⏩ In Episode 3 of Forward, Joe Clemente and Kevin Mulhearn tackle one of the biggest challenges in youth sports: knowing how—and when—to communicate with your child’s coach.

From coaching your own son or daughter to navigating playing time, lineup decisions, and difficult conversations, they discuss:

• When parents should talk to a coach—and when they shouldn’t
 • The challenges of coaching your own child and avoiding “daddy ball” accusations
 • How to choose coaches you can trust
 • Why athletes need to learn to advocate for themselves
 • What coaches are really thinking when they make playing time decisions
 • How parents can support their children without becoming part of the problem
 • Why independence—not dependence—is the ultimate goal of youth sports

Whether you’re a parent, coach, grandparent, or athlete, this conversation offers practical advice for building healthier relationships between families and coaches while helping young athletes grow into confident, independent adults.

Forward is a podcast from Hard Knock Press dedicated to building Better Athletes. Better People.

📘 The Long Ride Home: How to Help Your Kids Shine in Youth Sports (Without Driving Them Crazy) by Joe Clemente is available now at 🌐 hardknockpress.com

🎙️ Subscribe to Forward: New episodes every week featuring honest conversations about youth sports, parenting, coaching, leadership, and helping kids thrive—both on and off the field. Available everywhere you get your podcasts.

👍🏻 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with another sports parent, coach, or athlete.

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💬 We’d love to hear from you:
 When was the moment you realized it was time to step back and let your child advocate for themselves? Leave a comment below or connect with us on social media.

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