Allison Forsyth, a Canadian Olympian and founder of Generation Safe, discusses her passion for youth sports and the importance of creating safe and positive environments for young athletes. She shares her own experiences growing up in a sports-oriented family, the role of parents in shaping children's sports experiences, and the challenges of pressure and expectations in youth sports. Allison emphasizes the need for diverse sporting experiences, the significance of socio-emotional coaching, and the critical issue of maltreatment in sports. As a parent of three children in sports, Allison shares her parental approach to youth sports and the experiences she has had with her children in various sports. She advocates for redefining success in sports beyond just winning and encourages parents to engage in safe sport education to empower themselves and their children.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

05:22 The Passion for Youth Sports

06:02 Allison's Early Sports Journey

08:57 Her Parents' Influence in Sports

12:10 The Joy of Skiing and Training

14:11 The Importance of Multi-Sport Participation

17:55 Understanding Pressure in Youth Sports

20:40 How She Discovered Her Ability in Skiing

25:30 Allison's Approach to Sports as a Parent

33:12 The Biggest Issues in Youth Sports Today

35:09 Understanding Maltreatment in Sports

39:56 How Youth Sports Puts Pressure on Parents

46:10 Treat Athletes as Humans First

49:00 Keeping Youth Sports in Perspective

51:24 How to Determine Safe Sport Environments

58:06 The Importance of Socio-Emotional Coaching

59:40 What to Look for in Your Child's Coach

Resources: https://generationsafe.ca/

An introduction to Better Sports Parents, a resource for parents to access perspectives, advice, and tools from world-class performers from across the world of sports. Hosted by veteran broadcaster Scott Rintoul, this weekly podcast examines the experiences, practices, and issues that have and continue to shape youth sports.