Changing the Game

The Parent's Guide to Raising Happy, High-Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids

By: John O'Sullivan

Narrated by: Jeff Cummings

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O'Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.

©2014 John O’Sullivan. (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

5 star book

This book was excellent! I have a very competitive hard working hockey player. He is also good at baseball, football, chess, and school. Most things come easier to him than his friends at this point in his life. He tried out for a very good hockey team this spring and was the last kid cut. His confidence was high going into that tryout and leaving that experience his confidence took a complete nosedive. Listening to this audiobook has helped me understand his situation better and has given me tips on how to boost his confidence to get him believing in himself again. I also coach my son's winter hockey team. A lot of good insight from the coaching side of things in this audiobook as well. This audiobook describes a lot of situations other youth sport families have gone through and gives a lot of great info on how to deal with different situations. This audiobook also lays the groundwork for how kids/parents/coaches need to communicate, act, etc. This book should help you as a parent or coach alleviate some of your frustrations. Must read for all parents and coaches!

It peters off at the end.

Although it is full of good advice, he is on his soap box and wont get the fuck off. The end tends to get boring. It is not the end all be all and must be adaptable to your situation.

Must read for sports parents!

The state of club/select sports is getting ridiculous! The promise of skill development and the dangling of the “scholarship carrot” is ruining the experience for children. This book explains how sports should be enjoyed by kids and how parents should approach supporting their kids in their quest to play and have FUN with their friends. I enjoyed the book very much and it is a great reminder to keep sports in perspective. Yes, there are millionaire athletes playing professional sports, but there are also MILLIONS of athletes that don’t get scholarships or play professionally. So learn how to support your child in sports and allow them to enjoy it rather than forcing your ideals down their throat. Stop living in the past like “Uncle Rico” and allow your children to enjoy sports rather than treat it like a job!

A must read for anyone associated with kids sports.

Not only a good model, but gives direction and actual questions and action items to do/ask yourself, kids, coaches, and other parents. You can see a lot of The 7 Habits applied to kids sports. A great model for how kids sports should be.

Excellent!!

This book is a masterpiece and I recommend it to every parent and coach. ¡Pura vida!

Great for Parents

This book is great for parents, and hpwvto inform them on how to change the youth sport culture.

For a coach, it was nothing I hadn't already heard before. Regardless, very good information, and a good listen.

Thought provoking

My 7yo has had a rough time on the field lately. after loving the game for so long, he just wasn't having fun anymore and was even tossing around the Q-word. In despiration, I started searching for info and stumbled across O'Sullivan's book. He described in perfect detail things that lead up to a kid wanting to quit and, sadly, I could check each one. We have made several changes as a family and as parents, started open dialog with him, and have been focusing on some of the lessons learned here. I'm happy to say that my boy is SMILING on the field again for the first time in months. And, the Q-word hasn't been mumbled in weeks.

If this story sounds familiar, regardless of sport, please consider listening (and utilizing) some of the lessons in this book.

Solid information to all of us!

It covers what happens right now in youth sports and basically list things that adults can do to help kids to enjoy the process regardless their level of play. Hopefully the change will realize sooner than later.

Good read

Lots of great ideas for coaches and parents. A must read if you're a parent of an athlete grandparent or coach.

Wealth of knowledge in this book.

I was hesitant to purchase this book. I didn’t need someone calling me a Helicopter parent and badgering me about how I raise my kids.
John was very insightful and while I was convicted many times to let go of the outcome I was also encouraged by many things I do and don’t do for my kids. I will read again. I have also purchased the digital format to work out what I as a parent want for my kids through sports. I want a goal as a parent to set my sights on and not on wins and losses but overall growth.