Tennis prodigy Todd Ley on the underbelly of elite junior sport

from Big Ideas · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Todd Ley exposes a high-pressure world where talent is everything, but protection is rare; where overzealous parents, manipulative coaches, hungry sponsors and indifferent associations can push young athletes to their breaking point. It's not just a story about tennis, it's about what happens when a child's identity is consumed by a dream that may not be their own and the long road back to self-worth after the cheering stops.Presented at the 2025 Byron Writers FestivalSpeakersTodd LeyFormer world's top Junior tennis playerAuthor of SMASHED: Prodigies, parents and parasitesAnna FeatherstoneAuthor; non-fiction advisor to the Alliance Independent Authors, publishing consultant for the Australian Society of Authors

What this episode covers

Todd Ley exposes a high-pressure world where talent is everything, but protection is rare; where overzealous parents, manipulative coaches, hungry sponsors and indifferent associations can push young athletes to their breaking point. It's not just a story about tennis, it's about what happens when a child's identity is consumed by a dream that may not be their own and the long road back to self-worth after the cheering stops. Presented at the 2025 Byron Writers Festival Speakers Todd Ley Former world's top Junior tennis player Author of SMASHED: Prodigies, parents and parasites Anna Featherstone Author; non-fiction advisor to the Alliance Independent Authors, publishing consultant for the Australian Society of Authors

NOW PLAYING

Tennis prodigy Todd Ley on the underbelly of elite junior sport

0:00 52:52

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILE! Creatives Club Media Lights, Camera, Smile, is a podcast for anyone with a dream to share something with the world, out of the overflow of themselves - be it their mind, their heart, their personalities, and much more. Each of us are alive in this moment in time, with an innate ability to have ideas and create various things to benefit both ourselves and the people around us for a reason, and here, you will find the encouragement, the inspiration, and the motivation to do just that. Hosted by Cicily, founder of Creatives Club, she dives into various topics surrounding creativity and business. Exploring entrepreneurship for creatives in a corporate reality, sharing tips and tricks in a media centered company, answering questions regarding what a creative actually is are just a few of the things discussed on this podcast. Be encouraged to create for yourself as Cicily gets vulnerable by pivoting the camera to herself for the first time.To submit questions for Cicily to answer, or have her address certain t The Lee Olsen Show Lee Olsen CJF I want to help you improve all areas of your life by 3 types of podcasts!👉Blood, Sweat & Blessings-Interviews of normal people that have achieved BIG things!👉Series!!! For Love of the Horse- Brad Jackman DVM & Lee Olsen CJF, how to help your horse!👉Business Tips- Proven Life Changing Business Strategies with Lee Olsen Westenberg Joan Westenberg The Westenberg Podcast offers ideas, explainers, book notes, and reflections on technology, philosophy, and the human experience. Hosted by Joan Westenberg, each episode unpacks complex topics with clarity and depth, blending personal insights with thought-provoking analysis. It’s a space for exploring big questions and fresh perspectives in an accessible format. Elevatin' The GetRight Spot & The Love Algorithm Elevatin' The GetRight Spot & The Love Algorithm A podcast that expresses the journey of taking ideas and turning them into a successful website and business. Using an ideology, philosophy and mental science as motivation, we shall Elevate Bodybyloud! and The GetRight Spot. We also inspire everyone to elevate their lives and go after their dreams, desires., and abundance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Big Ideas?

This episode is 52 minutes long.

When was this Big Ideas episode published?

This episode was published on April 13, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Big Ideas episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!