Adam Bighill: From Bullied to Belonging, Misleading Money Grabs & Coaches Build Communities

Adam Bighill made more tackles than all but five players in the history of Canadian football. He won three Grey Cups, was named the CFL's most outstanding defensive player three times, and is a shoe in for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.But the most revealing thing about Adam's relationship with football can't be found on the stat sheet. Born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, Adam was bullied as a kid and used sport to do the one thing it does better than almost anything else: earn respect and build belonging. His proclivity for sport and his relentless work ethic meant he was always one of the first picks. Sport levelled the playing field and gave him a place where he fit.Now retired from the CFL and coaching his three kids in flag football, Adam has a clear-eyed, no-nonsense view of what's wrong in youth sport today: parents with mismatched expectations, a money grab masquerading as development, and coaches who yell instead of teach. His philosophy is simple, and the results speak for themselves. His team went from chaos to competing at the national level on one practice and one game per week, and more importantly, every player improved and contributed to the best of their ability.Adam is very direct on the importance of coaching, the need for more resources, and his belief that sport can help everyone build confidence and self-worth. 🎙️ Better Sports Parents is helping parents positively contribute to the youth sports environment. Subscribe for new episodes every week.Chapters00:00 Opening02:07 Introducing Adam Bighill03:32 Why He Retired04:08 Three Kids, All Multi-Sport06:03 Early Specialization07:47 Too Many Games, Not Enough Practice08:39 The Money Grab09:25 The Power of the Coach11:07 His Coaching Philosophy14:41 How to Make Practice Fun Without Losing the Work17:27 What Bad Youth Coaching Actually Looks Like17:43 The Best Coaching Advice He Ever Received20:08 Managing Parents 21:48 The Context of Team23:47 The Word Every Coach Needs: "Yet"23:59 Being a Sports Parent on the Sidelines24:47 What His Dad Taught Him Just by Showing Up26:41 Applauding Everyone on the Field29:12 Conditional Love and What It Does to Kids30:39 Youth Travel Sports32:43 What Happens Outside Structured Practice34:40 How Much Commitment Is Too Much at a Young Age?37:05 Why Kids Play and Why Parents Should Ask39:12 How Sport Gave Adam Belonging41:28 Sport Broke Down Every Barrier43:43 Sport Builds the People Your Community Needs45:56 "Some Kids Need Football More Than Football Needs Them"46:23 Canada vs. the US48:50 Privatization in Youth Sports52:33 Sport Should Be a Meritocracy55:11 The Pressure Parents Feel57:35 What Adam Expects From His Own Kids59:02 What 14 Years of Pro Football Built in Him01:01:29 The Mindset That Lasted Beyond Sport01:03:45 Adam's Biggest Issue in Youth Sport TodayResources⁠Adam Bighill⁠⁠Operation Smile Canada⁠⁠Better Sports Parents