Love What You Play

John is an author, speaker and long-time soccer coach at the youth, college and professional level. He's the host of the Way of Champions Podcast and founder of Changing the Game Project, an organization dedicated to educating parents and coaches and shifting the paradigm of youth sports to a more positive, child-centered experience. Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:12 - COVID's impact on reality 9:04 - Long-term changes 28:16 - Things usually missed in coaches' education 33:44 - Return to training 39:22 - Transitions after COVID 43:44 - John’s upcoming projects 56:43 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Summer Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

Mike Thomson was recently appointed an official for Basketball Canada for this coming February. He has been a referee for over 40 years on the local, national and international level. After retiring from being an active official he now spends his time as a mentor and instructor to others.   Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 6:00 - The transition from playing to officiating 12:47 - Fondest memory 19:06 - The new world of COVID 26:40 - Different levels of officiating 35:56 - New mentorship 49:18 - COVID education 56:20 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Summer Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

Dr. Pierce is the author of the groundbreaking textbook Selling in the Sport Industry. He has published over 70 peer reviewed manuscripts, presented over 100 times at academic conferences, and secured over 30 grants and contracts with research focused on sport sales and issues in sport management education.  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 3:12 - Sports Innovation Institute 6:19 - Research with Officially Human 8:05 - Collaboration with Zoom 12:10 - Respecting officials 19:06 - The rookie official experience 31:55 - Great messaging 37:49 - Officiating shortages 43:15 - The theatrics 49:02 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Summer Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

Brenda Hilton is the founder and CEO of Officially Human, which is dedicated to restoring respect for and positive treatment of sport officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders (administrators, coaches, and fans), while recruiting and retaining new officials at all levels. Check out their webpage here: officiallyhuman.com Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:15 - Root of the problem 5:18 - Brenda’s background 12:38 - Attracting new officials 17:20 - True focus of youth sports 20:30 - Games in the midst of COVID 29:40 - COVID financials 36:30 - Athletic scholarships 41:45 - Officials' contributions 51:33 - Youth officials 58:30 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Summer Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Matt Young for a second time. Matt is the founder of Personal Sport Record, an organization that puts complete performance data directly into athletes', parents', coaches' and sport organizations’ hands to measure progress, identify opportunities and inform decision making. He is a passionate health, recreation and sport leader who believes that supporting quality athletic achievement is good for our children, communities and society. You can learn more about Personal Sport Record and Matt Young here: https://personalsportrecord.com/about-us/ Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Personal Sport Record update 4:30 - The importance of Personal Sport Record 8:00 - Reporting abuse 11:00 - Physical education 19:00 - LTAD 24:30 - Holding leaders accountable 30:00 - What kids want 35:00 - 60 minutes a day 44:00 - Making a difference 46:00 - The Cost of Winning documentary 47:00 - Winning at all costs 54:00 - Qua

While most would consider him simply a sports psychologist, Dr. Jerry Lynch is a coach, mentor and teacher. He guides and coaches athletes and parents to explore the meaning and purpose of sport, as a powerful vehicle to help us understand the mental/emotional/spiritual components of the athletic game and how they apply to the bigger game called LIFE. Dr. Jerry Lynch has written 13 books and has conducted countless seminars and workshops talking about what it takes to be a champion.You can learn more about his story here: https://www.wayofchampions.com/about/about-doc-j.html  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 2:00 - Way of Champions conference 6:30 - The learning journey 12:00 - Mindfulness 21:00 - Pressure to win 31:00 - The right way to play 36:00 - Evolution of coaching 40:00 - Changing perspectives 48:00 - The fear of losing control 55:00 - Building a love of the game 62:00 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast origi

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Lenore Skenazy, founder of Free Range Kids, president of Let Grow, speaker, blogger, author, and reality show host. You can learn more about Lenore here: https://www.freerangekids.com/ Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Growing up 3:15 - Free and risky play 9:30 - Free Range Kids 18:30 - Spreading the movement 22:30 - Helicopter parenting 27:00 - Being labelled “America’s worst mom” 38:30 - Safe play 42:30 - Future aspirations The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events    

