Why 70% of American kids quit sports by age 13

Youth sports has become a multi-billion-dollar industry built on one unspoken promise: specialize early, and your kid has a shot. In this solo episode, we dig into what the research really says about early specialization. We also looks at how Norway built a youth sports system around play instead of competition, and why it's keeping kids in the game at nearly triple the US rate.

00:00 - The myth of sports specialization

04:29 - How youth sports became a billion-dollar industry

05:10 - My own path to Division I basketball

06:52 - Higher risk of overuse injuries

09:42 - The weaker case for burnout

10:41 - Junior stars & adult pro athletes are different people

12:28 - Deliberate play & the sampling years

15:00 - 3 honest caveats

16:10 - How Norway keeps kids playing

20:29 - What every parent should actually do

Referenced in the episode: