Parenting athletes: get out of the way and let 'em play | Paul Gamble PhD

So who’s really driving this machine?Today’s guest, Paul Gamble, PhD, has spent his career preparing elite and international athletes. But after years inside professional sport, he started asking an uncomfortable question: Are we developing better athletes—or just burning kids out earlier?In his book, Sport Parenting, Paul introduces the idea of the Sport Parent, a powerful, often invisible force shaping sport more than governing bodies, or even coaches. Whether you’re a parent, a former youth athlete or someone who still has emotional scars from PE class, this conversation hits close to home.We’re talking about early specialization, the rise of “premature professionalism,” why modern kids are actually becoming less athletic, and how well-meaning adults may be trading their kids' long-term confidence and love of movement for short-term results.This isn’t an episode about blaming parents. It’s about unpacking how a culture obsessed with performance turns play into pressure—and what it costs kids, sport and, ultimately, all of us.Subscribe to The Shakeout Podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts.Follow Paul on social media @PaulGamblePHD and check out his book, Sport Parenting