The Pure Athlete Podcast

In this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, the guys take an honest and thoughtful look at how faith intersects with youth sports—and the challenges parents and coaches face in keeping priorities aligned.They dive into the growing visibility of faith in sports, discussing both the opportunities and concerns that come with that. From there, the conversation gets personal—exploring how faith shapes their own identities as parents, coaches, and competitors, and sharing authentically where they still fall short.This episode tackles real questions parents wrestle with every day:How do you keep sports from becoming your child’s identity?What does it actually mean to “play for something bigger”?How should faith show up in wins, losses, and adversity?How do you handle pressure, performance, and even Sunday sports conflicts?With candid stories and practical perspective, the guys emphasize a powerful theme: sports are a tool—not the foundation. The goal isn’t just to raise better athletes, but to raise grounded, resilient young people whose identity goes far beyond the scoreboard.If you’re a sports parent trying to navigate faith, competition, and culture, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and a much-needed reset on what really matters.

What’s it really like to cover the Olympics? How do elite athletes—and parents—handle pressure, disappointment, and big life moments? In this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, we sit down with Emmy-winning sports broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak, host of Things No One Tells You and longtime ESPN, Fox, and NBC sports reporter/anchor, to dive into her experiences from the Olympic desk, the power of mindset, and the human side of sports.Lindsay shares:Her inside look at the 2026 Winter Olympics, working alongside legendary athletes and analysts.The emotional highs and lows of pressure-filled competition—on ice, in hockey rinks, and on the field.Real talk about parenting young athletes: navigating team selections, setbacks, and helping kids build confidence.Stories that prove even top-tier sports parents sometimes lose their cool… and what they learn from it.Whether you’re a coach, parent, or athlete, this episode offers a rare glimpse at the triumphs, failures, and lessons that shape sports at every level. Get ready for laughter, emotion, and insight from someone who’s seen it all—on TV, in the Olympics, and at home.Tune in and discover why the journey, not just the scoreboard, defines a true athlete.

On this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast, the guys sit down with Kaden Elliss of the Atlanta Falcons (signed with New Orleans Saints a week after this recording) for a powerful conversation that goes far beyond football.Kaden shares his incredible journey—from being overlooked in recruiting and chasing a dream at quarterback, to carving out a career in the NFL through grit, faith, and relentless belief. But what truly defines his story is family. Growing up in a household of 12, with seven adopted siblings, Kaden opens up about how adoption shaped his identity, his values, and his purpose.Brought to you by Promise 686 (promise686.org), an organization dedicated to placing vulnerable children into safe, loving homes, this episode dives deep into:The life-changing impact of adoption and what “family” really meansNavigating doubt, setbacks, and the recruiting processWhy multi-sport athletes have an edge (and why specialization can hurt development)Faith under pressure—and representing your beliefs in the heat of competitionLessons from the NFL on leadership, discipline, and consistencyThis is more than a football story—it’s a conversation about purpose, perspective, and the people who shape who we become.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. John Delony, we go deeper into the realities of youth sports culture and what it means for families today. From the pressures of travel sports to the rising anxiety among young athletes, Dr. Delony offers honest and thought-provoking insight for parents trying to do the right thing.We discuss the difference between true shared experiences and the pressure that can come with elite youth sports. Dr. Delony also shares why kids often absorb the stress of the adults around them, how sports can either help or harm a child’s mental health, and why loving the game matters more than mastering it at a young age.The conversation also touches on issues facing today’s teenagers—including social media, sports gambling, and the growing pressures of modern culture—and what parents can do to guide their kids through it all.If you're a parent navigating youth sports, this episode offers practical wisdom about raising resilient kids, keeping perspective, and making sure the game stays healthy for the whole family.

Youth sports can build resilience, character, teamwork, and lifelong confidence.But they can also quietly become something else.In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Dr. John Delony — bestselling author, two-time PhD, and host of The John Delony Show — joins the Pure Athlete team to unpack the hidden emotional weight many kids are carrying in today’s sports culture.From travel ball schedules that dominate family life to parents unknowingly tying their self-worth to their child’s performance, Dr. Delony challenges us to ask a deeper question:Are our kids playing for themselves… or for us?This episode dives into:Why youth sports still have incredible valueThe danger of kids feeling responsible for regulating their parents’ emotionsHow to know if you’ve crossed the line from supportive to over-investedWhy family dinners, marriage health, and shared values must come before the sports calendarThe “Uncle Rico” effect and living vicariously through your kidsWhy adult loneliness may be fueling the travel sports explosionDr. Delony doesn’t attack sports — he loves them. He was an athlete. His kids play today. But he offers a clear warning: Don’t make your child carry the emotional weight of your identity.If you’re a sports parent, coach, or leader who wants to build healthy families — not just successful athletes — this conversation is essential listening.Part 2 drops next week.

3x Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings joins the show, sharing her continued passion for volleyball (beach and indoor), and for the growth of women's sports. Kerri shares how her love for volleyball began at an early age, in the midst of playing multiple sports and loving the "free play" aspect of childhood sports that was strongly encouraged by her parents. She also shares her experiences and development as a club and high school player who was eventually recruited to play Indoor at Stanford, where she became a 4x All American, NCAA Player of the Year, and NCAA Champion. Kerri also shares what drew her from Indoor to Beach, discusses her thoughts on what makes a great teammate, shares her advice on playing both club AND school volleyball, and also talks about her 1440 organization. In addition, as a mom of three young athletes, Kerri discusses her approach to sports parenting.