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Seanna Thomas, founder of Hockey Snacks, providing young athletes with the proper fuel to perform and recover while giving them the nutritional knowledge to succeed. You can learn more about Seanna and Hockey Snacks here: https://www.hockeysnacks.com/  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Growing up 3:00 - Family life 7:30 - Value of sport 10:30 - Nutrition workshops/tips 23:00 - Post-game recovery 28:00 - Alternative nutrition options 38:00 - Founding Hockey Snacks 43:00 - Curbside delivery program 46:00 - Tips for parents 49:00 - The future of Hockey Snacks 51:00 - Resources and contact The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events 

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Michael Smith, former captain of the UBC Rugby team and current Rugby Canada player.  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Growing up playing sports 9:00 - Impact of being a multi-sport athlete 14:00 - What makes sport fun? 20:30 - Being a student athlete 25:00 - Skills learned through sport 29:40 - The challenges of traveling 34:00 - Funding and support 37:30 - Bullying and harassment 43:00 - How important is winning? 47:00 - Specializing in one sport 53:00 - Recommendations for aspiring athletes The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion about suicide and various forms of harassment. This episode of the Love What You Play Podcast features Dr. Jennifer Fraser, founder of Neuro Paradigm, author of The Bullied Brain: What Neuroscientists Know About Brain Scars and How to Heal Them, and TEDx speaker. This is Dr. Fraser’s second time making an appearance on our podcast, with this talk focusing on rethinking bullying in the world of sports. Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - What did you play growing up? 2:00 - Favourite memory from that time 3:00 - Rethinking activity in schools 7:30 - What is bullying? 10:00 - Why do people become bullies? 16:00 - Preventing bullying 18:00 - Shifting cultural norms 20:30 - The importance of safe reporting 24:00 - Education as a path to prevention 30:00 - Hazing 36:00 - What it was like doing a TED talk 39:00 - Suicide and bully-cide 46:00 - Containing emotional responses 50:00 - Where to find Dr. Fraser T

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Nick Buonocore, founder of The Reformed Sports Parent. Nick played baseball and won a national championship at N.C. Wesleyan and also played professionally in Europe. Today his vision is to restore healthy balance and perspective in youth sports through education and advocacy. You can learn more about Nick and The Reformed Sports Parent here: https://reformedsportsparent.com/about-us  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - Growing up playing sports 5:30 - Issues facing youth sports 13:00 - Early sport specialization 16:00 - Connecting with industry experts 25:00 - Popular quotes 31:00 - The problems with competitive sports teams 39:00 - How we create progress 48:00 - Making sports fun again 51:00 - Encouraging mistakes 53:00 - Book recommendations 54:00 - Conclusion/where to find Nick The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game f

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Jenn Starkey, founder of MVP Leadership Academy, owner of Fast Pitch Fit, speaker, and coach. You can connect with Jenn here: https://www.facebook.com/Jenn.L.Starkey  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - The importance of staying active 3:30 - Jenn’s story 11:00 - Growth 19:45 - Coaching different people 29:30 - Coaching culture 41:00 - The role of parents 48:00 - Making mistakes 58:00 - Outro and where to find Jenn The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events 

J.P. Nerbun is a mentor, writer, coach, sports consultant, and founder of Thrive On Challenge. He has a teaching degree in physical education and sports science from the University of Limerick, one of the top universities in Europe for those subjects. He’s coached at nearly every level imaginable, with an understanding of how to apply the principles, systems, and strategies to build a transformational culture. Our conversation focuses on raising young athletes, developing teams, transformational leadership, and more. You can learn about J.P. and Thrive On Challenge here: https://thriveonchallenge.com/about-j-p-nerbun/.  Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:40 - Growing up playing sports 6:00 - Pursuing basketball 9:30 - External pressure 13:00 - Chasing scholarships 20:45 - Transformational leadership 29:15 - Developing cohesive teams 37:15 - The importance of mentorship 42:00 - Virtual sports consulting 47:00 - Hosting a coaching culture podcast 49:30 - What would you d

