Back to Youth Soccer Podcast

Podcast Episode

Soft Parenting & Coaching Is Ruining Your Kid (What To Do Instead)

Youth Soccer Podcast··16 October 2026·19 min

About this episode

Paul discusses the importance of resilience, direct feedback, and high standards in youth sports to develop strong, capable athletes and individuals.He gives advice on what you can do as a parent to ensure your kid progresses through the levels of competition.Free Parent Starter Pack: https://pauljspacey.com/podcast(get the info coaches won't openly tell you)-Get In TouchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauljgspaceyTwitter: https://x.com/PaulSpaceyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulspaceyEmail: https://pauljspacey.com/contact-3/-Chapters00:00 Introduction and episode overview02:30 The difference between being nice and setting high standards05:14 The importance of being firm and direct with feedback07:28 Letting kids sit with discomfort and sit with failure10:24 The importance of teaching kids to handle discomfort13:18 The necessity of honest feedback for growth15:09 Responding to pressure and difficult situations16:25 The sacrifice and resilience required to reach top levels17:09 The higher levels as a limited resource pool18:19 Closing remarks and resources for development