Better Sports Parents

Dr. Rick Celebrini is the Vice President of Player Health and Performance for the Golden State Warriors and the father of four extremely athletic children, including Macklin Celebrini, the NHL's number 1 overall draft pick in 2024. A former professional soccer player himself, Rick has worked with professional and amateur athletes across several sports including basketball, hockey, and soccer. In this segment, Rick discusses the trend of early specialization among young athletes, offering his opinion as both a professional and a father while also outlining the guardrails that should exist for those who choose to focus on one sport early in their development.
Listen to the full episode here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rick-celebrini-beware-of-dead-eyes-let-your-child/id1834970608?i=1000728010271
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QPyUpUBjhKuRP4WMsBgmk?si=gGRGBXlfSuy6JRD2G833hw
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2dNSmHBSzmw?si=lllANJMl0EpCEkiz

Jay DeMerit's path to professional soccer reads like a fairy tale, but he'll be the first to tell you it wasn't supposed to happen the way it did. No academy. No draft. Just a backpack, $1,800, and a willingness to knock on doors in the ninth division of English soccer. Within three years, he was captaining Watford in the Premier League. By 2010, he was a starter on the US World Cup team.
But what Jay saw when he left the game in 2014 troubled him deeply: a youth sports system built around money, comparison, and results that was producing broken teenagers instead of confident, capable young people. So he decided to do something about it.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Jay unpacks why his unconventional journey was actually powered by creativity, multi-sport development, and soft skills — and why today's system is actively working against those same things. He breaks down the inverted triangle at the heart of youth sports, where business and parents come before the child, and makes a compelling case for why holistic development, mentorship, and identity formation are the real work of youth sport.
Jay also opens up about co-parenting a 10-year-old son with Olympic gold medalist Ashleigh McIvor, the comparison pressure his son already faces, and what he's had to unlearn as a sideline parent after a lifetime of being the loudest voice in the room.
And he pulls back the curtain on Rise and Shine, tech platform he's been building for over four years that aims to bring mentorship, holistic learning, and real-world skill development to young athletes everywhere, regardless of geography or income. Chapters
00:00 Opening and Introduction
04:06 Why Jay chose youth development after his playing career
06:50 The broken teenagers calling him from Premier League academies
08:30 Why he stopped selling what he didn't believe in
09:07 How creativity allowed him to become great
13:13 How his youth sports experience shaped his creativity
16:19 What his parents focused on and the safety they gave him to take risks
19:11 Why process thinking beats results thinking every time
19:49 Why Jay didn't focus on soccer until 19
22:13 How a basketball mindset turned him into an elite soccer defender
27:47 From the 9th division to Premier League captain in three years
31:24 Does today's youth sports system foster creativity and multi-sport?
34:11 The silo problem, and why "holistic" programs aren't actually holistic
38:57 What Rise and Shine was built to do — and how it works
40:38 What parents can actually do to push for better programming
43:28 Global clubs shifting away from the pathway-to-pro narrative
47:38 Can the Jay DeMerit story still happen today?
51:05 What Rise and Shine the documentary sparked
54:03 How the Rise and Shine camp evolved into a tech platform
1:01:25 Addressing the "I don't want my kid on their phone more" concern
1:05:12 Affordability and access in Canada
1:07:36 How to properly develop leadership through sport
1:11:16 Identity, early specialization, and decoupling self-worth from results
1:16:34 The comparison pressure his son already faces
1:19:07 Learning to shut up on the sideline — Jay's hardest parenting lesson
1:20:23 The biggest issue in youth sports today

Resources:
Jay DeMerit | MLSsoccer.com
Rise and Shine Documentary https://youtu.be/GtSYAUn2I7I?si=dv6xKDe8fFJUDluE
Home | RISExSHINE

