYC chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance and her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Runner’s World and NPR’s Mindshift. In addition to being a lifelong athlete she’s also the mother of three grown children. In our conversation today we discussed: * The inspiration behind Take Back The Game * The role of her father in her life as an athlete and how that shaped her perspective on sports * The differences between fathers and mothers and their impact on daughter participation in sports * The key changes in how youth sports have transformed with the influence of money and increasingly high stakes * Changes in family dynamics and parental expectations; the influence of the Name Image and Likeness rules (or NIL) * Early sports specialization and its effect on children’s physical and mental health * How to make sports fun again * Success stories in communities implementing positive change in youth sports * Advice to parents who want to support their children’s athletic interests without falling into the mania — Where to find Linda Flanagan * Website: https://lindaflanaganauthor.com/ * X: https://x.com/lindaflanagan2 * IG: https://www.instagram.com/Lindaflanagan_author/ Where to find Adam Fishman * FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ — In this episode, we cover: [1:51] Welcome [2:15] Childhood [3:26] Linda’s Kids [3:57] Coaching career [4:52] Realization that kid’s sports needed reform [8:06] What role did Linda’s father play in her athletics? [11:32] Differences between fathers and mother’s impacting daughters in sports [13:07] Key changes in sports regarding money [21:33] NIL - Name, Image and Likeness [25:05] Early sports specialization [29:43] Alternatives to specialization [33:56] Organizations that have implemented positive change [39:11] Role of tech and media on sports [42:43] Role of coaches [44:26] Advice for parents [50:28] Changes for the next decade [53:01] Where to find Linda [54:33] Rapid fire / Lightning round [58:22] Thank you — Show references: Take Back the Game, How Money and Mania are Ruining Kids Sports and Why it Matters by Linda Flanagan: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Back-Game-Ruining-Sports/dp/059332904X ESPN Wide World of Sports: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/wide-world-of-sports/ NIL: https://iconsource.com/what-is-nil/ NFHS: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/ Families and Sport Lab at Utah State, Travis Dorsch: https://cehs.usu.edu/families-in-sport-lab/people/faculty/travis-dorsch Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214484 Tiger Woods: https://tigerwoods.com/ The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036 Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy: https://letgrow.org/free-chapter/ Peter Gray (professor at BC): https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/psychology-neuroscience/people/affiliated-and-emeritus/peter-gray.html Jason Targoff: https://www.cambridgeyouthsoccer.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1309964&mid=1365147&newskeyid=HN1&newsid=437883&ctl=newsdetail Pick up Sports App: https://pickupsports.co/pages/app-1 Steve Magnus: https://www.stevemagness.com/ Ferber Method: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/baby-sleep/ferber-method WSJ article, When Junior Heads to College, Helicopter Parents Turn to Empty-Nest Coaches: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/helicopter-parents-empty-nest-co