Devon Brown on Burnout, Rankings, and Letting Kids Own Their Journey

This week on Surviving Youth Sports, Rhett sits down with coach, parent, endurance athlete, and fitness business owner Devon Brown for an honest conversation about burnout, pressure, rankings, recruiting, and what happens when youth sports starts taking over family life.Devon shares what it’s like raising three boys on completely different athletic journeys, including one son currently ranked #1 nationally in swimming for his age group. But instead of focusing on accolades, this episode digs into the emotional tension many sports families quietly carry:How much is too much?When does support become pressure?And are parents chasing things their kids never actually asked for?Rhett and Devon talk about the obsession with “elite” labels, travel sports culture, injuries, burnout, and why matching your child’s intensity matters more than trying to create it for them.This episode is for parents trying to support their kids without losing themselves in the process.Topics include:• There is no such thing as an “elite 10-year-old”• Why parents cannot buy or travel their way into making athletes great• The emotional cost of chasing Division I dreams• Burnout, pressure, and overtraining in youth sports• Letting kids own their journey• Why joy still mattersSubscribe and follow Surviving Youth Sports on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.