Amar Doman didn't make it as a professional athlete, but sport shaped everything about the man, the father, and the business leader he became. In 2021, Amar purchased the BC Lions and has been one of the CFL's most community-invested owners ever since. He's also a husband, a father of three, and a youth football coach who has spent years learning what it really means to develop kids not just players.
In this conversation with host Scott Rintoul, Amar opens up about the lessons sport taught him that carried seamlessly into business, why he believes contact sports like football and rugby build a kind of team camaraderie you simply can't find anywhere else, and what he's learned coaching his own son that changed how he parents all three of his kids.
Amar and Scott also tackle some of the biggest challenges facing youth sport today — from the affordability crisis that is quietly excluding families across Canada, to the smartphone epidemic that's eroding the locker room culture, and game IQ that great athletes are built on. This is a wide-ranging, honest, and deeply practical conversation for any parent who wants to raise a confident, resilient, hard-working young person, whether they're chasing a championship or just learning to love the game.
Chapters
0:00 Opening & Inroduction
3:21 Was owning a pro team always the dream?
4:20 Growing up in Victoria: rugby, basketball & backyard football
6:24 His parents' hands-off approach to sport
7:33 Staying active beyond youth sport
8:30 Coaching his own kids
10:23 What he actually wants his kids to get from sport
11:11 How sport transfers directly into business
12:18 Integrity: the same lessons show up everywhere
13:30 Why sport is a safe place to fail
14:27 Separating "dad" from "coach" on the field
17:04 How he's evolved as a coach year over year
19:44 Managing parents on the sideline
21:25 Listen before you react
22:32 Rotating players and what development really means
25:53 Why he chose football for his boys
27:35 How tackling is taught today vs. a generation ago
29:15 Football & rugby: a place for every body type
31:11 Flag football, the Olympics & BC's growth
32:41 Advice for parents on the sideline
34:10 How coaching made him a better sports parent
35:48 Where does equal play end and earned time begin?
37:02 The affordability crisis & what the Lions are doing about it
41:17 Merit-based sport vs. wealth-based sport
42:02 Can community sport make a comeback?
44:26 Where his values came from
46:11 Navigating social media with three kids
47:56 Should coaches address social media with players?
49:49 Highlight reels vs. full game film
52:37 The biggest issue in youth sports today
55:24 Why Amar chose to be a hands-on owner
56:45 Do sports backgrounds give people a business edge?
Resources:
https://www.bclions.com/amar-doman/
Follow Amar on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amar.doman/?hl=en

Trevor Linden played 19 seasons in the NHL, captained the Vancouver Canucks to the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, and performed under the most intense pressure imaginable. But as a sports parent to his 8-year-old son? He's about as low-pressure as it gets.
In this honest conversation, the former Canucks captain shares why he didn't need his son to play hockey, why parents are caught in an "arms race" mentality, and why travel tournaments to major markets for teams with very young players have become the expected entry point to youth sports. Trevor challenges the notion that more ice time, more skills training, and more travel equals better development. He advocates for bringing sports back to schools and community centers, questions why we've lost street hockey culture, and delivers a gut-punch reality check about families who can't afford to let their kids play.
Key Topics Discussed:
Why Trevor's parents' hands-off approach shaped his NHL career
The "arms race" mentality destroying youth sports enjoyment
Travel tournament culture and the pressure it puts on families
Why "if a kid is going to reach a high level, he's going to get there regardless"
Affordability and access issues in Canadian youth sports
The loss of outdoor rinks and street hockey culture
Multi-sport development and letting kids find their passion
Why coaches gaming 11-year-old umpires is embarrassing
Subscribe to Better Sports Parents for conversations with world-class athletes who understand what youth sports should actually be about.
Chapters
00:00 Opening
01:35 Introduction
03:17 Youth Sports: Then vs. Now
04:25 Growing Up in Medicine Hat: The Outdoor Rink Era
06:17 Parents Who Weren't Sports People
10:20 Raising a Son in Today's Hockey Environment
13:55 "I Didn't Need Him to Play Hockey"
17:30 Roman's Hockey Journey: Quit at 5, Returned at 7
21:45 Travel Tournament Expectation
25:10 Chicago, Toronto, Las Vegas: When Did This Become Normal?
28:40 "If a Kid Is Going to Reach High Level, He's Getting There"
32:15 The Arms Race Mentality Among Parents
36:50 The 11-Year-Old Umpire Story
40:25 "Let's Do the Right Thing. Who Cares Who Wins?"
44:10 Multi-Sport Development
48:35 The Pressure Parents Put on Themselves
52:20 Street Hockey & Outdoor Rinks: What We've Lost
55:40 Intimate Partner Violence: Using Platform for Good
01:00:21 The Most Pressing Issue: Affordability and Access
01:02:12 The Gut Punch: "We Can't Afford to Play Hockey"
01:03:50 75% Don't Know About Financial Assistance Programs
01:04:15 Awareness of Jumpstart, KidSport & Similar Organizations
About Trevor Linden:
19 NHL seasons (Vancouver, NY Islanders, Montreal, Washington)
Captain of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final team
Olympian 1998
Former President of Hockey Operations, Vancouver Canucks
Advocate for physical health, mental health & intimate partner violence awareness
Resources:
Canadian Men's Health Foundation https://menshealthfoundation.ca/champions/trevor-linden/
PSA for Intimate Partner Violence Awareness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R236gWQqB_o
Follow Trevor Linden on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/trevor_linden/?hl=en

