19 relevant results for "athlete development"
Understanding how young athletes develop physically at different ages.
Dr. Tiana Woolridge grew up watching her father, former NBA player Orlando Woolridge, compete at the highest level of professional basketball. That upbringing gave her an early, intimate understanding of what elite sport demands—and what it can cost. She went on to become a multi-sport athlete herself, eventually earning a Division I volleyball scholarship to Princeton University. After her play
Todd Merkow sits down with Liz Masakayan — Santa Monica High School alumna, two-time NCAA national champion at UCLA (1984, 1985), Broderick Award winner for collegiate player of the year in 1985, UCLA Female Athlete of the Year in 1988, five-year Team USA member, Olympian at Seoul 1988, World Championship bronze medalist in Beijing, and one of the most decorated careers in the history of American
Todd Merkow sits down with Dr. Erik Dean — Medical Director for Sports Medicine at HonorHealth, former Division I football player at the University of Arizona, team physician for the San Francisco Giants and multiple professional sports organizations, Medical Director for Scottsdale Unified School District Athletics since 2009, and father of two daughters who have both completed their youth sports
In Episode 9 of Be Valiant, Todd Merkow welcomes Charli Turner Thorne — Hall of Fame head coach of the Arizona State University women's basketball program for 25 years, former head coach at Northern Arizona University, Stanford graduate, two-time USA Basketball assistant coach, and gold medalist at the World University Games. She is nationally recognized for her emphasis on leadership, mental perf
In Episode 4 of Be Valiant, Todd Merkow sits down with one of his oldest friends in youth sports — Mike Strati, a former collegiate and semi-professional soccer player at the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Chili's of the USL, a coach with nearly 25 years of experience at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels, and the founder of Strategic Alliance, a company that uses personali
Specialization is a decision many families face earlier than they expect. It can be helpful to look beyond a single season and consider the whole athlete. Different sports and experiences can offer new skills, relationships, and a chance for the body and mind to reset. Every family’s situation is different. The important thing is to make a thoughtful choice that accounts for the child’s interest, health, and development.
Youth sports can feel like it is always asking families to do more, earlier. This question invites parents to pause and consider what children may need most: room to play, grow, connect, and keep perspective. A healthier sports experience does not reject commitment. It makes space for development, rest, relationships, and a child’s own interest alongside it. Parents can help by remembering that a long sports journey is built one season, one conversation, and one happy moment at a time.
UCLA women's basketball head coach Cori Close has watched talented players arrive at the college level completely burned out. In a conversation with USA TODAY, she shares what she wishes more youth sports parents understood — before it's too late.
July 2024
By age 14, girls are leaving sports at twice the rate of boys. A powerful Ms. Magazine piece examines the research — and points to well-trained, supportive coaches as the single most powerful tool for keeping girls in the game.
June 8, 2026