Trevor Ragan is the founder of Train Ugly and the Learner Lab, platforms dedicated to understanding and sharing the science of becoming a better learner. You can find Trevor on the Learner Lab Podcast here: https://trainugly.com/learner-lab-podcast/ Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 4:00 - Top 3 characteristics of sports coaches 5:30 - Founding Train Ugly 13:30 - Importance of making mistakes 17:30 - Pushing your comfort zone 28:00 - Giving feedback 32:00 - Developing critical skills 41:00 - The dangers of specializing too early 46:00 - Book recommendations 49:00 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to fortheloveofthegame.ca/events 

His second time featured on the Love What You Play podcast, James Leath is the founder of Unleash the Athlete. He discusses educating athletes of all ages and developing positive leadership among individuals in the sporting community. Learn more about James and Unleash the Athlete here: https://www.utathlete.com/. Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - COVID-19 sports shutdown 6:00 - Growing up playing sports 9:00 - Involvement with Chicago Bulls 13:00 - Chasing the dream 22:30 - Unleash the Athlete 30:00 - TikTok and Gen Z 34:30 - Way of Champions conference 37:00 - Developing young athletes 44:30 - The rise of E-sports 50:45 - Top 3 tips for coaches 53:00 - Where to find James The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free Spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to: https://www.fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Amber Pascual and Erin Crawford, founders of Make Movement Matter, a physical literacy resource that works to make a positive change in students' lives. Amber and Erin discuss the importance of physical literacy, getting kids active, progression of skills and more. Learn about Make Movement Matter here: http://www.makemovementmatter.org/ Table of Contents 0:00 - Introductions 1:30 - Growing up playing sports 5:20 - Top 3 characteristics of great coaches 12:00 - Why they founded Make Movement Matter 21:30 - Sharing their story 26:40 - Supporting different age groups 29:00 - Delivering physical education 35:50 - Volunteer coaching 41:00 - What happened to free play? 48:50 - Book/resource recommendations 50:10 - Conclusion The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free Spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits a

This episode of the Love What You Play podcast features Tim Adams, founder of Free Footie, a totally free after-school club for 4,000 kids in need. Tim shares his story of transitioning from journalist, to volunteer coach, to working to provide vulnerable kids with the opportunity to play in a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment. Learn more about Tim and Free Footie here: https://www.freefootie.ca/ Table of Contents 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Falling in love with sport 3:45 - Favourite memory (barefoot football) 5:35 - Passion for journalism 9:30 - Top 3 characteristics of great coaches (compassion, passion, commitment) 12:35 - Reasons for coaching soccer 19:30 - Growing Free Footie 24:30 - Partnering with community members 27:45 - Certifying refs 29:40 - Planning camps 31:10 - Success stories 32:50 - Dealing with burnout 36:50 - Emphasizing fun 44:00 - Organized free play 53:45 - How to contact Tim 54:30 - Leaving a legacy The interview featured on

Dr. Guy Faulkner is a Professor at UBC's School of Kinesiology and producer of the documentary Running Free: Children's Independent Mobility. Host Glen Mulcahy and Dr. Faulkner discuss the 26-minute film, told through the eyes of three families. It explores the concept of children’s independent mobility and the benefits for children’s mental health, challenging viewers to consider solutions to this issue. The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game free Spring Virtual Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to: https://www.fortheloveofthegame.ca/events 

Today's episode features an exclusive interview with Rick Parnham, president of the Ontario Association of Basketball Officials, speaking about the value of referees in all sports, especially youth sports. Rick has served in multiple executive positions locally, provincially and internationally since 2001, and served as the Chairperson of Membership Development Committee for the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials from 2013-17. The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play Podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Spring Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to: https://www.fortheloveofthegame.ca/events

Angela Lewis is the owner of Angela Lewis and Associates, where she hosts skill development training and basketball events specifically focused on empowering young women through sports. As a former professional basketball player, championship-winning coach, and author, she is passionate about empowering the lives of young people. Learn more about her story and impact here: https://www.angelarlewis.com/about The interview featured on this episode of the Love What You Play Podcast originally debuted on the For the Love of the Game Spring Summit 2020. To learn more about our upcoming summits and events with featured speakers, head to: https://www.fortheloveofthegame.ca/events