Terry McKaig built the most successful post-secondary baseball program in Canada's history at UBC, sending players to the MLB draft year after year. But if you asked him now, there are many things he would have done differently—especially in the first half of his coaching career.
In this raw and honest conversation, Terry opens up about his transformation from a "hardcore, intense" 24-year-old coach who relied on intimidation to someone who completely changed his approach after his daughter was born. He shares the coaching regrets he carries, the dangerous trends he's witnessing in youth sports today, and why the overtraining epidemic is breaking young athletes' bodies.
As a father who lost his wife Davina to mental health struggles, Terry also brings a powerful perspective on what truly matters in sports and life—and why we need to stop letting parental guilt drive our children's athletic decisions.
Key Topics Discussed:
The overtraining crisis: 9-year-olds playing baseball 10 months a year
Why parents are driven by guilt instead of their child's actual dreams
How becoming a father completely changed Terry's coaching philosophy
The imposter syndrome that led to his early "intimidation" coaching style
Parent behavior at games and the referee shortage crisis
Why specialization vs. multi-sport is more complex than we think
Mental health, accountability, and the role of trust in coaching
How sport translates to life (and how Terry now coaches construction workers)
Subscribe to Better Sports Parents for conversations with world-class performers who aren't afraid to share their mistakes, wisdom, and the lessons they learned the hard way.
Chapters
00:00 Opening
01:35 Introduction: Terry McKaig's Background
03:15 Looking Back at a Coaching Career
04:50 The Intimidation Style: Coaching at 24 Years Old
06:51 The Overlap Between Coaching and Parenting
09:30 The Parental Guilt Trap: "I Better Not Screw This Up"
12:45 Whose Dream Is It Really? 16:20 The Daughter Who Changed Everything
19:35 Coaching Philosophy Transformation
23:10 What Athletes Actually Need From Coaches
27:40 The Overtraining Epidemic in Youth Sports
32:15 Nine-Year-Olds Playing 10 Months of Baseball
36:50 Parent Behavior: The Email Terry Sent
41:25 The Referee Shortage Crisis
45:30 When Sports Don't Have Enough Officials
49:45 Specialization vs. Multi-Sport: The Reality
54:20 The Top 1% vs. What Most Athletes Need
58:35 Small Town Advantages and Disadvantages
01:02:10 Playing With Better Players: Development Factor
01:06:45 Being Around Talented Athletes Daily
01:11:30 Taking Sport Into the Corporate World
01:15:20 Coaching Construction Workers Through Mental Health
01:18:06 Sport as Life Preparation
01:20:03 Losing Davina: Mental Health and Accountability
01:21:46 Trust at the Core of Coaching

About Terry McKaig:
Built UBC baseball into Canada's top university program
Former Canadian national team player
Sent players to MLB draft annually
Now works as an accountability coach helping construction workers with mental health
Father and widower with profound perspective on sport and life balance
Resources:
https://actu8agency.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-mckaig/