Create An Athlete

In Episode 28 of the Create An Athlete podcast, it's the season finale! Co-hosts Stephen Edelson and Jerry Carino look back at a half-year's worth of episodes geared to help young athletes and their parents navigate the waters of youth, high school and college sports. Who were their favorite guests? What were their key takeaways? And after asking this of each of the 27 guests, Steve and Jerry offer their own "best piece of advice." Thanks for listening and check out the archives for the first 27 episodes.

Episode 27 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Jerry Carino and Stephen Edelson talking about how top high school athletic prospects get graded with someone who would know: New Jersey basketball talent evaluator Jay Gomes, publisher of NJHoops.com. Then the co-hosts engage in a roundtable discussion of the high school talent ranking system.

Episode 26 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Stephen Edelson and Jerry Carino discussing the importance of inclusion for young athletes with Dan Richards of the Point Pleasant Challenger Football League. It's an important episode and opportunity for all families of young athletes.

Episode 25 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Jerry Carino and Stephen Edelson disussing the importance of heart screenings with Pat and Dave Trott from Nicole's Heart Foundation, an organization formed in honor of their daughter who passed away at 18 as a result of an undiagnosed heart defect.

Episode 24 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Stephen Edelson and Jerry Carino speaking with our first two-time guest -- powerlifter and weight training expert Joe McAuliffe -- about the dangers of supplements and the things parents and young athletes should be wary of. Then the co-hosts offer a somewhat controversial solution to this rising problem in youth and high school athletics.

Episode 23 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees hosts Jerry Carino and Stephen Edelson discuss the dangers and warning signs of opioid abuse with Alan Cavaiola, a professor with the Department of Counseling at Monmouth University. Then the co-hosts discuss options for parents and young athletes when they are prescribed pain killers for athletic (and non-athletic) injuries.

Episode 22 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Jerry Carino and Stephen Edelson discuss the state of recruiting and club sports in women's athletics with Sandy Madigan, a former Division I basketball scholarship player for Iona and current coach of an AAU team. Then co-hosts hold a roundtable discussion of the differences between men's and women's recruiting.

Episode 21 of the Create An Athlete podcast sees co-hosts Stephen Edelson and Jerry Carino discussing the psychology of young athletes with Amy Baltzell, author of "Whose Game Is It, Anyway?" and an executive board member with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Then the co-hosts hold a roundtable chat on the real-world parenting lessons they gained from the conversation with the sports psychologist.