Bad Soccer Dad

This week I had a conversation with Elizabeth Perkins. Elizabeth talks about the importance of growing a total person: As an athlete A woman of character A person of faith A leader of leaders.   Reflection: Don’t forget the goal of education and development is total person growth, a whole and integrated young person, not just a star athlete.   Elizabeth’s story reminds us that if college sports are on the horizon for your son or daughter, it’s never too early to think critically about what type of environment helps them mature in every dimension of their lives, not just athletics.   If you’re curious about the programs Elizabeth mentions: You can learn more about Hope at hope.edu And baylor.edu/truett And BU built at baylorbears.com   If you liked what you heard today, subscribe on your favorite podcast app. If you have a minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews help other people find the show.   You can find us on Facebook and badsoccerdad.org

Are you forgiving as much as you'd like to be forgiven? Take some time to read the following passages:Matthew 6:14-15Matthew 18:21-35Luke 23:32-34 Reflection: What does Jesus teach us about the value of forgiveness?How does Jesus model forgiveness for us?When I think about my family of origin, what forgiveness issues come to mind?Where was forgiveness modeled well? When was it lacking?Who is currently on my "unforgiven" list?What step can I take today to the process of letting go? If you need help processing any of these issues, please let me know. You can contact me through the Bad Soccer Dad Podcast Facebook page.

Welcome back to Bad Soccer Dad! Hope you had a great 2019 and are kicking off your 2020 with a lot of fun, energy, and excitement. I'm joined here by some of the youth athletes in my family, talking about 2019 and going forward into 2020.  

I don’t know about you, but the holidays have been really nutty around our house, especially with the new year right around the corner, so this week we’re throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from this past spring, I hope you enjoy listening to it as I enjoyed listening to it the first time. Have a great new year!   Today’s interview is with Brittany Reinbolt of the US National Bobsled Team. Brittany is a native of Southern California, but grew up in Searcy, Arkansas. While in Arkansas she spent most of my time playing soccer and running track. She attended Winona State University (in Minnesota) where she competed on the track and field team and studied Aviation and Physical Education. After college, she spent worked in the Aviation industry while playing women's full tackle football. Brittany spent two and a half years as a teacher and high school girls basketball coach in rural Augusta, Arkansas. In 2011 she made the U.S. National Bobsled Team and has been bobsledding ever since. She’s currently

I don't know about you, but the holidays are crazy in our house especially with Christmas coming right around the corner, so this week we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes that aired this past spring, have a listen! In this episode I speak with Brad Griffin. Brad is the Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based training for youth workers and parents. A speaker, blogger, and volunteer youth pastor, Brad is the coauthor of Growing Young, several Sticky Faith ​books, Right Click: Parenting Your Teenager in a Digital Media World, and the series Can I Ask That?: 8 Hard Questions about God and Faith. He and his family live in Southern California. Reflection:Brad says, “One of the things I pray over my kids every night is: I pray that know they’re loved and that they’ll know they’re never alone.” Do you have a practice of praying with or for your kids? If not, could you use Brad’s simple prayer as a model? Brad suggests coming up a with a pre-game ritual for parents

I don't know about you, but the holidays are crazy in our house especially with Christmas coming right around the corner, so this week we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes that aired this past spring, have a listen!   Michael is a New York Times bestselling author, co-founder of The New Day Foundation, a non-profit serving families fighting cancer, and former co-host of the radio show, Your Family Matters, on Salem Broadcasting in Detroit. He has also been a basketball coach for more than 30 years. He and his wife Gina have raised five children, all of whom were varsity athletes. He brings a unique perspective on youth sports and plus… he’s a native Chicagoan with a true appreciation for what actually constitutes a Deep Dish pizza. One excellent question Michael asks is: “What’s your ‘why’? Why are you doing this?”Have you paused to answer this question as a parent?Have you stopped to ask your young athlete the same question?Are you on the same page? Do you want the same things?If the answe

Bethany Balcer is a forward for Reign FC and was awarded 2019 Rookie of the Year for the National Women's Soccer League.   Reflection: Bethany said her sister and her parents are the people who keep her grounded in the midst of the pressure she’s faced and the achievements she’s accomplished. Do you have people who love you enough to pick you up when you’re down? And people who can help you stay humble when you’re at the top of your game?   As a parent, what could it look like to remind your child where to give credit when they’re playing well?   If you liked what you heard today, subscribe on your favorite podcast app. If you have a minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews help other people find the show. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram and badsoccerdad.org

It is a couple days after Thanksgiving, and my hope is that you had a great time hanging out with friends and family and that you spent time cataloging the many things that you are, or could, or should be thankful for. Here's a few things I am thankful for in this youth sports season.

My guest today is Tracy Hanson, who had a successful All-American Collegiate golf career at San Jose State University that included: eleven individual tournament wins, an NCAA Team Championship, a USGA Public Links Championship, and Low Amateur honors at the USGA Women’s Open.   She played her first year professionally in thirteen different countries and was named an Order of Merit Winner in Asia & Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour.   Tracy enjoyed fifteen successful seasons on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour before retiring in 2009. She is also a writer, speaker, and founder of the Tracy Hanson Initiative, a program that provides safe opportunities for elite athletes to talk about stories of trauma, and training for those who serve them.   Reflection: Tracy talked about a season in her career when she was “leaking pain.” Where are you leaking pain these days? Is it through silence, anger, passive-aggressive behavior? Do you have a safe circle of friends you can process it with? Is it time

In this mini-episode, Steve reflects on some of the principles on the importance of rest and play in three books he's recently read. If you want to add to your BSD reading list, check these out: Elite? A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States by Adam Metz The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How transforming your inner life will deeply transform your church, team and the world by Peter Scazzero The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant

Brian is on staff with Athletes in Action and the author of The Assist: A Gospel-Centered Guide to Glorifying God Through Sports. Brain is married to his high school sweetheart, Linsey, has three kids and is a Detroit Lions fan. He ran track and cross country at Wake Forest University, where he graduated with a degree in communications. Brian said one of the great gifts his parents gave him was reminding him that, when he got cut from a high school team, that God had a plan. That God sees something we can’t see and even when things look bleak, God is committed to our good, our growth and our joy. Have you had an opportunity to talk with your kids about how sometimes our Plan A isn’t God’s best for us? And that what we see as Plan B has some benefits and blessings that will be revealed over time?   He also reminds me that God cares more about our personhood than our performance. It’s possible to come away with the win and lose when the battle for honor, integrity and kindness. What aspect of your personhood, y

Over the last year I’ve been learning to write a new playbook to remind me who I want to be before, after and in the midst of my four children’s athletic journeys. I am learning to speak the language of lament, pursue the practice of patience, and enter into the exercise of delight. The mission of Bad Soccer Dad is to explore the intersection of parenting, youth sports and spirituality. Every conversation is designed to help parents, coaches, and athletes ask critical questions, questions like: “Who do I want to be at the end of this journey?” “What do I want to be true about my young athlete when this experience is over?” And maybe even: “What is God trying to teach me about myself this season?”

Dr. Seiple is the Senior Fellow for Comparative Religion at the Jackson School of International Studies. He is widely known and sought after for his decades of experience and expertise regarding issues at the intersection of geopolitics, US foreign policy, Asia, conflict resolution, human rights and religion. He has pioneered innovative solutions in the U.S. Marine Corps, at the U.S. State Department, the Templeton Religion Trust, and as the president of the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), where he developed a “Track 1.5” theory of change rooted in relational diplomacy. He and IGE are perhaps best known for playing a significant role in the removal of Vietnam (2007) and Uzbekistan (2018) from the U.S. State Department’s religious freedom violations list.   Dr. Seiple earned his Ph.D. in International Relations at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. He also has an M.A. in National Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University. He is t

Jess McDonald plays for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League and is a member of the United States Women's National Soccer Team. She won an NCAA title with the North Carolina Tar Heels, 2 NWSL titles with the North Carolina Courage, and the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Jess was gracious enough to host my daughter Naomi and I for this interview at the North Carolina Courage training facility. A few days before we recorded this, my wife Kelly and Naomi saw the Jess and USWMNT play the Korea Republic team in Chicago. This game on October 6, was the farewell game for Jill Elliss, who coached the US team for five years. I started recording just after Naomi told Jess she was at that game.   Reflection: Jess’ grandmother is a source of constant encouragement to her. Who is a steady voice of encouragement to you?   Jess challenges us to use our words carefully, because kids are always listening. What kind of words and phrases do you want your kids to remember you saying?   Jess says, “The g

My today is with Ron Deal who is the Director of Family Life Blended. You can learn more about them at http://familylifeblended.com/ Reflection: Ron quotes a proverb that says, “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” Is there unresolved conflict in your family dynamic that is causing stress for your child? If so, what’s one step you can take this week toward owning your part in that conflict and addressing it?   Do you struggle to communicate on logistics when it comes to gear, practices and tournaments? Is there a weekly check-in system you could create to stay on top of these?   Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” What’s one way you might be able to pursue peace with your child’s parent or step-parent this week?

My conversation this week is with Mark Labberton, the president of Fuller Seminary. Mark and I met about six years ago when he was the Associate Professor of Preaching and director of the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching. He’s been an incredible mentor and a great source of encouragement to me over the years and am grateful for the wisdom he brings to this conversation.   You can learn more about Fuller at  www.fuller.edu   Reflection:  Mark said, “Competition is a valid and good thing. I think fairness, sportsmanship, the capacity to be the kind of person you want to be while you win is a different and richer goal. How do you nurture those kinds of values?”      Mark also said, “I think a parent that has a broader vision for what this season is about can find ways of introducing new culture. If only 2-5% of a population gain a common vision, then they can change the whole group. If you think about some sports teams, it’s not very many people who have to join you in that, it has to be more than one family, but

My conversation this week is with Kara Powell. She’s the is the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and assistant professor of youth and family ministry at Fuller Seminary. She is also author of many books, including, "Growing With: Every Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future"   Reflection: Kara says: “I want to be the goalie that keeps tough experiences out of my kids net, but often the best growth happens through those struggles.”   What struggles are you trying to save your kids from these days? What might happen if we let them process those struggle on their own? Who can they become and we can we become if we allow our suffering to help us persevere, transform and grow?   Kara says kids are asking three big questions: Identity- “Who am I?” Belonging- “Where do I fit?” Purpose- “What difference do I make?” Which of these questions do you see your kid asking these days? How is their sports experience helping them process the answer

My conversation this week is with Kutter Callaway. He’s a professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary, the co-director of Reel Spirituality, a husband, father of daughters and Denver Broncos fan.   If you liked what you heard today, Subscribe to Bad Soccer Dad on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Spotify and leave us a review. Thanks so much for listening and we’ll catch you next week!   Reflection: Kutter says, Regardless of what your family rules end up being… you as the parent need to be actively involved in the conversation. “I don’t want to do the work of parenting… so you can’t watch anything. I don’t want to do the work of parenting … so you can watch everything.” Sometimes I punt on my kids’ media choices, because we’re tired or intimidated. But helping our kids know what to watch, why we watch it and how to watch it with a critical eye is a gift to them. What are your family guidelines for this these days? Are you watching things together and discussing them? Or is everyone retreating to their