It's not every day you get the opportunity to sit down with people who are truly at the very top of their sport or profession. And to sit down with not one, not two, but three of them at one time might be more than your sport-loving heart can handle. And speaking from experience, it was, in fact, too much for me to take.
Here are three key takeaways from part one of our two-part TrueSport episodes with Olympians Chris Mazdzer and Kara Winger, and TrueSport Expert, Dr. Amanda Stanec.
1. Not all athletes make good coaches
It may seem natural for a professional athlete to move to the coaching realm, but Kara provides an interesting point and perspective as she moves into retirement.
2. Balance matters
Dr. Amanda discusses balancing the importance of mental and physical health as well as how fun is not absent of struggle or perseverance.
3. Age appropriateness is crucial in youth sports
Sometimes the pressure an athlete is under is not appropriate for that age (i.e. a 12-year-old competing at a 21-year-old level). We discuss with the Trio why creating the appropriate level of adversity and stress in youth sports is important to development and overall mental health.
Listen to the full episode
Want to hear more?
Tune in each month for new episodes as the dynamic duo Simon and Marie cover all things youth sports. From funny stories, to how to run your team, there's something for the whole family to enjoy. Subscribe to the full series here
About Marie Fitzgerald
Marie Fitzgerald is a Director, Product Marketing & Content Strategy at NBC Sports Next. She currently works to ensure the customer's voice is ever present in the way we build, communicate, and improve the SportsEngine platform. She is also the co-host of the For the Love of Sport podcast, celebrating the stories and people who make youth sports happen.
Marie grew up playing soccer and basketball, and you can find a Bucky Badger bobblehead, a Chicago Cubs W flag, and a Man City scarf proudly displayed on or around her home desk in Whitefish, Montana. Marie was recently named to the Augsburg Women's Athletics All-Decade Team for the 2010s.
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