Better Sports Parents

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/

Olympic gold medalist Steve Mesler (Vancouver 2010, Bobsled) delivers a nuanced perspective on youth sports that challenges both the "winning is everything" and "winning doesn't matter" camps. As co-founder of Classroom Champions and a father navigating today's youth sports landscape, Steve explores the complex relationship between achievement, self-worth, and the purpose of sport.
This conversation digs deep into uncomfortable truths: Why do we tell kids winning doesn't matter while screaming at the TV during playoffs? Can we value podium performance AND lifelong participation? Steve shares insights from his Olympic journey, working with elite athletes as a performance coach, and raising his own children in an era of intense sports pressure.
Key Topics Discussed:
The paradox of achievement in sport
Separating results from self-worth
Why it's okay to be sad when you lose
The danger of "either/or" thinking in youth sports
Broadening success metrics for young athletes
The American vs. Canadian approach to youth sports
Creating space for both competition and participation
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
05:13 Steve's Athletic Journey & Early Influences
06:45 Defining Success in Youth Sports
08:20 Access to Sports as a Child
09:58 The Current Landscape of Youth Sports Specialization
13:13 Formative Experiences and Lessons from Losing
17:53 The Need to Be Explicit about Lessons from Sport
19:27 Steve's Difficult Battle with Depression
23:05 Asking for Help and Overcoming Depression
30:13 The Role of Hope in Recovery
32:57 Classroom Champions: Empowering Youth Through Sports
38:25 Navigating Youth Sports: Balancing Passion and Pressure
42:17 Treating Sports Like Other Healthy Habits for Kids
46:18 Changing the Value Proposition in Youth Sports
48:05 The Complexities of Hockey Culture in Canada
53:30 The Culture of Entitlement in Sports
56:20 Defining Success Through Sports
01:00:02 Long-Term Athlete Development & Bobsledding
01:02:54 What Makes a Good Coach in Youth Sports?
01:06:54 Trust and Communication in Coach-Athlete Relationships
01:12:12 Redefining Success in Sports
01:17:40 Balancing Winning & Personal Growth in Sports
Resources:
Steve Mesler | Executive Performance Coaching
Classroom Champions

Former NHL star Brendan Morrison (900+ games, West Coast Express) shares hard-earned wisdom from raising four Division I athletes. He challenges the "elite" youth sports culture that's pyramiding kids too early, discusses why banning parent coaches is often misguided, and reveals how his children took completely different paths to high-level athletics.
In this episode, Brendan tackles tough topics: parents yelling at young referees, the false promise of early specialization, and why keeping expectations realistic is crucial for both parent and child wellbeing. If you're navigating the increasingly intense world of youth sports, this conversation offers perspective from someone who's lived it at the highest level—both as a player and a parent.
Key Topics Discussed:
Why labeling kids "elite" at young ages is problematic
The dangers of early sports specialization
How to handle referee abuse at youth games
Why qualified parent coaches should be allowed behind the bench
Different paths to Division I athletics
Keeping realistic expectations as a sports parent
Subscribe to Better Sports Parents for more conversations with Olympic athletes, professional sports stars, and experts who understand what truly matters in youth athletics.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
04:06 Detailing his Children's Youth Sports' Paths to the NCAA
07:15 How Youth Sports has Changed over the Past 20 Years
09:02 Kids Being Recruited for Travel Teams at 7 or 8 Years Old
10:24 Why His Kids Didn't Specialize in One Sport
15:35 Parental Behaviour He's Witnessed First-Hand
19:20 Coaching Your Own Kid
24:20 When a Parent Lost His Temper with Brendan
28:40 How Much Development Should Be Unstructured?
31:50 The Difference with Multi-Sport Athletes
35:40 Managing Parents Expectations
39:14 Changing NCAA Schools: His Son's Story
43:04 Brendan's Late Specialization in Hockey
44:56 His Parents Approach to Youth Sports
49:28 Versatility & Work Ethic: The Keys to Making the NHL
55:35 Challenges in Youth Sports Today
01:05:19 Finding the Right Balance in Youth Sports
01:07:23 Coaches and Referees: Retention Crisis
01:10:44 Why Parent Coaches Shouldn't Be Banned
01:13:52 Vetting Coaches: Skills vs. Character
01:14:45 Biggest Issue in Youth Sports Today
About Brendan Morrison:
Hobey Baker Award winner (top NCAA player, 1997)
900+ NHL games with 7 teams, including the legendary West Coast Express line
Father of four Division I athletes
Host of Reel West Coast
Resources: ⁠
https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/morribr01.html https://reelwestcoastfishing.com/

