Youth Sports Burnout: Escape Fear-Parenting & the Scholarship Trap - Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski

from FamilyLife Today® · host FamilyLife Network

Tired of pouring thousands into travel teams, private coaches, and endless weekends—only to watch your child's joy disappear? Research shows the more money and pressure parents invest, the less kids actually enjoy sports. Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski, authors of Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, expose the $50B+ industrial complex fueling fear and youth sports burnout. Discover how to break free, reclaim fun, and turn games into real character-building moments—without chasing scholarships or status. Show Notes and Resources Helpful tools and encouragement for parents available at FamilyLife.com/parentinghelp "Away Game" by Ed Uszynski and Brian Smith — a thoughtful look at youth sports, identity, and what really matters for families is available at your favorite bookstore.  Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com. See resources from our past podcasts. Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 4, 2026

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On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson host Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski, authors of Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. They expose the $50B+ youth sports machine driving fear and burnout—and show how to reclaim fun, build character, and ditch the scholarship chase.

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Youth Sports Burnout: Escape Fear-Parenting & the Scholarship Trap - Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski

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