In Part 2 of The Return on Investment Myth — Rethinking Youth Sports, Dr. Travis Dorsch returns to Chat By The Pitch to go even deeper into the real work of parenting athletes. From accountability and culture to failure and social media, Dr. Dorsch shares how parents can reflect, recalibrate, and reconnect with the reason they signed their kids up in the first place.

We talk about how good intentions can cross the line, why “culture is king,” and what clubs can do to build a healthier ecosystem for players and families alike. From letting kids fail to redefining success after COVID, this conversation is a master class in perspective, patience, and purpose for every parent, coach, and club leader.

💬 Key Talking Points

• Treating kids as kids — not miniature adults

• Setting boundaries between good intentions and over-involvement

• The power of an accountability partner for parents

• How culture outweighs budget in building winning teams

• Reflection as a missing habit for most sports parents

• Why parents must allow failure to build resilience

• Social media and the “Gucci parent” era

• Bringing back discipline and the value of the name on the back of the jersey

• Inclusion, respect, and cheering for the competition

• Helping parents feel unstuck and regain balance

• Volunteering and being a helper in club culture

• Three keys to supporting your athlete: show up, be present, celebrate both wins and losses

• Parent education that works vs. programs that don’t

• Defining success for communities and clubs

• How COVID reshaped youth sports and perspective

• Coaches as the “missing piece” for family balance

• The importance of humility and apology as a parent

• What today’s generation of athletes is teaching us about resilience

Quotes from Dr. Travis Dorsch

• “Our kids aren’t miniature adults — we have to stop treating them that way.”

• “Accountability partners on the sideline can save you and your kid a lot of pain.”

• “Culture is king — and it’s free if you do it right.”

• “Parents have the potential to be incredibly reflective, but most of us choose not to be.”

• “Failure is a safe space for learning if we let it be.”

• “Social media shows the best five percent of every season and hides the 95 percent of growth.”

• “Let’s cheer for our kid’s competitors the same way we cheer for our own.”

• “Show up. Be present. Celebrate success and failure alike.”

• “Competitive outcomes and character development aren’t mutually exclusive — you can have both.”

• “Be humble enough to apologize when things go sideways. We only get one shot at this as parents.”

Connect with Chat By The Pitch

🐦 X (Twitter): @ChatByThePitch

📷 Instagram: @ChatByThePitch

📘 Facebook: Chat By The Pitch

🎧 Listen: Chat By The Pitch on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Dr. Travis Dorsch

🌐 Families in Sport Lab — Utah State University

▶️ TEDx Talk: “Should Parents Expect a Return on Investment?”

#YouthSports #ParentingInSports #SportsCulture #SportsParenting #DrTravisDorsch #ChatByThePitch #CultureIsKing #PlayerDevelopment #FamilyInSport #ResilientAthletes #ParentEducation #YouthAthletes #SportsEcosystem #FailureIsLearning #ParentCoachPlayer #SportsPsychology #CommunityCulture #AthleteMindset #PodcastDFW #YouthDevelopment

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Reeplayer: Greater access to footage gives every young athlete the opportunity to develop and be seen. Reeplayer is committed to making footage...

In Part 1 of The Return on Investment Myth — Rethinking Youth Sports, Dr. Travis Dorsch joins Chat By The Pitch to explore what families are truly getting from youth sports. As a professor at Utah State University and founding director of the Families in Sport Lab, Dr. Dorsch shares how his research — and his own parenting journey — reveal the tension between performance, pressure, and purpose.

We unpack why so many parents chase the wrong outcomes, how goal misalignment drives kids out of the game, and what it really means to “invest” in your child’s sport journey. From NIL deals to the cost of club soccer, Travis challenges families to define success differently — not in scholarships or stats, but in the lessons that last a lifetime.

💬 Key Talking Points

• Why parents should expect a return on investment — but not the kind they think

• The dangers of chasing scholarships and pro dreams too early

• Goal alignment: how parents, coaches, and players get out of sync

• What keeps kids in the game past age 13

• The problem with commodifying young athletes

• Systems thinking: placing the child at the center of the sport ecosystem

• Communication tips for the car ride home

• What questions parents should ask after every game

• Modeling behavior and emotional control on the sidelines

• How family dynamics shape athlete development

• “Snowplow” vs. “scaffolding” parents

• Defining success beyond wins and goals

• Building lifelong movers instead of short-term stars

🗣 Quotes from Dr. Travis Dorsch

• “Parents should expect some form of return on their investment — but the real question is how we define that return.”

• “When parents define success as scholarships or contracts, the pressure skyrockets for everyone.”

• “Goal alignment is everything. If parents and kids aren’t chasing the same thing, conflict is inevitable.”

• “The child needs to remain at the center. When parents or coaches make it about themselves, that’s when problems start.”

• “If we can just get kids to come back next season, we’re winning.”

