Watching the Ted Lasso series, I have so enjoyed how he has, without any great fanfare or hard-nosed tactics, created a team culture that allows his players to not only have fun playing the game they love, but feel like winners regardless of the final score. I’ve read several recaps of a recent episode, and not one of them mentions the line on replay in my mind…

I often wonder how high school sports will operate 20 years from now. Will club sports continue to rise in importance, eroding high school teams? Or will we reinvent offerings so more kids can participate? Prioritizing club sports poses a risk to team, school, and community pride. Playing for two teams at the same time causes issues for both teams, and surely must cause some internal conflict for the kid. What could youth sports look like in the future?

Their coach described the race simply. It wasn’t about strategy. It was about speed. Whoever goes the fastest wins. But what does it take to be the fastest? The importance of teamwork is evident in every sport, but nowhere is it more crucial than in rowing. Every rower contributes unique talents and a coach’s job is to position each person in a way maximizes the team’s potential. Rowers understand their role and put in the work to fulfill their responsibility to the team. I’d hire a rower. We can all learn a few lessons from them…

When kids quit youth sports before they get to high school, they miss out on some of the lessons that can serve them well as adults.

Before they introduce skills and strategy, many coaches establish key values to guide their team’s purpose.

There are many reasons kids are dropping out of sports. But girls leaving basketball because it is boring? That points to a much bigger problem.

Those of us desperate to reclaim some of what we’ve lost during the pandemic can learn a few lessons from this dedicated team.

What’s more important to your child—the name on the front of the jersey or the name on the back?