A 20-year veteran of Team Canada, Kim Gaucher shares her journey from a high school basketball star to a professional athlete and coach. She discusses the significance of youth sports in fostering social skills, resilience, and teamwork. Kim emphasizes the importance of parents modeling behaviour in teaching their children about sports, the benefits of multi-sport participation, and the challenges of access and affordability in youth sports today. She also highlights the cultural differences in youth sports between Europe and North America, the impact of social media, and the growing importance of mental health awareness in sports. Kim also reflects on the pressures faced by young athletes and the evolving landscape of women's sports.
Among the key topics Kim discusses in this conversation:
Why getting CUT from provincial teams was the best thing for her development
How social media is impacting young athletes' mental health
The lack of accountability in youth sports programs
What parents should actually look for in coaches
Kim's story is a masterclass in resilience—from being a shy kid who hated dance class to becoming Team Canada's captain for 9 years and playing professionally for two decades. Her insights on parenting, coaching, and the commercialization of youth sports are essential listening for every sports parent.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
04:40 How Team Sports Changed Kim's Life
05:35 Family Values that Show Up in Youth Sport
06:50 Early Sports Memories: Dance and Soccer
08:39 How Her Coach Made Soccer Fun
10:44 A Childhood Filled with Free Play
12:55 Parents Who Modeled Hard Work & Commitment
15:23 When Basketball Became Her Passion
17:16 Multi-Sport Athlete: Why It Mattered
20:45 The Access Crisis in Canadian Basketball
22:46 European Model vs. North American System
29:00 School-Based Teams & Development
33:35 The Current Focus on Individual Skills vs. Team Understanding
35:40 The Lost Art of Problem-Solving
38:10 How Kim's Parents Acted in the Stands
39:53 Learning Through Trial & Error
42:15 The Beneficiary of Great Coaches
44:15 Sport Lessons She Takes into Parenting
45:40 Defining Success in Youth Sports
47:15 Social Media's Dark Side for Athletes
52:46 Why Women's Sports Are Exploding
54:06 Mental Health in Youth Sports
58:40 Pressure in Today's Youth Sports
59:55 Financial Pressure on Parents & Kids
1:03:24 What Sport Teaches You for Life
1:05:17 Career Reflections: Growing Team Canada
1:06:42 The Biggest Issue in Youth Sports
1:09:34 How to Evaluate Good Coaching
Resources: ⁠Kim Gaucher - Team Canada⁠

Hockey Hall of Famer Geraldine Heaney, who scored the game-winning goal in the first Women's World Championship and won Olympic gold, shares what's broken in youth hockey and her view on how to fix it.
From pioneer player to coaching her own kids, Geraldine has seen it all: as a multi-sport athlete who taught herself the game, as an elite player, and now as a parent navigating today's youth hockey landscape.
Geraldine coached at the professional and university levels and currently coaches U18 AA, the highest level of girls' hockey in Ontario. She doesn't sugarcoat: too many kids are overtrained (7+ times per week), parents have unrealistic expectations, and a lot of talented players don't understand the game.
But she sees hope in kids who play for the right reasons, rare multi-sport athletes, and memories that outlast trophies.
Key Issues Geraldine Tackles:
Parents coaching from the sidelines
Hockey's affordability problem
Unrealistic expectations from parents
Social media's dark side
Why kids need to watch hockey to understand it
Her approach to coaching her own kids
About Geraldine Heaney:
Hockey Hall of Fame (2013) & IIHF Hall of Fame (2008)
First Women's World Championship game-winning goal (1990)
7 World Championship golds, Olympic gold (2002), Olympic silver (1998)
Mother of two former competitive hockey players
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
03:50 The Growth of Women's Professional Hockey
05:17 How Geraldine Got Started in Hockey
08:00 Multi-Sport Athlete: Playing Everything
09:07 How Multi-Sport Made Her a Hall of Famer
10:26 What's Missing in Youth Sports Today
11:22 The Pathway to Burnout
13:25 Coaching U18 AA: Multi-Sport Athletes Are Gone
15:56 Why Coaches Pressure Year-Round Specialization
18:40 The Cost Crisis: Pricing Families Out of Hockey
20:43 What Kids Should Get From Sport (Not Scholarships)
26:00 Coaching Your Own Kids: The Challenges
28:33 Parents Coaching from the Stands
32:20 The Advantage of Having Parents Who Didn't Know Hockey
33:58 What Kept Her in Hockey When There Was No Pathway
35:47 Supporting as a Parent vs. Being Overbearing
42:45 Why Kids Need to Watch Hockey
45:47 Social Media's Impact on Young Athletes
48:40 Mental Health in Youth Sports
53:35 Pulling a Player Aside: Teaching vs. Attitude
56:20 Advice for Parents Feeling the Pressure
59:08 The Biggest Issue in Youth Sports Today
59:56 Why She's Passionate About Youth Sports
Resources: ⁠⁠Legends of Hockey - Induction Showcase - Geraldine Heaney