• “You can’t name Christian Pulisic’s U12 record — because it doesn’t matter. What mattered is that he kept playing.”

• “Parents are role models first. Kids don’t just hear us — they watch how we act.”

• “Ask better questions on the ride home. Not ‘Did you win?’ but ‘What was the most exciting thing you did today?’”

• “Work hard, listen to the coach, and have fun — that’s our family mantra.”

• “Youth sport is a vehicle to raise better humans, not just better athletes.”

Connect with Chat By The Pitch

🐦 X (Twitter): @ChatByThePitch

📷 Instagram: @ChatByThePitch

📘 Facebook: Chat By The Pitch

🎧 Listen: Chat By The Pitch on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Dr. Travis Dorsch

🌐 Families in Sport Lab — Utah State University

▶️ TEDx Talk: “Should Parents Expect a Return on Investment?”

#YouthSports #ParentingInSports #SportsCulture #PlayerDevelopment #SportPsychology #YouthAthletes #TravisDorsch #FamiliesInSport #SportsParenting #ChatByThePitch #SoccerCulture #SportsEcosystem #PlayerCenteredDevelopment #NIL #ReturnOnInvestment #ParentCoachPlayer #YouthDevelopment #SportsEducation #AthleteMindset #PodcastDFW

Mentioned in this episode:

Reeplayer: Greater access to footage gives every young athlete the opportunity to develop and be seen. Reeplayer is committed to making footage accessible to teams, families, and athletes of all backgrounds.

Reeplayer

TeamPlayr: Find and join the perfect youth
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Thanks to Soccer Coach Weekly for supporting the podcast. Plan - Fast - Coach - Smart (GET YOUR 50%...

In this episode, Tom Boyce, co-owner of Crossbar and London Calling TX, shares how these two soccer spaces are redefining culture in North Texas.

From weekday pickup and late-night leagues to homeschool sessions and family-friendly weekends, Crossbar has created a space where adults can play, relax, and connect while their kids grow up around the game.

Tom and Ian dive into:

• How the adult-first, kid-friendly model changes the soccer experience.

• The “winner-stays-on” pickup system that keeps games competitive and fun.

• Why Denton’s cash-rollover challenge became a local legend.

• The crossover between Crossbar and London Calling in growing community culture.

• How partnerships with leagues, gyms, and coaches expand opportunity across DFW.

This episode is a reminder that soccer isn’t just a sport — it’s a community heartbeat.

⚽ Key Talking Points

• Crossbar’s mission: create adult-first soccer community centers where parents can play too.

• Locations: Dallas (formerly Richardson) and Denton, both with full-service bars and turf.

• League nights: Open, Co-Ed, and Over-30 divisions.

• Pickup culture: 5v5, first to two goals, winner stays — no cleats allowed.

• GoodRec and FieldSpace apps for sign-ups and scheduling.

• The cash-rollover pickup pot that’s become part of Denton soccer lore.

• Daytime blocks for homeschoolers, youth training, and open play.

• Community partnerships with gyms, coaches, and local soccer groups.

• Expansion plans: new outdoor turf and long-term franchise potential.

• “Happy parents = better players.” The ripple effect of Crossbar’s culture.

💬 Quotes from Tom Boyce

“We’re adult-first, but kids are always welcome. It’s a soccer community center.”

“If parents are comfortable, coaches can coach and kids can just play.”

“Pickup should be fun — 5v5, winner stays, no pressure, no cleats.”

“That cash pot in Denton? It started small, now it’s legendary.”

“We’re not here to nickel-and-dime. We’re here to belong.”

“Think the Cheers bar — but for soccer.”

📲 Connect with Tom Boyce

📷 Instagram: @crossbar.dallas

📷 Instagram: @londoncallingtx

🌐 Websites:

🔗 www.crossbardallas.com

🔗 www.londoncallingtx.com

⚽ Follow Chat By The Pitch

🐦 X (Twitter): @ChatByThePitch

📷 Instagram: @ChatByThePitch

📘 Facebook: Chat By The Pitch

#ChatByThePitch #Crossbar #LondonCallingTX #DallasSoccer #DFWSoccer #AdultSoccer #PickupSoccer #IndoorSoccer #DentonTX #RichardsonTX #SoccerCommunity #SoccerParents #YouthSoccerParents #TexasSoccer #NorthTexasSoccer #SoccerCulture #FiveASide #CommunitySoccer

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TeamPlayr: Find and join the perfect youth
soccer team

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Thanks to Soccer Coach Weekly for supporting the podcast. Plan - Fast - Coach - Smart (GET YOUR 50% OFF WITH CODE IAN50) at Soccer Coach Weekly

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Reeplayer: Greater access to footage gives every young athlete the opportunity to develop and be seen. Reeplayer is committed to making footage accessible to teams, families, and athletes of all backgrounds.

Reeplayer

Soccer Innovations: Award-Winning Soccer Equipment & Accessories

Soccer Innovations