Injuries are becoming more prevalent with young athletes, from ACL tears to concussions. As parents who what to help our kids pursue their sports dreams, but more importantly, want our kids to stay healthy, advice for reducing and managing injuries is valuable to say the least. On this episode, Jeff, Britt, and Brad sit down with Dr. Michael Hatrak to discuss his long career as a biomechanics expert and injury consultant. Over a career that has spanned decades, he's worked alongside six different NFL teams and numerous professional athletes. In this discussion, Dr. Hatrak shares valuable insights on injury prevention, pain management, and performance optimization, including stories about working with athletes such as Terrell Owens, Darius Slay, Gail Devers, and more, including his experience preparing athletes for major events like the NFL Combine, where he helps draft prospects make biomechanical adjustments to improve performance. Dr. Hatrak’s practice, Synergy Release Sports, has two locations in Atlanta, Georgia, and works extensively with young athletes, as well as collegiate and professional athletes, to help them achieve their goals.For more information about his techniques and areas of expertise, visit synergyreleasesports.com or check them out on social media @synergyatlanta.

This week, Frenchy sits down with former MVP, 7x All-Star, 3x World Series champion, and current San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey. Buster shares insights from his journey as a player, how his parents stressed balance, how much baseball he played as a young player, his thoughts on youth sports as a dad, and more - you don't want to miss it.

On this special Parent Spotlight interview, Britt sits down with Chris McNeillie, father of three boys, the youngest of which is a junior pitcher for the Florida Gators. Chris shares his story of navigating the world of youth, travel, and high school baseball with all three of his boys. He shares insights learned along the way, sometimes the hard way, from the oldest to the youngest. As Luke, the youngest, began to blossom as a teenage southpaw pitcher, Chris looked for help from coaches to help advise and guide Luke and Chris throughout the journey. Chris shares his own thoughts from his experiences about the benefits and challenges of big-time travel ball, as well as some of the methods Luke utilized along the recruiting journey. Chris also shares the impact his wife made on the boys athletically and beyond before cancer took her to be with the Lord when Luke was in high school. For parents who are in the midst of the baseball journey, you will gain from listening to a humble dad who gets real about his journey with all three of his boys - don't miss it.

As sports parents, most of us really want to do youth sports right on behalf of our kids and families; but we often get caught up in the moment. On this episode, Jeff, Britt, and Brad each bring their list of mistakes that sports parents make, and they share their own experiences and insights from making some of these mistakes. Most parents will relate to this discussion, recognizing some of the challenges we all face. Other parents will be challenged to watch out for these pitfalls before encountering them. In either case, you will enjoy the first part of the discussion in which the guys discuss some current events around college football and the NFL, and you will be both challenged and inspired as the discussion turns to the common mistakes sports parents make.

Softball icon Jennie Finch-Daigle is our guest on this episode of The Pure Athlete Podcast. Jennie shares her youth sports story with us as a multi-sport athlete, and how that helped her develop her softball skills and abilities. She talks about the role her parents played in her development, how she developed as a young pitcher, and compares her college recruiting experiences to those of today. Jennie also shares about playing travel softball as a high schooler, and shares some incredible stories and memories from her Olympic experience, including a profound story from standing on the podium receiving her gold medal. Finally, as a mom of three young athletes trying to navigate the crazy world of travel baseball/softball, football, club volleyball, and more, Jennie gets very real about the challenges and the fun of making this journey as a parent, and provides advice to today's young athletes and parents.

On this episode we welcome one of the greatest hitters in MLB history, a first ballot Hall of Famer with over 3150 hits, Kansas City Royals legend George Brett. George shares some great stories from his playing days, and why he spent all 21 of his big league years with the Royals. He discusses his thoughts on today's hitting approach, including exit velocity and launch angle - and let's just say he is not a fan. He also discusses talks about the suggestions that Charlie Lou, his hitting coach with the Royals, gave him that led to his success, after never hitting .300 in the minor leagues. And as always, George shares his thoughts with humorous candor.

As an elite young soccer player, Nick Mayhugh excelled on the field but always struggled to overcome some physical limitations that he didn't understand. In spite of that, Nick was on track to play soccer at the highest levels. Until the grand mal seizure he suffered at 14, led him to a series of tests which uncovered that Nick had been born with cerebral palsy and would therefore never play soccer again. Nick shares his story on this episode, how he eventually allowed the news to fuel him into playing D1 College soccer. Nick then played on the U.S. Paralympic soccer team, before become a Paralympic sprinter, winning 3 gold medals and 1 silver at the Tokyo Paralympics. Nick's story is one of grit, determination, and inspiration and you don't want to miss this episode.

One of the most respected players of his era, 7x All-Star 3B David Wright is our guest on this episode. Playing all 14 years of his career with the Mets, Wright was known for leadership, disciplined preparation, and an incredible work ethic (grit). He was also known for being a great teammate, and was named team captain for it. David shares his thoughts about the importance of being a teammate and what being named team captain meant to him. He also shares his youth sports story, how he was underestimated as a young player, how he leveraged his desire to outwork everyone, the role his parents played in his development, and much more. He also shares some fun stories from his time sharing a dugout with Frenchy, his thoughts as a dad and youth sports coach, and his advice for young athletes and parents.

Jeff, Britt, and Brad look back on some of the best moments and guests in 2025, with advice to young athletes planning to move forward in 2026. In addition, they preview some of the upcoming content and 2026 guests for the podcast and for the new PA+ Baseball platform. Also included are some hot takes on the College Football playoffs and Super Bowl predictions, along with a lot of laughs. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year!